Read Online His Last Duchess by Gabrielle Kimm - Free Book Online Page A

breakableness about her now that had not been there back in Cafaggiolo.
    â€œLina,” the Signora said, “I have finished the tangles. Could you try to braid it for me?”
    â€œOf course, my lady,” Catelina said politely, hoping very much that she was telling the truth.
    â€œYou don’t feel guilty, do you?” the Signora asked, as Catelina separated the copper hair into sections.
    â€œWhat do you mean, my lady?”
    â€œAbout what I said just now. About what Giulietta would think of us.”
    Catelina did not reply. She continued working.
    â€œBecause you simply mustn’t. It’s my fault, isn’t it? I asked you to come here with me—”
    â€œBut why did you, Signora?” The impertinent question slid out before she could stop it. Catelina dropped the hair and put her hands over her mouth as though to stop any more ill-advised words following in its wake.
    â€œOh, Lina.” The Signora laid a small hand on Catelina’s arm. “It’s precisely because you could say something like that that I wanted you here.”
    Catelina’s fingers were still pressed to her mouth.
    â€œI haven’t told you, have I, about the people my mother suggested I might bring with me before I thought of you? After it was decided that Giulietta was too old to come to Ferrara, Mamma suggested seven or eight replacements. Oh, Lina! They were all horrible!”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œOh…” The Signora frowned, remembering. “One who was very grand—I felt like a naughty little girl. Then there was one who was terribly shy, wouldn’t speak—she made me feel I had to talk all the time. Even after a few moments, I had bored myself most dreadfully. The one my mother liked best was plump and dumpy and so fussingly motherly—oh, Lina, each one was so wrong. And then I remembered you, the expression on your face when you caught the pomegranate I threw to you, and I knew you would be just what I needed.”
    Catelina smiled shyly at her mistress. “I hope I shall live up to your expectations, Signora,” she said.
    The Signora took her hand and squeezed it. Catelina felt the rough skin of her fingers catch on her mistress’s soft palm.
    â€œCome on, Lina, finish these braids, and we can go down to the little room we found yesterday. Alfonso will be back soon—we can watch for him.”
    A few moments later, mistress and maid left the bedchamber and walked together through endless rooms and down a couple of flights of stairs. After one or two wrong turns, they arrived at a small room which overlooked the central courtyard. The walls were lined in silk; there was a mirror in a fancy gold frame on the wall opposite the window, and what must have been dozens of pictures lined the other two walls. It seemed quite unbelievable to Catelina that anyone would spend so much time and money decorating a little room like this that was obviously hardly ever used.
    She waited awkwardly just inside the door, and watched as her mistress crossed to the open window and climbed up onto the broad recess in front of it. She leaned out to peer down into the noisy bustle of the courtyard.
    â€œDo you want me to stay, Signora?” Catelina asked.
    â€œOh, yes, Lina, please stay. Come here—there’s so much happening.”
    Catelina looked at her face and saw, as if in a mirror, all the anxiety and excited curiosity that was churning in her own head. Perhaps there wasn’t so much difference between someone like the Signora and a girl like her after all.
    She stood next to her mistress and together they gazed down into the courtyard. All was motion and haste. At least a dozen horses were being made ready; busy men scurried around collecting equipment and then, into the midst of this, a plain carriage drew up and a shabby, brown-clad figure climbed out. Short, stout, grey hair with a circle of sunburned skin on the top of his head. A