The Silver Sea by Belinda Murrell

Author:Belinda Murrell [Murrell, Belinda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

When Sophie awoke on Sunday morning, it was to the sound of opera singing and bells tolling. She was in the most beautiful bedroom she could imagine, with a timber parquet floor, walls covered in aquamarine silk and a midnight-blue canopy over her bed. She snuggled among feather pillows, white linen sheets and rose-pink cushions. On the wall was a silver mirror, black-spotted with age.

Best of all was the row of east-facing arched windows, overlooking the canal. The morning light poured in, dancing in ripples on the walls. Sophie jumped out of bed and ran to look out. The middle arch was a door, opening onto a tiny balcony. A blooming jasmine vine filled the air with its perfume.

Baccio followed Sophie outside, arching his back in the sunshine.

‘What do you think, Baccio?’ asked Sophie. ‘Isn’t it gorgeous?’

Much better than jiggling up and down in that wagon all day, purred Baccio. Or sleeping on the hard boards.

‘Poor Baccio,’ said Sophie. ‘But it was your idea we came.’

I’m always full of perfect ideas, meowed Baccio.

Down below was the emerald-green water, sparkling in the sunshine, with a pair of white swans floating by. A batela rowed along, piled high with vegetables and fruit. The oarsman sang at the top of his voice.

A knock rapped on her door. It was Alba with an armload of Sophie’s clothes.

‘Buongiornio, Signorina Sophia,’ Alba said. ‘Signorina Viola said to tell you that breakfast will be served in the morning room. I have run a bath for you in the dressing room.’

She gestured through a door that led into a small antechamber off the bedroom.

‘Thanks so much, Alba,’ said Sophie. ‘I’ll be right down.’

‘Do you need help having a bath?’

Sophie smiled at the thought of being bathed like a toddler. ‘No thanks, I’ll be fine.’

When Sophie came downstairs to the main floor, she was overwhelmed by its faded grandeur. This level was far more opulent than the one above, with a central salon running the length of the building and smaller chambers on each side. The walls were hung in green silk brocade, with huge silver mirrors and crystal chandeliers reflecting the light.

Sophie could imagine a ball being held here with music playing and dancers whirling in their colourful costumes. Portraits of Viola and Tommo’s parents, dressed in their finery and jewels, hung on the wall. Sophie recognised the pearls that Viola often wore. Sophie paused to examine the skill of the artist.

‘Signor and Signora Cappello were kind people,’ said Alba. ‘They made us feel at home here when we were far from our own land. It was so tragic when the plague took them and their beautiful children. I thought Viola and Tommaso would die of broken hearts.’

‘I can imagine,’ said Sophie. ‘It must have been terrifying.’

‘Viola and Tommaso have worked hard to build a new life for us all,’ said Alba. ‘I would do anything for them.’

Alba showed Sophie the way through the right-hand door at the far end of the salon. Baccio followed her.

The morning room

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.