Francesca Read Online Free PDF

Francesca’s party leave to travel through his domain. He sent a scout to observe her train’s passing and was impressed by what he was told afterwards. He already knew the reason for her travels. Perhaps if old Duke Titus’s son did not choose her, he should consider this girl for one of his own relations.
    They had departed at the end of the month of May. They passed through several small holdings after leaving the Duchy of Milano but faced no border guards. The landscape around them began to change from farmland into rolling hills and forestland. Then suddenly there were larger and much larger hills in the distance. Francesca realized these were mountains, although she had never seen any before; she had asked the priest and he had and told her so. She asked why some of the larger mountains were white on top, and the priest explained it was snow. Francesca had seen snow once or twice in her lifetime, although most Florentine winters were just wet and chilly.
    As June slid into July the captain of her men-at-arms told her they were now on the road that would take them directly to Duke Titus’s great
castello
. Shortly they came to territorial markings indicating they were in Duke Titus’s duchy. A few leagues farther on they were met by an official crossing. Its keeper said that they were expected, and he had been watching for the train from Florence for several days now.
    “You traveled slowly, or did you meet with some misfortune along your route?” the border keeper asked.
    “It’s our large baggage train. It’s about an hour behind us,” the captain of the men-at-arms said in reply.
    “But your lady hasn’t been chosen from among the three yet,” the border keeper noted slyly.
    “Do you think that Florence would send an applicant unprepared and arriving like a pauper?” the captain returned proudly. “Half the men-at-arms with me come from the house of the di Medici. Our candidate is both well respected and of a good and honorable family. She was chosen by Lorenzo the Magnificent himself.”
    “I am suitably awed,” the border keeper said, grinning. He opened the crossing gate for them and waved them through. “I’ll send your baggage train on as soon as it arrives.”
    “My thanks,” the captain responded politely. “How far are we from the duke’s
castello
?”
    “The rest of today and a half day tomorrow should bring you safely to it,” the border keeper said.
    They traveled onward until almost sunset. The baggage train arrived, and the encampment was set up for the evening. When the dinner had been brought and the blessing said Father Silvio told them what the captain had learned from the border keeper.
    “You must surely be glad to finally reach your destination,
madonna
.
I will be glad when we do, I am not loath to admit. He tore a piece from the loaf of bread and mopped up the rich gravy from the rabbit stew that had been served. “And you will finally meet the duke’s young heir. He cannot fail to be taken by you. It is hoped you will not frighten him away.” He smiled mischievously at her as the two nuns, usually silent, and Terza laughed at his words. The priest was well aware he was baiting Francesca.
    “I will withhold my judgment on this young lordling until I have spent some time with him,” she answered sweetly, adding, “
Then
I will frighten him away, good priest.”
    “I am relieved you will at least give him an opportunity to know you,
signorina
,” Father Silvio responded drolly. “I must have at least a month’s respite before you force our return to Florence and your eternal spinsterhood.”
    “Perhaps I shall join a convent after all,” Francesca said pertly. “What think you, Annunziata? Benigna?” she queried her two chaperones.
    “I think that you should be a great trial for any convent, and particularly its novice mistress,” Annunziata, the more outspoken of the two nuns, said candidly. Benigna nodded but there was a small smile upon her lips.
    “I