paradisa | xix. dictated, action

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lucrezia borgia

xix. dictated, action

Lana
How about an early morning ride?

Micheletto
You will help me with my crates. [ Because packing is tough. ]

Stephanie
Tell me if you mean to visit, even if not to see me. He would not find unexpected guests so pleasant.

What does it mean when the castle gave some no glimpse of old age?

[ Lucrezia is on her knees in the church in town, hands counting through her white rosary and reciting her prayers under her breath. She keeps her hood over her head.

It might seem foolish to believe that saying something over and over again gives it greater weight, or that time and voice can buy penance, but she feels she must at least-- try. She isn't praying for her own soul, she wonders if she would ever. But she loses count of how many times she has said the Ave Maria, and stands to go. ]

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I hope he holds to it, then.

[Pause.]

She was very upset, but she acknowledged that she cannot force you to leave him. She also mentioned a letter.

[ That takes her by surprise. ]

Which letter?

The one imploring you to keep Stephanie at arm's length so that she does not stab your heart on my behalf.

[ What? She moves away from the journal in a hurry to turn her room upside down to find the letter... The sight of it is met a relieved sigh, and it takes her a minute to even remember to be angry. ]

How dare she, steal into my room? [ Then again. ] Would you have asked her to?

[Whoops. Awkward silence while she's flurrying around; he thought Stephanie had said Lucrezia had told her about it.]

Asked her to steal into your room, or asked her to stab your heart?

Does it matter? Would she have done as you bid her to, whatever the cost to me?

You know she would not, Lucrezia. She has been a much better friend to you than I have. Even if I had it in my mind to attack you, she would never do it for me.

But of course you would say so.

I am tired of expecting the worst yet to come, if it will. The dread is terrible enough.

It is the truth.

If I wanted to harm you, don't you think I would have done it long before now? I am not a cruel man. I take no pleasure in causing dread, and I have never sanctioned any violence against women in my life... and I never will.

[ Now she is just entirely confused... So then, to move on to other things. ]

We began arguing because she said she would never visit me at the mansion.

She feels threatened by Joshua.

Why? When I would have asked her to share the place with me.

She does not feel safe around him, dolcezza. You cannot blame a woman for not wanting to live with a man she is afraid of.

No, I cannot. [ She should know. ]

She was angry because I distrust her, yet she would not trust me on this either. I told her she would be safest.