The Courtesan's Secret by Nina Wachsman

Author:Nina Wachsman [Nina Wachsman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Level Best Books
Published: 2023-07-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Two: Belladonna

Belladonna’s hands had flown to her neck, missing the comfort of the pearls that usually hung there. She took a deep breath as she prepared for the worst; she did not know if Roderigo was alive, but the look on her friends’ faces gave her hope.

“Where?”

“On the island of Giudecca, in the care of the Sisters of the Convent of San Beneficiato,” said Diana, and gestured for Belladonna to take a seat beside her as she continued, “When a guest is found sick at an inn, they are sent to be cared by the nuns at this convent, who are highly skilled in herbal medicines. They will take any sick traveler, regardless of religion.”

Sarra reached for her hand. “You see? Thanks to the Almighty, your brother has been found, alive, and at last, you will be reunited.”

Belladonna pursed her lips at the mention of Divine intervention. After all, where was the Almighty when her parents had been burned at the stake? “Is there hope of recovery?”

Diana glanced quickly at her father before answering. “He had been stabbed, but is recovered from his wound. However, he is very ill.” She lowered her voice, “With the plague.”

Belladonna jolted back, as if she had been slapped. Now she understood the presence of the rabbi. Roderigo was dying. She swallowed before asking her next question. “Is he conscious?”

Diana nodded, but looked away. “He is very weak.”

The plague was usually a death sentence. Thirty years ago, not long after her birth, a plague had spread throughout Venice, leaving thousands dead before it mysteriously ended. The rabbi possessed The Medical Compendium, a compilation of the learnings of Moorish physicians on illnesses and treatments which both he and Diana had studied. Whatever type of plague had infected Roderigo, perhaps they had the understanding to treat it? It could not end this way, discovering the one member of her family who had survived only to lose him now, when they found each other? She had none of Sarra or Diana’s faith and felt cheated by Fate, who had dealt both her and Roderigo a trick card. “I wish to see him. Immediately.”

Diana opened her mouth to protest, but the rabbi put a hand on his daughter’s arm and said, “Of course.”

“I will hire a gondola for you,” Sarra offered and, without a word, went out to arrange it.

Belladonna rose. “I am ready to go.” She looked to the rabbi. “You will join us?”

Rabbi Modena nodded, and though he offered no words of hope, Belladonna would be comforted by his presence at Roderigo’s bedside.

The three friends sat in the gondola in silence as the boat made its entrance into the Grand Canal, heading towards Giudecca. It was dusk, and the setting sun had cast a shimmering path of gold to ripple across waters of violet and dark blue. Torches blazed from the many grand palazzos they passed, illuminating facades and balconies that were then duplicated by their reflection in the water below. A strong breeze whipped Belladonna’s hair from the scarf she had attempted to confine it and stung her eyes to tears.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.