A few days later I realised that my life in Granacci`s house was not much different from my former life at the convent. Despite his promises, Ricardo had no time for me the next day. "Business, sister," he muttered, looking away, patted me on the shoulder and disappeared. Fabrizio, however, stayed at my disposal. But as I was about to get some air, donna Assunta immediately turned up, determined to accompany me wherever I went. I had to give up the canals and the shops on the Merceria −with that old witch by my side the walk wouldn`t be any pleasure at all.

I didn't mind being alone. The old house was like a treasure box that kept surprising me every day. The dark carved pear-wood chests of drawers held rolls of the softest bright fabrics that made my hazel eyes look golden amber and my pale skin glow. Behind the glass doors of the cabinets I could see expensive dishes glittering. And while wandering through the empty rooms, I sometimes noticed a fragment of an old mural or painting. Julia's rooms were like Ali Baba's magic cave, full of wonderful things that every woman loved: silver-embroidered silk cloaks, scented gloves, lace, veils, crystal vials of various essences... I had never had such beautiful things before and now I enjoyed them while I had the chance.

Pulcino didn't like Venetta. "The fishermen here are cunning," he complained, " they often bring bad fish. Seagulls are insolent. People are always scurrying around, muddy the water and rumble heavy hammers. Why didn`t we stay in our old lagoon? There used to be such soft sandbanks, swamps, reeds, salt lakes – that was a real paradise! Why on earth did we have to move to this dirty ugly place?”

When he was sullen, Pulcino wouldn`t stop whining. We didn't often get to talk, though, because donna Assunta was watching my every move. She made no attempt to expose me to the servants – for the sake of our family name, I guessed, − but wherever I went I was soon followed by the clatter of a cane and an old quavering voice asking, "Julia? Are you there?”

She had a lot of different tasks for me to do: help her to spool wool, try a new recipe, read her a book... I wondered how she used to deal with it without my help?

"But I'm busy, auntie," I tried to escape. Yet in vain.

"I haven't seen you for too long, my dear. Just let me admire your lovely face before I`m gone,” she moaned plaintively, turning threateningly senile. And with a gloating smile on her face.

"You'll outlive all of us, you nasty old hag!" I thought to myself, deeply irritated by my aunt`s duplicity. But I had to hold my tongue because I didn`t want the servants to gossip. The only time I got some freedom was early in the morning when donna Assunta got up and dragged her sinful bones to the confessional room. Fortunately for me, her piety did not allow her to miss a single early service at a church.

Ricardo didn`t interfere. Actually, he was rarely at home those days. In the daytime he was busy with his work. And as for the evenings – well, he took Fabrizio and they disappeared into a moonlit maze of the canals. My imagination pictured a dark alley hidden from view, a secret door opening at a conventional knock, a female figure in a mask and a long cloak. Sometimes, as I was lying in my bed at night, I could hear the splash of an oar near our terrace and the murmur of conversation that carried far across the water…

I was curious. I was tempted to ask Fabrizio, but I knew that all gondoliers cherish the secrets of their young masters. It was a sort of male fraternity. My questions will only amuse him. And why on earth should I care about Ricardo`s sweet nights?

"You shouldn`t be thinking about such trifles," Pulcino`s voice interrupted my blissful idleness. "You'd better worry about someone else. What do you know about the man with the scar who had met you and Ricardo on the quay?”

Even now, the memory of the stranger felt like an icy hand on my back.

"I have no idea. Some kind of assassin, maybe."

Pulcino's reply was a hoarse squawk, so loud and ugly that it could have made any other person shiver.

Seagulls always laugh like that. It took me some time to get used to it.

"Wrong again," according to his pleased tone he`d learnt something important. “On the contrary, he's the kind of man who keeps all Venetta's assassins within narrow bonds. His name is Alessandro di Goro and he`s the head of the Count's guard.”

I shrugged, though my friend, who was miles away, couldn't see me.

“Then the Count must have a really bad taste if he can look at that face every day without shuddering!"

“Well, it is better to live a long life with a bad taste than to die with a good one! Didn`t you know that don Arsago has been attacked twice in the last six months? Obviously, he is still alive only thanks to his loyal chief guard. It seems that our Count has a lot of enemies in Venetta. It`s not a good idea to criticize a man's face if it comes together with a bright mind and skilled hands!”

Pulcino's words got things in a new direction. I knew that one of the Venetian patricians was scheming something against the chiamati. That's why I came here instead of Julia. Someone wanted to subdue chiamati and make her work for themselves. But I only had my suspicions, no evidence at all. Before that day I was pretty sure that don Arsago could be the villain. But even he could have been caught in a trap and forced by someone else.

Who else then?

There was also the Council of Ten, not to mention the mystical Council of Three –even the senators themselves didn`t know the names of its members. The members who could dispose lives of any patrician in the city.

The maid's timid voice interrupted my dark thoughts:

"Signor di Goro is here to see you."

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"Speak of the devil!" Pulcino snorted sarcastically. And disappeared.

I signed.

"Donna Assunta won't let me see him anyway. But thank you for telling me."

Blass that old spinster! Thanks to her I replaced my conventual room for just a bigger one but with the same restrictions.

The maid left, but soon returned:

"Senhorita, he insists on meeting with you. In private."

Definitely that Count's guard was not so easy to deal with... As I was wondering, what I should do, the girl continued:

“He`s already talked to donna Assunta, and then she locked herself in her room and said she wouldn't come out until tonight.”

I couldn`t help but whistle in amazement: apparently, signor di Goro was well-experienced in dealing with annoying old ladies! It would not hurt to take a few lessons from him...

It was really hard to choose between curiosity and apprehension. As Pulcino had said before, this person was dangerous. But on the other hand, he belonged to the Count's court, and he had many interesting things to tell.

In the end, curiosity prevailed. I rushed to the chest and pulled out a luxurious silk dress – which Julia had hidden from the sharp eyes of donna Assunta. Auntie would never let me wear it. It was pale lilac, its top trimmed with gold cord and transparent gauze, allowing to appreciate the beauty of my hands and shoulders. In my opinion, no man would question a woman about the convent if she was wearing such a beautiful dress. Well, at least the convent would be the last thing that came into his mind, for sure.

“Signor di Goro has his weapons and I have mine,” I told myself with a sudden hint of mischief. Then I turned to the bewildered maid.

"Go and tell him that I'll meet with him − but a little later. Take the guest to the salon, offer him a glass of good wine. And send Lucia to me.”

Of all the maids, Lucia was the most skillful with my hair. And I didn`t care that it could take an hour or two. Let him wait and suffer for a while!

I went downstairs an hour and a quarter later. The silk dress shimmered, swaying gently with every movement, and my long earrings jingled softly. My hair looked luxuriant and shiny, loosely tied with a gold ribbon.

To my annoyance, the visitor in the saloon was not pacing back and forth, cursing me for his time wasted. Instead he was sitting quite comfortably in his chair, staring at the canal as if he was accustomed to the long waiting. He rose courteously as I entered the room, took a step towards me... and seemed to freeze for a few moments.

It's nice mine and Lucia`s efforts didn't go to waste. My mood immediately improved.

"Signora," don Alessandro said, bowing like a man suddenly awakened from a dream.

“You wanted to see me so badly. For what reason?”

"I forgot," he said innocently. And smiled.

The smile was crooked and unkind because of the scar. If it hadn't been for that injury, he might even have been handsome. He had a strong, hard face that was undeniably attractive. When he saw me flinch, he stepped back from the window and let the shadow hide his face. I felt a pang of guilt and… sympathy.

I invited him to sit down and offered some almond cookies that I`d developed a taste for in the past few days. The convent diet didn`t allow us such delicacy.

"How do you like Venetta?" he asked.

“I haven't had time to explore the city yet. There's a lot to do in this house! Seems that it has been neglected for some years already.”

I hoped that the elderly cook, who was busy with the tea tray, would carry my words to donna Assunta and make her jump with anger. Signor di Goro hastily reached for his cup to hide a smile.

“Well, you can't stay locked up forever. Believe me, there is much more to see in Venetta!”

As we exchanged meaningless pleasantries, I considered how to turn the conversation to his master. But he suddenly brought up the subject himself:

"Don Arsago is giving a party in two days' time.”

"I am afraid, signore, my presence there would be inappropriate," I said, meaning my mourning.

I wasn't ready to face those people yet. And let Pulcino scold me and call me a coward – whatever. First, I needed to gather more information.

“Too bad. You would be the highlight of the evening.”

The genuine admiration of his voice made me uneasy. That was not how I had imagined our conversation with him. My thoughts were scattered, my heart was pounding as if I'd climbed the steeple without a break. I was with a man, alone, for the first time in my life. And that made me feel acutely uncomfortable.

The evening shadows fell over the Grand Canal. The light of the candles created a little cozy corner in the gloomy room. The servants were gone. We were sitting alone in a deep dark silence. Suddenly Alessandro took my hand, which looked miniature in his tanned palm. He kissed it softly, his dark-grey eyes never leaving mine. I flushed, but he didn't let go of my hand immediately.

“You have blisters," he said confidentially and that voice made me sweat. “I've been watching you from the very beginning. Your hands are tanned and so is your face. But your neck and arms are pure white. Tell your maid not to put so much powder, it doesn`t suit you at all.”

My heart sank and I wanted to wrap my mantilla around me. Or rather domino-cloak! So that not even a scrap of skin could be seen!

In a meanwhile, he went on calmly:

“At the convent you were one of the gray sisters and had to do common labour – not to learn chiamata skills as the noble patricians do. You had to escape? Why? Were you mistreated? Tell me! Maybe I can help.…”

It was like being doused in ice water. I was caught in my own trap. Somehow, that damned Count's watchdog had managed to make me feel completely relaxed and let down my guard. Pulcino was right – he was dangerous! I jerked my hand away angrily.

“I don't have any secrets that deserve your attention, " I said, looking him straight in the eyes. But he didn't even flinch.

“If you need any help.…”

“If I do, I`ll ask my brother first. Not you, definitely!”

Finally he realized that he had gone too far. Alessandro rose hastily:

“Sure, senhorita. I`m really sorry. Thank you for taking the time.”

A moment later his footsteps were heard on the terrace. I steepled my fingers, listening for every sound outside, and only breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the splash of water and the muffled conversation with the boatman. He was gone.

No more private conversations with this man! This prey is too much for me. While he was talking and smiling, his eyes noticed every single detail, which allowed him to piece a few things together. Goodness, he was so close!

When Ricardo returned, he was really surprise to find me in the salon, all alone, with no candles burning.

“Julia?” he asked. "What's the matter with you?"

“Nothing special. Just thinking.”

"You shouldn`t mop around the house all day," he lit the candles and the room filled with warm light again. "The Count is giving a big dinner the day after tomorrow, and you will be there.”

I frowned.

"Ricardo, I`ve already told you…”

“Yes, Julia, I know. But don Arsago had agreed to postpone the wedding. Now it's our turn to honor his request. It's called compromise.”

"But I'm in mourning. What will the people say?”

Ricardo looked at me for a long moment. Of course, he noticed every detail: bright extravagant dress with low cut, fluffed hair, glittering jewelry.

“Just dress up modestly, that's all. Don Arsago himself said today that your presence is most welcome.”

In my room I looked at my burning face in the mirror. So shameful! I tried to flirt with Alessandro – and he pretended to play along while he could see right through me.

I wished I could fall into the earth. And the worst part of it was the dinner – the Count would definitely keep his guard by his side. What if Alessandro… But no. I was sure that he would never tell a single soul about the evening. And with my sixth sense I felt that the man with a scar was on my side.