SINCE HER FATHER DROWNED, SIMONA HAS BEEN LISTless and sad; she’s nervous too because the sailors say a woman aboard means bad luck. When we reached Trieste, Lord Stephen suggested Serle and I should try to lift her spirits, so we took her with us when we exercised our horses.
We rode west towards Aquileia because Simona wanted to see the mosaics in the basilica there. They’re almost one thousand years old and show all kinds of animals and birds. One of the priests in Trieste told us we’d get there well before the sun crowned the sky, but that wasn’t true.
“He was only telling us what we wanted to hear,” Serle said.
At midday we decided to turn back. The sun shone, steady and warm on our backs. Serle was quite friendly and for several miles he and Simona ambled along well behind me. Simona sat in front of Serle, and now and then I could hear them laughing. I was glad to be almost alone. Since Lord Stephen and I reached Venice on Saint John’s Eve, I’ve been surrounded by other people, hundreds of them, thousands, for each hour of every day.
For a while we lay on the stony hillside set well back from the dunes. Simona and Serle both drowsed, but I listened to all the far sounds of the sea, and remembered telling Grace about the whispering spirits in the trees on Tumber Hill, and sitting with her for hours in my climbing-tree.…
I didn’t see the old man coming down the hillside until he walked right up to us.
We all scrambled to our feet.
The old man glared, and his withered lips quivered. Then he began to shout. And he chanted something.
“What’s he saying?” I asked.
Simona shrugged her shoulders. “Not Italian,” she replied.
The old man pointed out at the ground and stamped. He stamped seven times.
“He’s cursing us,” I exclaimed.
“That’s obvious,” said Serle.
I spread my hands in front of the old man, and smiled, but he just spat on the ground.
“Come on!” said Serle. “Let’s go.”
“I wish I knew what he was saying,” I said.
In silence the three of us walked Bonamy and Shortneck away. When we got back to our galley, though, several sailors blocked the gangway, and wouldn’t allow Simona on board.
They began to shout at her, and then many more sailors and oarsmen crowded along the gunwale and looked down at us.
“Basta!” yelled Simona.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“They are liars!”
“Why?”
“I never slandered the Violetta’s captain. I never said he’s the bad worse captain in the fleet.”
“No!” said Simona loudly, and her breath was hot on my face.
“Well, was he?”
“I know nothing!” cried Simona. “I said nothing. I swear by God.”
“I believe you, Simona,” Serle said, and he moved a step closer to her.
“They say my father told me that,” protested Simona. “Not! They’re making it up. Liars!”
“I believe you as well,” I said, “but I don’t know what we’re going to do about it.”
Simona and Serle and I looked up at all the oarsmen lining the gunwale and jeering, and they looked down at us.
And then, of all things, Serle spoke up. I’ve known him for as long as I can remember, and he’s the one who swims with the tide, and never stands up to be counted. Serle took Simona’s hand and walked up the gangplank, and I followed them.
“Who speaks English here?” he demanded.
There was a good deal of jostling; then a sailor with a pitted face and eyes pale as olive stones was pushed to the top of the gangplank.
“You speak evil of the dead,” Serle said in a loud, clear voice. “Silvano never found fault with the captain of the Violetta, and you know it.” He pointed at the sailor. “Translate that!” he snapped.
Some men muttered and crossed themselves.
“You’re using the father to attack the daughter,” Serle continued. “Why? Because you’re afraid of women? Why do you believe everything people say? Silvano was an honorable man, and you can see for yourselves that Simona’s innocent. Her father loved her. He chose to bring her with him. And now she has lost him and she’s far away from home; she needs your protection.”
I listened openmouthed, and in my heart I cheered.
I can tell Serle really likes Simona, and that must be what made him so bold. But what about Simona? She likes Englishmen, and I could see she liked riding with Serle today. Shortneck did more than his fair share!
Serle is strong, but he looks so sour, and he’s not at all courteous. He can never marry Tanwen, and he won’t even see her again for the next two years, so maybe he and Simona can be good for each other.
“Simona, Silvano’s daughter, is under my protection and she’s coming aboard with us.” That’s what Serle proclaimed. “Lord Stephen will be very glad to protect her. So will Sir William de Gortanore.”
“And me,” I said indignantly.
Serle turned round. “And so will Arthur,” he said. “Sir Arthur de Gortanore!”
“Yes!” I said loudly. “I will!”
“We’re coming aboard,” said Serle. “Make room! I’m going to speak to our captain.”