CHAPTER FOUR
It’s true. At the age of twenty, in a town and in an era where women married as soon as they started their menses, I was still a virgin. If I’d been a nun, no one would think anything about it. But I was a single woman, I repeat by my own design, and the whole of Verona pitied me. Normally, except for a little irritation, I took my role as a withered old spinster with some grace.
Isabella hugged me in sympathy. “That’s right. I forgot. I’m sorry I reminded you.”
Not so much grace now. With the best of intentions, this kid felt apologetic for reminding me about my pure state, like virginity was an embarrassing social disease.
This just wasn’t my night.
Isabella brightened. “But soon that will change!”
“Yes.” In a way she’d never imagined. “Back to your problem.”
“Isabella and I leaped up to flee. We knew we had to get out of there.” Katherina talked faster and faster, as if the impulse to run urged her words to a gallop. “We looked for a way out, but there were no windows in that chamber. We had to go back into the...parlor. We thought we could sneak out, but Madame Culatello was watching for us. She called us young men. She offered us services. We said we had no money. She said the first time was on the house.”
I did not guffaw, but it was close. I knew Madame Culatello; she was savvy in all things involving bodies. I likewise knew she’d immediately spotted what separated these girls from youths, and I could only imagine how much she enjoyed tormenting them with such offers.
“The outer door opened!” Isabella joined in the tale. “A gentleman strolled in. He was tall and wore the scarlet mask of a satyr. So creepy! Kate said, ‘Flee!’ and dashed toward the opening. She shoved the gentleman out of the way. I followed and—”
The and hung on the air.
“You can’t stop now,” I told her gently.
“Madame Culatello grabbed at my cap. My braid tumbled down. I heard the ladies laughing and the madame chuckled...she sounded like a man!” Isabella’s blue eyes fluttered with confusion. “Rosie, is she a man?”
“Gender is quite fluid where pleasure is served.” Which was all the answer she was getting from little ol’ virgin me. Right now we had to concentrate on this looming catastrophe. “You lost your cap. You were exposed and recognized? Someone called out your name?”
“No. At least, I don’t think so. I didn’t hear anything.” Isabella turned to Katherina. “Did you?”
“No! As soon as Isabella was out the door, I grabbed her arm and we ran out of the square and home.”
I didn’t yet have a clear picture of the disaster. “All this panic is because you lost your cap and think perhaps you were recognized?” I began to relax. “Because we can deny—”
Isabella clutched my arms and shouted into my face, “I lost my ring! My mother’s ring, set with diamonds. Lots of diamonds. And a priceless Indian diamond in the center! Big, polished...” Words failed when she tried to describe it. “I wore the ring on a ribbon around my neck. When she grabbed at me, I felt the tug at my throat, but I didn’t realize what it signified until I got back here. Madame Culatello has the ribbon, and she has the ring, and I am a gull, a dolt, a knotty-pated fool!”