Fruit of the Golden Vine (29 page)

Adelina and Silvana entered the street, still arm in arm. A mellow breeze kissed Silvana’s skin, carrying the aromas of baked goods, petals, forge smoke and, alas, horse manure. It wasn’t long after dawn, and the sun remained timid, though no doubt in an hour or two it would set the air scorching.

“I’ll be glad when summer’s ended,” said Silvana.

“And then autumn will come, and the trees will all look like the one you bear on your cheek.”

“Which reminds me that the watch will be looking for us. We’d better hurry.”

They traversed busy streets and quiet alleys, careful to avoid the crossroads where merchants plied their trade while watchmen stood in vigil. The sun ascended and mustered its strength, and the townsfolk grew languid beneath the noonday heat. Even the horses that pulled the carriages and coaches walked as if exhausted.

“I’m so hot,” said Adelina as they paused for shade beneath the wall of a high building. “I’m glad I’m not wearing a dress.”

Silvana contemplated the suggestive shape of Adelina’s legs. “So am I.” She brushed sweat from her forehead and tugged her sticky shirt away from her torso. “But we’ve only an hour or two more. The worst part will be walking by road to your father’s estate. There’s no shade at all.”

“If only we had a coach.” Adelina puffed out her cheeks. “I’ll be a puddle soon. You can take me home in a bucket.”

“If you melt, I’ll drink you. That way you’ll be with me forever.”

Adelina laughed. “Silvana, that’s disgusting!”

“Surely it’s romantic.”

“For a cannibal, maybe.” Adelina slumped against the wall. “I want to go to sleep. If I were at home, I’d curl up in the garden and let the cool shade drift me into slumber.”

A shout rang out. Silvana spun, her hand touching her sword hilt. Two watchmen lumbered down the street toward them. “Stop there!” said the nearest as he drew his sword. “By the order of the law!”

“Oh, hell,” said Silvana. There was no way Adelina could outrun these two men, especially not in such heat. Which meant Silvana had no other choice.

She drew her sword, and Adelina gasped and flattened herself against the wall. “Silvana, you’re not going to…”

The guards approached with wary steps. “Sheathe that blade,” said the guard who’d first spoken. Judging by the feather in his peaked cap, he was the higher in rank of the two. “There’s no call for bloodshed, my lady.”

“I only drew it so as to hold your attention,” said Silvana. “Why are you apprehending us?”

“We’ve been ordered to watch for a woman who wears a sigil upon her face in the company of a younger woman. Both are short-haired and have donned men’s clothing.”

Silvana scowled, and the feather-capped guard took a comical step backward. “This clothing belongs to me, not to any man.”

“I didn’t mean…The point is, my lady, that you are Mistress Silvana and this is Mistress Adelina, is that not correct?”

“That is correct.”

“And she has unlawfully fled the rightful hold of her father, and you assaulted a prominent innkeeper to abet her escape. Correct?”

“At this rate, you’ll pass with an excellent grade.”

“Go away,” said Adelina, lifting her fist. “I’ve left home of my own free will, and Silvana is guilty of nothing but protecting me from Orfeo—who is the one you should be accusing of assault, by the way.”

The guard shook his head. “The law of our republic is that women belong to their fathers and husbands unless they are given right of emancipation. You, my lady, have no such right.”

“Does that sound just to you? One human belonging to another in slavery?”

“What is just is what is the law, Mistress Adelina, and that is the law.”

“If I had been born a man, I could go where I please. Do you keep your own mother in a cage? Do you leash your sister and chain your daughter?” Adelina bared her teeth. “I am a free woman, and you have no right to bid me!”

The guard’s face remained impassive. “I do have the right, and I am executing it. Mistress Silvana, please lower your sword.”

Silvana put her free hand on Adelina’s shoulder, which trembled—fear, perhaps, or outrage. “Let me offer some clarity. We are in the process of returning to her father’s manor. Thus, if you truly wish to take her back to the man who insists he has legal right over her, I suggest you escort us to him.”

The guards exchanged glances. “I should take you to the watch house,” said the guard with the feathered cap. “That’s proper procedure.”

“But then I would resist. Blood would be spilled, and not all of it would be mine. It would be far wiser to escort us to the estate of Sebastian and Delfina and earn their praise for reuniting them with their daughter.” Silvana tapped the tip of her blade on the cobblestones, and the guard flinched. “He is the wealthiest man in the city, is he not?”

“So they say.”

“If you turn us over to your captain, who do you think will claim the credit and thus receive Sebastian’s gratitude?”

After a long moment, the guard nodded. “Very well, we’ll escort you to Master Sebastian. But if he commands us to arrest you afterwards, we shall have no choice but to obey.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Silvana took Adelina’s hand. “You see, Ada? Nothing has changed. We merely have some new company.”

“These men will drag you off in chains if Father and Mother tell them to,” Adelina said. “Please don’t surrender. Fight them off. You know my parents will refuse our union, and when they do, I’ll be back where I started and you’ll be thrown in jail.” Adelina’s lips quivered. “Maybe even hanged.”

Silvana kissed Adelina’s knuckles. “Have confidence. Fortune is with us.”

“How sweet,” said the lesser guard. “The bitches are in heat for each other.”

His superior scowled. “Save your opinions for the court, you pig.” He gave Silvana an apologetic look. “Forgive him his crass words, my lady.”

Silvana flourished her sword and considered its gleaming edge. The guards held their breath. She sheathed the blade, and the guards exhaled as one. “All is forgiven. Escort us to a coach, and I’m sure Sebastian will reward you for returning his daughter in comfort.”

Adelina touched her lips to Silvana’s ear. “Is this a ruse? Are we really going with them?”

“No ruse, my love.” Silvana stepped forward, arms out and hands open, and allowed the feather-capped guard to touch his sword lightly to her back.

“No sudden motions, my lady. Only walk as we direct you.”

“As you will, but please don’t touch me with your blade again. I have an aversion to sharp steel near my skin.”

The guard chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“And make sure your oaf of a companion escorts Adelina with the respect she deserves.”

“Oh, he will. Or else he’ll get the tip of my boot.” The guard cleared his throat. “Right. Onward, then.”

Silvana caught Adelina’s eye. The young woman was stricken, poor thing, yet Silvana remained serene. Captive though she might have been, a powerful certainty kept her from despair, for Adelina had forgiven Silvana and still loved her. In the wake of such a miracle, it seemed impossible that her joy could ever be broken.

After such an absence, the manor seemed to Adelina to be abundant with beloved features: the window of the room she had once shared with Irena, the great tree outside that rustled on winter nights and exuded its perfume on summer mornings, the garden sprawling from the manor’s left flank, the stable on the right, the scent of summer and plains grass, the distant winery…

“Hurry up.” Adelina’s guard escort spoke between labored breaths. “It’s hot as hell in this armor.”

As the group neared the front door, a childish voice cried, “Ada!” Adelina laughed and turned toward the sound. Felise sprinted down the garden path with her arms outstretched while Mona the puppy scampered in pursuit, wagging her tail. “Ada! Ada!”

“Hello, Lise—” Adelina grunted as Felise pounced upon her and squeezed her tight. “Careful, you’ll squish me.”

Mona capered around Adelina’s feet, sharing in Felise’s excitement, while Felise sprang on her heels. “You’re not dead! Everyone was worried! Your hair has fallen out! Where did you go?” She frowned at the two guardsmen, who stood fidgeting nearby. “Who are they?”

“I’m under arrest.” Adelina ruffled Felise’s hair. “You see what happens to bad girls? Keep stealing jam, and the watch will come for you too.”

Felise strutted up to the feather-capped guard, folded her arms and glared into his face. “You’re not to arrest my sister. Go away!”

The feather-capped guard gave a guilty laugh. “I’m sorry, little one. I promise that we’re not here to do anyone harm.”

“Mona, get him!” Felise pointed at the guard. Mona sat on her haunches and tilted her head with a look of canine incomprehension. “Bite, Mona, bite!”

“Don’t worry, Felise,” said Silvana. “Everything will be fine.” She held out her hand, and Felise bounded forward to take it. “I’m looking after Adelina, so nothing bad can happen to her.”

“Good.” Felise gave Silvana a broad smile. “You must use your sword to chop these nasty men.”

Silvana chuckled. “Only if I have to.”

The doors opened to reveal Irena, who stared at Adelina with widened eyes. Rafael stood in the lobby a few steps behind her. “I was right!” Irena clasped her hands. “I thought I heard Lise calling your name, and I was right!”

“And behold, my sister with her.” Rafael beamed. “Never have I been so glad to witness a scandal.”

Irena took several flying steps forward and crushed Adelina against her chest. “Oh, Ada, sweetheart…”

Adelina kissed Irena on the cheek. “I missed you, big sister.”

“I wept every night for you.” Irena leaned back and smiled. “You’ve no idea how much of a fright you gave the family. All I told them was that you’d left by choice. Mother was furious with me, but what could she do? She knows nobody can stop you when you’ve made up your mind.”

“Does she know yet about last night?”

“About Orfeo?” Irena’s gaze moved to Silvana and then to the guards. “Oh, she knows. In fact, Orfeo is here right now along with that sickly judge, Matheus.”

“What lies has that monster been spreading?”

“He said that he found you in his inn, tried to bring you home and that Silvana cut his cheek and took you instead.” Irena’s smile widened. “Father was very angry when Orfeo described how his guards had restrained you. Father said that if he were Silvana, he’d have cut Orfeo’s cheek too. Orfeo didn’t take that remark very well.”

An unexpected affection swelled in Adelina’s breast. “He really said that? I thought he’d be angry at Silvana.”

“Oh, they both are. Especially Mother. But they’re just as angry at Orfeo. It’d be amusing if it weren’t all so serious.”

The feather-capped guard cleared his throat. “My lady, may I take it you are the elder daughter of the household?”

“That is correct. I am Mistress Irena.” Irena gave Adelina a final hug before confronting the watchmen. “What is your business here, sirs?”

“Well, we’ve brought your sister back. We’d like to speak to the master of the house.”

Irena nodded. “Rafael, will you tell Father and Mother what has transpired? I don’t yet want to take my eyes off my beloved sister.”

“Of course.” Rafael winked at Silvana before retreating into the depths of the manor.

Turning her back on the guards, Irena set her eyes once more upon Adelina. Her elder sister, Adelina saw now, was beautiful not only because of the handsome features she’d inherited, but because of the gentle gaze which Adelina had always taken to suggest idiocy, the softness of speech Adelina had mistaken for timidity, and—most of all—her tender way of smiling, which had once infuriated Adelina but now brought her to the verge of tears.

“Ira,” Adelina said, “I heard you’re to be married.”

“We’re not sure anymore.” An unusual note of anger entered Irena’s voice. “Father doesn’t want me married into a ‘family associated with criminality.’ Of all the hypocritical things to say. As if he’s not the biggest miscreant in town himself.”

Adelina laughed in delight. “Ira! Did you say that to his face?”

“I did. His expression was if he’d walked by a cat and it had barked at him.”

“We thought that might be the case. That’s why we came back. To set this all right, so that nobody will be unhappy.”

“You came back for me? For us?” Irena clutched Adelina’s shoulders. “Ada, does that mean all is forgiven?”

“Yes.” Joy surged through Adelina, banishing her fears and strengthening her voice. “I love Silvana, and I was a fool to chase her away. We’re here to set things right. I refuse to realize my happiness at the cost of your own. We’re sisters. We share our joys and sorrows, and we always endure together. Isn’t that so?”

Irena blinked, spilling tears. “It’s so.”

Footsteps echoed in the lobby, and every head turned to the sound. Father arrived at the door with Rafael and Orfeo in tow. For a moment, as Father looked at Adelina, it seemed he might cry—a glistening in his eye, a quivering on his lips—and then, almost immediately, a look of wryness asserted itself instead. “Child. What did you do to your hair?”

“I ate it, Father, purely to spite you.”

“Damn you, girl.” Father glared at the group assembled outside his door. “Explanations! Somebody give me some explanations!”

The feather-capped guard bowed. “We’ve arrested the lady Silvana and brought her here with your daughter.”

“I might add we were already returning here ourselves.” Silvana smiled at Orfeo, who appeared livid still, brooding over his misfortune. A series of ugly stitches held together his wounded cheek. “Unfortunately, it seems I am now a notorious criminal, so here I am with two swords at my back.”

“Finally the law can be dispensed,” said Orfeo. “Where’d that judge get to?”

Adelina sniffed. “Be quiet, you petulant brute. Father, please don’t be distracted by this carnival. Whatever grudge Orfeo has to bear is unimportant. I’m here to talk to you about my happiness. My future.”

“You voluntarily returned to me?” said Father. “Why? Don’t tell me it was due to homesickness.”

“I value my freedom, but I don’t want to be responsible for Silvana getting hanged or for Irena and Rafael being forced to part ways.” Adelina softened her tone. “Father, I understand now that we must sacrifice much for the sake of the ones we love.”