It came to Maria that someone had been whistling to her for some time. She looked up. Valentina. And Claudia. With a very suspicious-looking bag.
"Maria Garavelli, I wish the Schioppies were as dreamy as you," said Claudia from the fondamenta. "Give us a lift, will you?"
She pulled up. They slung the bag in. It clinked. "A good time to be shopping," said Valentina cheerfully. "Everyone is at the celebration."
Claudia looked curiously at Maria. "Why aren't you?"
"I didn't want to stay," said Maria, curtly.
"I would have thought Benito would want your company?"
"There is nothing between me and…" Her lip quivered. "Benito. He doesn't love me. And I don't need him. Anyway, I'm going to marry my cousin Umberto. I just made up my mind. My family's been pestering me about it for weeks. They've got it all set up."
There was a startled silence from the two thieves. "Oh. That's very sudden," said Claudia. "We thought…"
"It's not exactly something that can wait," said Maria bluntly.
Valentina and Claudia exchanged glances. "How long…"
"At least two months," said Maria, shortly. "And, no?I don't know who the father is. Probably Caesare. Um. Maybe not. I always took precautions with him, after the first few days. The other thing happened too quickly?"
She broke off, squaring her shoulders. "What difference does it make? It's either Caesare or one other, and either way if I don't get married it's a bastard."
She shook her head. "Never mind. My cousin Mario is a sweet man?I've known him since I was a kid?and he says he doesn't mind. It'll work out. I won't marry for security and I won't marry for position and I definitely won't marry someone who still doesn't know if he's a fox or a wolf."
She looked at Claudia and Valentina. They were staring at her. I'm babbling, she realized. And why am I telling this to a couple of thieves? "So. Enough of that. Where can I put you off?"
"Er. Here will do fine," said Valentina. She sounded as uncertain as Maria sounded to herself.