“She’s only a year old,” Donald countered.
“She’s more clever than you think.”
“You’re a fool if you think you’re going to teach a babe how to play cards.”
Seated across from Vittoria, David ignored the accusation and said, “After we’ve seen the Forum, might we take a detour to Via del Pellegrino?I have an order I need to pick up after three o’clock.”
Donald’s eyes rounded, but he said, “I think that can be arranged.”
Armenia displayed a similar expression for a moment, her gaze going to David.Their eyes briefly met, and despite the tight confines of the coach, he lifted one of his shoulders in a shrug.
Nicoletta inhaled softly.“Isn’t that the jewel?—?”
“I’ve ordered a pair of boots from acalzolai,” David interrupted.
Nicoletta glanced down at his riding boots.“Oh, yes, yours do look a bit worn,” she said.
David gave a start, but he didn’t put voice to a reply.
The trip to the Forum didn’t take long, and despite the earlier rain, there were a number of otherturistasadmiring the ruins spread out below Palatine Hill.The coaches pulled up and parked in a long line outside the Colosseum.
“Where do we evenstart?”Barbara asked in awe, her gaze going to the ruins off in the distance to the east and north.
“Here at the Colosseum,” Will said, waving toward the circular, four-story structure.“It’s not completely intact, but then it is quite old,” he said.
Diana stepped out of the coach and grinned.
“This isn’t your first time here, is it?”Randy asked.
She shook her head.“Father brought us several years ago.Before Michael left for university,” she replied, referring to her younger brother.Pulling her sketchbook from her satchel, she paged through it until a partially-completed drawing of the Colosseum appeared.She pointed out where she had drawn in a small olive tree that was now much larger.“I plan to finish this right now,” she stated.
Randy chuckled, and once the rest of their party were out of the coaches and barouche, the group set off to climb a set of stairs that were still in good condition so they could wander through the structure.
“The south side was damaged in an earthquake,” David said.He had the guidebook opened and was comparing a drawing in it to what they were seeing.“The original marble facing is missing, and many of the decorations have been stolen.”
“It’s so overgrown with vines and such,” Helen remarked, her gaze going up to where arched corridors circled the amphitheater seating.
“The seats used to be marble, but it’s long since been carted away for use in other buildings,” Will commented.He was careful in where he stepped over the eroded stone making up the first level, pointing out places where Barbara needed to be careful.
“Can we continue to go up?”Tom asked, his gaze following the concourse.
“If you can find stairs that haven’t crumbled to bits,” Randy said, joining them.
“Where is Diana?”
“Out by the Meta Sudans.She’s completing a drawing she started the last time she was here.”
“You left her alone?”Barbara asked in shock.
“Lady Armenia is with her, as is Lady Vittoria.They have both been here and opted not to come in.”
“Oh,” Barbara said with relief.“What, pray tell, is the Meta Sudans?”
“It’s another fountain,” David replied.“The conical shape we saw inside that circle near the Arch of Constantine.Although...”He scoffed.“It says here that although there used to be a pool of water around it, it was given its name because it means ‘sweating turning post’.Apparently the water didn’t gush out as it does in most fountains but rather oozed out,” he explained.
“I’m going to see if I can climb up and look for the women through those arched openings,” Randy said.
“I’ll join you,” David offered.
