Chapter 4

FOUR

SEPTEMBER 1943

At the sound of the young voice, Giulia scrambled to her feet, remembering to keep most of her weight on her good foot and off the one that was oozing blood. Holding her hand just above her forehead to shade her eyes from the sun, she surveyed the line of trees on a slope set back from the curved shoreline, trying to spot the source of the question. A moment later, a figure emerged between two of the trees and made its way toward her, skipping among the bushes and rocks. It was a girl—not quite as old as Giulia's younger sister, Emilia; more like twelve or thirteen. Although she wasn't dressed like a regular twelve-year-old girl. She was wearing boyish blue overalls cuffed at the ankles and a short-sleeved white shirt. Her feet were bare. Her long hair was loose and cascading over her shoulders. A row of golden-brown bangs lined her forehead.

A moment later, two little boys also dressed in overalls, no more than five years old, emerged from behind the trees and stumbled along behind the girl.

"I'm…" Giulia stammered. She felt too tired and weak to formulate a sensible response—and besides, she didn't know how to begin to answer the question. What was she doing ?

"Who are you?" the girl persisted. "Is my father expecting you?"

Giulia shook her head. "No…"

"That's okay, don't worry," the girl said, as though concerned that she'd come across as mean and had unintentionally frightened Giulia. "Sometimes people come who aren't expected. He's okay with strangers."

"As long as they're not bad people," one of the little boys put in. "Daddy hates bad people. Like German people?—"

"No, not all German people," the other one said. "Just the bad ones. The ones that don't belong here?—"

"Quiet, both of you!" the girl said, waving a hand at them, as though she was the sergeant and they were her infantrymen. "Now, like I was saying," she said, turning back to Giulia. "Sometimes people can get a message to him ahead of time to tell him they're arriving. But sometimes they can't. And that's okay, he will allow people ashore he doesn't know. But he likes to know if you're expected or not. And if not, he likes to know who sent you. And then you can remain here.

"So… who sent you here to our island?" she demanded.

"I'm… I…" Giulia stammered. Nobody had sent her, and she had no interest in staying. "I came here by mistake. I only…" She paused, thinking it wouldn't get her very far to go back and forth with these children. "Is there a way for me to speak to your fath?—"

"We're the guards!" the stockier of the two boys exclaimed, his hands on his waist. "You can't see him until we let you through!"

"Yeah! We let you through!" the smaller one agreed.

"Don't worry, we don't think you're dangerous," the girl said, waving a stick. "We've been watching you. From behind there." She pointed to some trees halfway up the slope.

"We like to spy on people," the first boy said, and the other put his fist over his mouth and giggled.

The girl waved them off again. "We weren't even sure if you were coming here or not because of the way you were steering. The boat was going all over the place. It was pretty funny to watch. That's why we didn't get our dad. Most people come here directly. And at night. Most people who come to see us don't like to travel in daylight. You must not be very experienced with boats."

"No, I'm not," Giulia agreed. She wondered who the people this girl typically greeted were. And why they only arrived after dark.

"But here you are," the girl said. "And we want to know where you came from and why you came here."

"Yeah, we do!" the first boy said.

Again, Giulia couldn't answer right away, which surprised her. She was usually good with kids. With all people, actually. Sociable, that's how people described her. Like her mother had been. But right now she felt too light-headed and foggy to hold a conversation. Eventually, she responded with the only words that came to mind. "I'm… I'm lost. I've… I've escaped…"

"Escaped? You mean, from Parissi Island? We heard everyone was running away because the Nazis showed up. Mama is scared that our island might be next, because Parissi Island isn't very far. You can even see the castle from the other side of the house. Papa shushed her but I think he was thinking the same thing, since everyone knows that the Nazis love capturing places. I think Papa just shushed her because we were there?—"

"Papa's not scared of anyone!" the larger boy exclaimed.

"He's braver than any old Nazi!" the littler one added.

The girl scowled and turned back to Giulia. "Did you come face to face with any Nazis? Where's the rest of your family? Are they still back there or—oh, no! You're all bloody!"

Giulia looked down. The dark spot on her shoe had spread, and the sand in front of her foot was spotted red. The sight made her stomach roll. She felt herself sway, feeling another spurt of blood emerge from her toe and a wave of nausea jolt her. Her line of vision was narrowing. It was like a change of scene in the picture shows she used to go to back home, the way darkness would overtake the screen, leaving a circle of light that grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared. Her arms trembled, and her head started to spin.

"Are you okay?" the girl said, coming closer, the boys scrambling alongside her. "My dad's in the house. He's a doctor. But you don't look like you can even walk."

"No. I'm okay," Giulia said. She didn't want to scare the girl, but the word "doctor" felt like a gift. She needed a doctor. Someone to stop the bleeding. Then she'd be able to get back in the boat and continue to the mainland.

"The house is up the hill," the girl said, pointing. "It's not a very steep hill, but it is a little bit." She came closer and nudged her body under Giulia's elbow to support her. She waved the little boys over, and they both approached and grabbed her opposite arm.

"I'm Marilene," the girl said.

"I have to get to America…" Giulia mumbled.

"You what?"

"I have to…" she started.

The darkness grew larger.

When Giulia opened her eyes, she was lying in a large bed, her head on a soft pillow. There was a quilt sporting a joyful print, with lemons and white frangipani petals streaked with pink, pulled up to her chin. The sun was streaming in at an angle from one of the tall windows lining the room; the triangular ray pierced the air in between two fluttering white curtain panels, its edges as sharp as a shard of glass. Next to the bed was a small wooden nightstand, and by the near wall was a round wooden table and a white writing desk with a ladder-back chair. An additional bed, which appeared freshly made, was against the opposite wall. Lifting the quilt, Giulia saw that she was wearing a simple white nightdress, even though it was still daylight outside the window.

Her foot no longer hurt, but felt warm and cradled, so she pushed aside the quilt fully to see what had happened to it. There was a huge round bandage covering all her toes and most of her instep. The sight of it jogged her memory, and she pieced together all that had transpired since meeting those children on the beach. She'd been helped up the hill to a large house and then carried up a winding stairway to this room. A tall, lovely woman in yellow slacks and a tan button-down shirt, her sleek brown hair gathered at her neck, had helped her bathe and change, and an elegant man with a full head of gray hair, eyeglasses, and a salt-and-pepper beard had dressed and bandaged her foot.

The woman had then brought in a tray holding some clear soup, a glass of water, and slices of toasted bread. She'd set it on the table, and Giulia slowly ate and drank a bit, until her stomach felt that it couldn't handle anymore. Then the woman had helped her sink down into the cushy mattress. Giulia remembered feeling a little scared but mostly relieved and safe. Hopefully, she'd thought before she closed her eyes, she would feel stronger later, and be able to get some more food and water to take with her as she resumed her trip. With any luck, the people in this house—whoever they were—could point her in the right direction. If she could just get to the mainland, she could soon find the ship she needed to board and be on her way across the ocean.

"You're finally awake!" said a voice at the doorway. "You slept all day!"

Giulia looked up to see the girl she'd met at the beach. Marilene—that was her name. She'd changed out of her overalls and into a pair of white pants and a clean shirt with small blue polka dots, her long hair in a ponytail. She was carrying a glass of water, which she handed to Giulia.

"My mom says to drink more water," she said. "And she also wants to know how you're feeling, and if you want to have dinner with us. I'm Marilene, by the way. I told you that down at the beach, but I don't think you heard me."

Giulia nodded. "No, I remember. Hi, Marilene."

"And those boys? They're my brothers. They're twins and they're only five and so irritating. And your name is Giulia? I heard you tell that to my dad when he was taking care of your foot."

Giulia sipped some water. "That's right," she said. "I'm Giulia. And yes, please tell your mom I'd be happy to come downstairs." She actually was feeling stronger; it was amazing what a little sleep and some food could do. And she didn't want to spend any more time by herself in this bedroom. She was curious about where she was. Who were these people, who had taken her in and cared for her? Why had they done that? She remembered now how Marilene had talked about her father often hosting strangers. Why would strangers come here?

But even more than learning those answers, she wanted to be on her way. If the mainland wasn't too far off, maybe they'd give her supplies for the boat so she could be there before nightfall.

Marilene pounced onto the opposite bed, clearly in no hurry to end this private time with someone she apparently saw as a fascinating new friend. "Giulia, that's such a pretty name," she said. "And you're so pretty, too. I mean, you need to fix your hair and stuff, but you have such pretty hair. I wish I had golden hair like you! Tell me, did you really live on Parissi Island? What was it like?"

Lying on her back, she lifted her arms toward the ceiling. "Was it splendid? Did you wear jewels and pile your hair up in a bun and wear a tiara? Were the men handsome and did they ask you to dance? Did they twirl you around and around, so your gown floated and spun out all wide and everything? We heard so many stories, and I always wanted to go there! Sometimes I would lean out my window so I could see the castle. I want to wear a long gown and a tiara and have a handsome man twirl me around and around!"

She stood and twirled herself around a few times. Then she sat back on the bed and faced Giulia. "Do you remember how you came upstairs?"

Giulia shook her head. "Not so much," she said. She had a memory of being held by someone strong, someone who smelled like wood and vanilla. "A little. I think I was carried."

"Not just carried!" Marilene said. "Carried by Luca! Oh, you are so lucky! And then you were sitting on this bed and when he sat next to you… you put your head on his shoulder while my father bandaged your foot! Oh, I'd give anything to be carried by Luca! An…ny…thing!" she added.

Giulia felt herself redden at the thought of putting her head on a stranger's shoulder. "I did? Who's Luca?" She didn't even remember what he looked like.

"Only the most beautiful man in the whole world," Marilene said, twirling again, her arms outstretched. "I'm so in love with Luca! I want to marry him someday. His family owns a vineyard and I'm going to marry him and drink lovely wine with every meal. And eat delicious food and have a lovely life!"

Giulia couldn't help but laugh. This girl was so entertaining. Life had been sad and tense at the castle in the days before she'd left. A lot of awful news had come their way. It was nice to hear the musings of a girl who apparently knew no danger. Who approached strangers on the beach with her younger brothers as though they were playing some spy game.

"Is that so?" she said.

Marilene nodded. "His papa grew up with my papa. He came back today after a long time away. He comes here pretty often and stays sometimes for a few days, sometimes more. But he always comes back. And when he does, he brings presents, lots of presents! Flowers and pretty fabrics and wines from his family's vineyard. I hate when he leaves. I want to be his wife so much!" She threw herself onto the bed, face down.

Suddenly there was a knock on the slightly ajar door. "How is the patient doing?" a male voice said.

"Luca!" Marilene exclaimed. "Come in! She's much better! See?"

The door opened wider, revealing a tall man in a black long-sleeved shirt and gray slacks. His close-cropped hair had some tousled curls on top, the color an ash brown that reminded her of embers, cool but with the scent of smoke still lingering from an earlier flame. His broad forehead and long straight neck struck Giulia as very regal, and his cheekbones were pronounced beneath large, green eyes, which made him look elegant and strong. He had a square chin with a gentle smile that seemed to indicate approval more than happiness. As though he approached the world with distrust so was relieved when it turned out his surroundings were more pleasing and agreeable than he'd expected.

His open collar reminded Giulia that Marilene had said she'd rested her head on his shoulder. Aware that she was in a nightdress, she sank into the mattress and pulled the quilt to her chin.

"Ah, yes. You do look much better," he said. "I hope you will join us for dinner. I brought you a little something to help you walk. It was here from the time I injured my ankle a few months ago." He came into the room holding a black wooden cane and leaned it on the wall.

"You've got a huge bandage there on your foot, in case you haven't noticed yet," he said. "It may be sore for a time, but it will heal. Marilene's father is quite a skilled doctor. People often come here injured, and he sews us up and sends us back out. Isn't that right, Marilene?"

Marilene giggled. "That's what he does!"

"Anyway, Mar," he said. "Your mother wanted me to tell you that dinner is almost ready, and she needs you to finish helping with the table."

"Okay, Luca! Thanks, Luca!" Marilene said, and he gave a small wave and left the room. She scrambled off the bed and ran to the door, then turned around toward Giulia. "Wasn't I right?" she asked. "What do you think? Isn't he so dreamy?"

Giulia loosened her grip on the quilt.

He was beautiful indeed.