Kat exhaled. “I think . . . I’d better take you to my home. We are close. Get you off the water and out of that slave-smock. But you must promise me you won’t tell anyone where I live.”
“Promise,” said Maria tiredly. “Swear to God. Just keep me away from those Dandelo bastardos.”
Kat took a deep breath. “You’ll be safe enough. I swear. Just pull that canvas over yourself.” And she bent to the oar. “I think we’ll try for speed rather than being unobtrusive right now. They could take me for you, and then we’d both be for it.”
She concentrated on her sculling. Then, panting a little, glanced over her shoulder. “There are a few boats in the distance. They’re too far off to see us in the moonlight but when we get to the Casa, you must move as fast as you can. Please.”
Maria tensed her tired body. “Won’t they just follow us?”
Kat snorted. “Not . . . huh . . . likely.” They bumped against a tiny landing. Kat leaped forward and dropped a painter over a pole. She turned and helped Maria up and they staggered up the stairs. Kat rapped a hasty pattern on the water-door.
Maria heard the bolts slide. She and Kat half-fell and were half-dragged within by a white-haired old man with “family retainer” written all over his wrinkles.
The bolts sliding home were a wonderfully secure sound. But as Maria slumped against the wall and felt the suspicious angry gaze of the old man wash over her, she wondered whether this was security or worse trouble. The old man had a wheel-lock pistol in his belt and looked ready to use it. “And now, Signorina Katerina! What’s this?” He pointed at Maria as if she were a long-dead alley-cat. “Milord won’t be pleased. Trouble.” His tone would have rimed boiling minestrone with ice.
Kat wasn’t pleased either. “Oh, Giuseppe! Stop behaving like an old woman. As if I didn’t learn half my troublemaking from you in the first place! See if you can find something to cut this chain with. And if you see Madelena, ask her for some food, some wine, and some hot water. We’ll be in my room. Please.”
The old man shook his head doubtfully, as Kat helped Maria to her feet. “Ai, signorina. You are like your father all over again. Still, the master won’t be pleased.”
“Then we won’t tell him,” responded Kat quietly, but firmly. “He has enough worries already. Now get Madelena for me, Giuseppe, do. Please.”
He nodded and turned away. His rolling gait as he left—still muttering—said that this family retainer was an old seaman. Kat led Maria down a succession of corridors, up a staircase, down another corridor and into a bedroom. By the time they got there, the leg-irons felt like lead weights.
Chapter 56
Maria realized that the bedroom she’d swayed into was the finest she’d ever seen. Or must once have been very fine. But there were subtle signs of decay everywhere. The gilt-trimmed mirrors were old and fogged. The silken hangings on the carved bedstead were slightly tattered. The beautiful cassone had a little chip in it.
“Sit here on the bed.” Kat thrust her gently onto it. Maria sat. Obedient, bewildered, but at least no longer terrified. Benito certainly picked his girlfriends! Kat went to the dressing table, took a branch of candles and lit them at the wall sconce. She rummaged in the closet and came out with a gown of some sort before returning to the bed. “My God! Your poor knees!”
“I crawled. From the Casa Dandelo to where you found me. It was better than staying there,” said Maria quietly.
Kat took a deep breath. “Well, you’re safe now. Lord. I wish Marco was here. He’s so good at doctoring. Let’s get you out of that smock anyway.”
Marco? Maria’s tired mind took a moment to work this one out as she managed to stand and hold her arms up to allow Kat take off the coarse slave-smock. Marco . . . Marco? By the worshipful tone, Benito had lost his Case Vecchie girlfriend! Well, it was keeping her alive. And Marco was a good soul. Too good for comfort, at times. But he would at least be nice to her, even if he was still daydreaming about his “girl in a boat.”