Chiara – Revenge and Triumph (53 page)

"Where? In your chest?"

He took several deep breaths. "No, in the shoulder, I mean, the whole side hurts. Why?"

"Because I can’t explain why you are still so feverish. Your wound is clean and so I was afraid you might have pneumonia." She took his hand. "And I’m so relieved it’s not. Coughing could rip open your wound. I want you to get well … fast."

He smiled.

"
Ti voglio molto bene
, Jacomo — I care very much for you."

He closed his eyes, his face relaxed, holding on to her hand.

* * * 

Pepe and Luigi returned around noon, bringing back her knife, as well as all the weapons of the retainers. Luigi’s face was green and he stood in the hall, forlorn. She felt guilty, but pushed it away. She had done it for good reason.

Veronica went over to him, untied the scarf and removed his coat. He let it happen like a small child.

"I’ll get you a hot drink."

"Thank you," he murmured.

"Luigi, I would like you to join us, unless you prefer to be alone," said Chiara, giving him a warm smile.

He came over and sat on the cushion that Alda offered, taking the cup Veronica brought, murmuring another "thank you", warming his hand on it. After an awkward silence, Chiara spoke: "I’m teaching Jacomo and Veronica Latin. I would welcome your help."

He looked up briefly. "I don’t know that I would be of much help."

"But I’m sure that your father hired a teacher."

"Yes, he did, but I was no good."

"Then, why don’t you join us. We have lots of fun. We are translating a Latin play into the vernacular."

She told him about the plot they had translated so far. Next she slowly read two verses in Latin, giving the literal translation word for word, and then read the Latin twice more. Veronica repeated the Latin until she could say it fluently. It took her only three times. Chiara invited Luigi to do the same. He also managed in three times.

"You are excused, Jacomo. You may only say it in your mind. And now we want to find verses in the vernacular that are as close as possible to the Latin but have a pleasing rhyme."

Veronica had a go, Jacomo could not resist and added a small twist, and Chiara gave it the finishing touches. She could see that they had caught Luigi’s interest. They repeated this with the next two verses. This time the translation was amusing, causing Veronica to burst out laughing, Jacomo to give a painful smile, and Luigi to pull up the corners of his mouth, his eyes lighting up. They continued until Alda called for lunch.

After lunch, Chiara left the young people alone and went outside to Pepe.

"How did it go?"

"If you wanted it to be hard on him, you achieved that. He vomited when he saw the corpses. Animals already had ripped into them. It will be a lesson that he won’t forget."

"I think that he’s basically a decent young man. Let’s hope that he gets on well with Veronica and Jacomo."

"Oh, those two are such sweet people, I would be surprised if he didn’t. And what are we going to do with these extra horses? Should I sell them?"

She pondered this a moment. "No, I want to try to make peace with Lord Baglione, so I would like to return the horses and the weapons."

Pepe frowned, puzzled. "And how do you plan to go about that? Another one of your hair-raising schemes?"

"I will ask Contessa d’Appiano to intervene on my behalf. Sooner or later, we will have to let Luigi return to his parents, and I hope that this gesture of goodwill may make them willing at least to listen to my plea."

"Was this the reason you spared him?"

"No, I couldn’t kill a boy. He may be eighteen, but in some ways he’s still a boy. No, the idea only came to me last night while I watched over Jacomo."

"You really love that boy, do you?"

"Yes, Pepe, I do. I lost one brother, I don’t want to lose a second."

Later that afternoon, she wrote the letter to Lady Maria. Pepe took it to Monte Pulciano the next day.

* * * 

Life over the next two weeks turned almost to normal. Jacomo’s fever abated, he regained his strength, his quick wit, ever more devoted to Chiara. His wound healed and his tentative test to move his arm indicated that he was likely to get back its full use. Luigi had recovered by the end of a week. She asked him to write the letter to his father, telling him what happened, but without revealing neither the location where it happened nor his current whereabouts. He also was to tell that he would return home within six to eight weeks. It took him almost a full afternoon to make the final draft.

"L … Chiara, I would like you to read what I wrote, please."

He still found it difficult to call her simply by her first name. While he had opened up to both Jacomo and Veronica, particularly to the girl, but also to Alda and Pepe, he seemed to be overawed by her, never addressing her directly, unless asked a question, except when they had their Latin lessons. Then, he often forgot himself and participated animatedly with Veronica and Jacomo in creating pleasing and clever verses.

Although she was curious to know what he had written write, she also had decided not to insist on reading it. She was therefore all the more pleased that he offered it of his own free will.

"You really want me to read it? You know I would not insist on it."

He nodded, blushing. She took the letter. He had observed her request not to give any locations strictly. There was not even a mention of Chiusi. The events could have happened as far away as Orvieto. The account truthfully stated that she and her young companion had tried to avoid any encounter and had only fought when cornered. He said little about the fight, except that all three of his retainers were killed almost instantly, that he himself had been wounded and then diligently attended and cared for by Lady Chiara, that the retainers had been buried, protected from animals by large boulders placed on their common grave, that he was not kept a prisoner, but free to move, that he had given his promise not to leave until Lady Chiara would herself restore him to his family in the near future, that in the meantime he was receiving Latin lessons and to his own surprise was making good progress. The letter ended with a plea to his father not to search for him and an assurance to his mother that he was fine and again in good health.

"Thank you, Luigi," she said, giving him a warm smile, as she handed back the letter. "Is this what you really feel?"

He briefly met her gaze and murmured: "Yes, Chiara."

"Pepe will bring it to Monte Pulciano the next time he goes there."

* * * 

By the third week, a balmy winter’s day invited them to go bathing again for the first time. Luigi overcame his initial embarrassment. He had difficulties preventing his eyes from constantly straying to Veronica. Chiara guessed that he had fallen in love with her and that the girl was not immune to his youthful charm.

That night, when Chiara and Veronica were getting ready to go to sleep, Veronica asked her: "Do you like Luigi?"

"Yes, Veronica. You like him very much, true?"

Even the subdued light of the candle could not hide her blushing. "He’s so different from what I thought a Baglione would be."

"Yes, at least those that I know, except maybe for Lady Lucia’s husband. I guess you have noticed that Luigi is quite taken with you."

"Do you really think so?" Her eyes glowed and a hopeful tone had crept into her voice, and then she looked down, dejectedly. "But he’s a Baglione and I’m an only orphan from poor tenant farmers," she murmured.

Chiara hugged her. "And I’m of noble birth and dreaming of one of Sanguanero’s slaves."

Veronica raised her face, trying to smile. "You could buy him."

"Would that make any difference? There would be still an abyss between us. It would be easier for you to marry a man of noble birth than for me to marry a freed slave. Anyway, we have to take life the way it comes."

"But you also say that we have to take control of our life."

"Yes, there’s no contradiction. You take control the way it comes."

"I wonder whether I’ll see him again once he leaves… Jacomo told him that he was learning Latin because he would like to study law. And do you know what Luigi said? … He said that he also would like to study law, but that Filippo Baglione, you know, Lady Lucia’s husband, wanted him to study commerce and his father had given in to that. If he studied law, then maybe I would see him again."

"Yes, so you have to convince him to ask his father again. He can always go back into commerce after having studied law."

Veronica smiled. "Yes, I will."

* * * 

Pepe rode up to the house, waving a letter. Chiara spied him through the parlor window and rushed to meet him. It bore the seal of Lord d’Appiano. She broke it with trepidation. It read:

Dear Chiara,

I have trembled for your safety ever since I had the misfortune of attending Niccolo Sanguanero’s fateful betrothal party. Your revelations in front of so many leading members of Siena’s ruling families and the retribution you exacted from Casa Sanguanero left many in shock and few doubt the truth of what you accused Massimo Sanguanero. Some condemn your actions, many admire you, and all agree that woe to those who dare to cross you. Your latest deed will only serves to reinforce that.

I thank the Holy Madonna that you spared Luigi Baglione and hope that both he and Jacomo have recovered from their wounds. I am heartened by your willingness to seek peace between you and the noble branch of the Baglione, but I am sure you realize that there can never be peace between you and Casa Sanguanero.

I have asked Lord d’Appiano for advice and, although he did not hide his utmost displeasure with what you had done, he relented to my pleas to write to Lord Grifonetto Baglione, asking him to let you put your case to him. That is what I understand you begged me to do.

However, he also agreed that it would be foolish of you to put yourself into his hands without a guarantee that on that mission no attempts will be made to harm you or any of your troupe, no matter what the outcome of your meeting with him will be. Therefore, he has requested that they grant such assurance. I want to accompany you when you meet Lord Baglione as an added assurance for your safety.

As soon as we hear from Lord Baglione, I shall write to you again. Until then, may God protect you.

Your faithful friend, Lady Maria d’Appiano

She had rushed over the letter, her face lighting up, and started again, when Pepe interrupted: "And what does it say? Is she willing to help?"

Alda, standing just beside Chiara, exclaimed: "Oh, Pepe, just look at her face and you know the answer."

"Yes, Pepe, she’s willing to help. I’ll read it to you."

Later that day, after the Latin lesson, while Chiara put the final touches on the verses they had translated over the last few days, Luigi approached her, cap in hand. He was the only one of them still wearing a cap most of the time. When he did not say anything, she looked up and asked: "Yes, Luigi, say what’s on your tongue."

"L … Chiara, the letter, does it have to do with my going home?"

"Yes, in a way. I want to talk to Lord Baglione and plead for peace between him and what’s left of the da Narni family. Lord d’Appiano is asking your father for my safe passage to such a meeting. As soon as I get that guarantee, you and I will go to Perugia."

"Ah, I would like to help. I would like to write another letter to my mother that she helps convince my father to grant you this guarantee."

"Luigi, I would be very much in your debt if you did this. Thank you. You know where paper and quills are."

He blushed deeply, nodded, and then went over to the cupboard to fetch the things he needed.

Jacomo and Veronica also wanted to know about the letter, and she let them read it.

It took another two weeks before Lady Maria’s next message arrived, advising Chiara that Lord Baglione promised to offer her safe passage, that she would travel to Monte Pulciano within three days and expected to see her in Palazzo Benincasa upon her arrival there.

* * * 

Two days later, Chiara and Luigi, took leave from Castello Gianbucca. Luigi had a hard time tearing himself away from the four people who had taken him in, cared for him, and treated him like one of their own. He hugged Alda spontaneously, but was more bashful when it came to say goodbye to Veronica. It was she who hugged him briefly. He promised Jacomo that he would do his best to convince his father to let him study law so that they could attend the same university.

He was quiet while they rode along, with three horses in tow, loaded with the weapons of the retainers and a change of clothing for Chiara.

"And Luigi, are you looking forward to seeing your parents again?" she tried to break the silence.

He hesitated for a moment and then replied: "Yes, particularly my mother and my little sister."

"But not so much your father? … Tell me a bit about him, so that I know how to approach him."

 "I don’t know what to tell you… He is very stern with most people, but especially us children; he does not tolerate dissent from me."

"Is he a proud man? Proud of being a Baglione?"

"Yes, extremely so."

That does not sound good,
she thought. "Does he listen to your mother?"

"I’m not sure… I don’t really know."

"Is there anybody else that he listens to or asks for advice?"

He pondered this a while. "Yes, he is very respectful toward my grandmother. I have seen him ask for her advice."