Nathan Fox- Dangerous Times by Lynn Brittney

Author:Lynn Brittney [Brittney, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781907147395
Publisher: Iris Books
Published: 2016-12-11T05:00:00+00:00

* A CITY OF DOUBLE STANDARDS *

When Pearce and Nathan returned to the house, there was a fever of excitement. A formal invitation had arrived from the Doge to attend a banquet that night, and Graziella had taken it straight to Marie. The two women were now devoting themselves to lengthy preparations.

In the kitchen Enrico was tucking into some of his mother’s pigeon pie and Nathan and Pearce gladly joined him. In between mouthfuls, Pearce asked Enrico about General Othello. Enrico’s eyes lit up and he became quite animated. ‘He is a mighty warrior, sir!’ he said with breathless admiration, and he went on to describe the many battles Othello had fought on behalf of the Venetian state. He told of how Othello had once come down off his horse and single-handedly killed thirty men with his sword, and of how he had fought and won another battle with his arm almost severed. Pearce and Nathan raised their eyebrows in astonishment.

Enrico carried on, babbling enthusiastically,

‘. . . and the most remarkable thing is that he has become such a great general when he was born a slave—’

‘What?!’ Pearce interrupted. ‘A slave?’

Enrico nodded and looked from Pearce to Nathan, amazed that they did not know the most basic facts about the great general.

‘You did not know that he is a black man, sir?’ Nathan’s eyes widened and he looked at Pearce. ‘No, Enrico, I did not know.’ Pearce shook his head and smiled.

‘I’ll never understand this city!’ Nathan exclaimed. ‘Jews are locked away – but all the noble families of Venice borrow money from them. And slaves are sold in the marketplace – but one of them becomes the greatest general of the state!’

‘It is a city of double standards.’ Pearce smiled again. ‘Venetians are men of business. If someone is useful to them, it matters not whether they are slave or freeman, Jew or Turk.’

‘And if they are not useful to them?’ asked Nathan.

Pearce shrugged and pulled a resigned face. ‘Then they probably don’t matter at all. It is the way of the world, I am afraid.’

Nathan pursed his lips in disgust.

The sun was beginning to set and it would soon be time for them to leave for the Doge’s palace.

Marie looked beautiful. She wore the same purple gown, but her hair was dressed in the Italian fashion, long and flowing and decorated with pearls, flowers and jewels. Her eyes sparkled from belladonna eye drops and her cheeks and lips were delicately rouged. Nathan was stunned by her appearance. She looked so different. But when she inclined her head graciously towards him and murmured, ‘Good evening, Marco,’ she overdid the playacting and it made him snigger.

Pearce bowed low in genuine admiration.

‘You look very beautiful, my lady. But Venice is a dangerous city,’ he said, assuming a more businesslike manner, ‘and I swore to your father that I would protect you . . .’

Marie smiled disdainfully. ‘My father forgets that I have looked after myself since I was nine years old. You are not the only one who carries a concealed weapon, you know.

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