Frederick and Geraldine
Chapter 11 –Chiara Has a Secret

(Chiara wastalking to Francesca in their shared bedroom.)

(Chiara said,)

''I like towatch you painting while playing the piano.

We're bothpassionate about painting and music. I think this

Is why welike each other; '' '' you can sing the high soprano.''

''We sharedthis love of Arturo; as he died, so passed our bliss.''

(Francescareplied,)

'' What didyou say about sharing? I was only his daughter.

''I lovedhim enormously; I wished to give birth to his

Girl; ''''Your dream was like the image of a star in the water,

Because hewanted a boy, and you should be some kind of wiz

To givebirth to his boy; '' ''All my valuable books about

Newdiscoveries and religion burned on that carrack.''

''I'm sorryto hear that; I liked them; there is beyond all doubt

That ourspiritual Eden is secured from the devil's attack.

(Francescacontinued,)

I've thoughtof the book you had read as I've thought of a visual

Art form;that monk and that nun were in contact only by

Knowing Godto get an equilibrium; that biblical

Space waslike a ship never sinking, where the people didn't die.''

(Chiarareplied,)

''I've triedto understand God; we must be pure to meet Him.''

''They areeducated through prayers to love God and to

Maintaintheir virginity; I thought that love was for a whim,

When it wasbased on attraction, not for a marriage; '' ''It's true.''

'' Love mustbe rational to develop over time while

Findingfulfillment in being a mother; '' '' These mothers

Are devotedgivers; there's a lot of bliss in their smile.''

''A husbandmust love his wife very much; '' '' Closer than brothers,

The man andthe woman in togetherness must live,

But no lovecan save you if you do not want to be saved.

I think yourun into the art's world your mother's death to forgive.''

''If my dadhad really loved her, she would not have died.''

'' Yourthinking is totally wrong; your father was not

Orpheus tosave her from her inferno of life.

She didn'taccept her human condition; he loved her allot.

You're likeyour mother while denying everything in this strife

With yourfate; Lucca made a mistake when he married you.''

'' Indeed, Idid not feel free. Maybe it is because I was

Forced tomarry him while my sufferings were painted new.

Why wasLucca talking with Ivan? '' '' I tell you why, it was because

(Chiaracontinued,)

Ivan wasreleased from the position of a serf.''

‘‘Luccawanted to know the mindset of the exploited class.''

''As adiplomat, while walking down the end of the Athens wharf,

Luccastudied Ivan to know if he was cruel or crass.

(Chiaracontinued,)

As a wealthyman with a political power,

Adecision-making capacity and some business skills

To avoidsome complications he had a desire.''

'' He hadcharming manners and talked concisely about rents and bills.''

(Chiarareplied,)

'' All hislife he had worked to increase his wealth and to make

A career indiplomacy; this is why he was forty

Years oldwhen he asked you to be his wife; he wanted to take

Care of us;he paid your father's remaining debt payments

And thistrip while wanting the stability of our family.

And how didyou reward him while rejecting him

Or beingcold as an ice when not doin' what comes naturally.''

''Chiara, heneeded a positive image; '' '' your tears are dim.''

(Francescacontinued,)

'' He tooktime to know his new family away from any

Socialobligations; '' ''your father needed a groom like him.''

''Why? '' ''Because he had lived with his memories, much and many.

Der Eyck’sinstrument is not new; his memory was slim.

He tookrefuge in the game world of the cards and destroyed

Hisproperty; '' '' But those who played with him were your friends; why

Didn't yousave him? '' ''I couldn't do anything; to avoid

Thismisfortune was impossible; your love will set awry

If I tellyou a secret I hide for fear of hurting you.''

Chiara'seyes gave Francesca a real scare, '' I know he was ill.''

''Yourfather didn't love you as you thought; '' ''How can this be true?

''He didn'tcare of you while passionately playing cards till

(Chiaracontinued,)

He lost hisfortune and wanted to commit the suicide.

Do yourealize that we could live as poor women

Whilelacking any support and having nightmares inside?

I've toldyour father about Lucca; he sent me to you then.

Lucca wasthe son of my friend and she told me her little

Secret; Ithought Lucca would help consolidate the debt

Of yourfather with a loan, but his intention was a riddle.

I had toconvince you to marry this man; a roulette

Was yourentire father's life; all I could do was to listen

To myhusband; the gold was more important to him than

You haveever been; '' ''Before the neighbors could replace what was missin'

I had tomarry; but when my father was rich, he had

Manyrelationships, he could borrow from one of his friends.''

''Dear, hisrelations have deteriorated because he was

No longer areliable man; '' '' friendship never ends.

Why didLucca want to marry me? '' '''He trusted my word; applause! ''

(Francescastarted to cry. She had a conscience. Chiara was her benefactress.)

(Chiaracontinued,)

''It wasbased on this friendship I had with his mother.

I had donesome business to multiply the wealth I had.

I had anillegitimate little son and rather

Than lettinghim be poor, I would make money, good or bad.''

(Francescawas surprised to replace this terrible secret and questioned Chiara,)

'' Did myfather know about this child? '' '' Of course he knew about him.''

''What's hisname? '' '' His name is Gregorio.'' ''Where is his father? ''

'' I fell inlove with a nobleman as a maid, '' her eyes grew dim,

''In hisparents' house, I'd gotten pregnant; then, he asked his brother

(Chiaracontinued,)

To talk withtheir parents about our marriage, but they

Immediatelyarranged his marriage with a noble girl,

And I wasfired; they hoped that my sighs would pass away

While givingme some land and money; my mind was in a whirl.

(Chiaracontinued,)

A wealthyfarmer wanted to marry me, but I took

The money,and I ran to the town, '' ''What have you done there? ''

''I'veworked as a laundry woman; one day, in a wayside nook,

I've met aband of actors; I was hired to play and, my dear,

(Chiaracontinued,)

On anotherday, another nobleman asked me to be

His wife;I've married him, but I've lost him shortly after

Themarriage; then, one thing remained above my fame and me.

''The money!'' ''The suffering! '' Then, she said, ''Oh, my dear daughter! ''

(Chiaraembraced Francesca because Francesca started to cry.)

(Francescasaid,)

''You wereunlucky! You were more unfortunate than me.

''Why? '' ''For thou hast known some happiness and thou lost it.''

''I've triedto convince your father not to play; he didn't see

Love; thatyou were his whole family, he should admit.''

(Francescareplied,)

''He wasaware of the relationships in the society,

But he washardly able to understand the women.''

''Heunderstood them, but he didn't believe them, in reality.''

'' Lucca hada positive influence on him; then,

(Francescacontinued,)

Lucca triedto help him change his life while being so busy.''

''He wasshocked when he was threatened by the pirates; '' ''He was

Veryresigned; '' ''While lacking his pipe that made me dizzy.''

'' He waspowerful, and he joked when he was nervous because

(Francescacontinued,)

He wanted tobe untouchable; he loved the things

Of value,which were rare and authentic; while appreciating

The arts hedidn't want to be sensitized; '' ''when the heart sings,

Lovesensitizes it; eccentric while depreciating

(Chiaracontinued,)

Thelimitations, he wanted to be your partner in life.''

''He hadknown that this trip carried a high risk, but he needed

This dangerto control me; '' '' he protected you as a wife.

He waswilling to pay for his life while being mistreated

(Chiaracontinued,)

And whilethinking that the pirates wanted wealth; did you see

How didQuintus disappear? '' '' No! I appreciate that Lucca

Has notbetrayed the state secrets; in death, he started to be

A heroneeding the strength to block the sun as Garuda.''

(Chiarasaid,)

‘’My firsthusband had been Italian, but your father

Has beenSpanish and I was proud when he asked me to be

His wife; ''Francesca hugged her, '' I consider you a mother.

Rosa saidthat you're a witch, but you're like an angel to me.''

(Chiarasaid,)

''Rosa wasable to play to the extreme for her happiness

Whileputting her victims in the other extreme; '', ''I think

You have awrong impression about her; '' '' her rose of success

Witheredquickly; her death was creepy upon her existence's

brink.

(Francescabegan to cry. Chiara said.)

''Rosadidn't help me when Bella fell into the water.

I didn'tknow that Bella could not swim. When that jellyfish

Attackedher, she clenched her hand so hard that I couldn't help her

Any longer'''' Rosa helped me; if I could have one great wish

(Francescacontinued,)

I would loveto be instead of Bella; when Fargo and

Geraldineboarded the boat, you unbalanced and pushed me.

If Rosahadn't kept me tight, I would have been in

Bella'splace; '' Chiara exclaimed, '' So lucky how could you be?

(Chiaracontinued,)

How did youfeel it? '' ''What do you mean? '' ''When you've painted that

Jellyfish;'' '' Yeah, it was like a premonition; maybe

We had tolisten to Fargo; it wasn't good, '' ''What? ''

''To beexposed ashore; the pirates could see us; '' '' you know me! ''

(Chiara saidthat she hadn't known about the pirates' existence.)

(Chiarakissed Francesca's forehead. She said,)

''Who wouldhave hurt a pure, innocent soul as yours? '' ''You're more

Sensiblethan me; you're not like those women, who are

Apparentlyintroverted because of hiding some core,

Dirtysecrets; ’’ ‘‘the power of a mother's love no one can mar.''

(Francescasaid,)

''I loveyou; thank you for accepting to be my mother.

Do you thinkFargo is trustworthy? '' '' He didn't intend

To saveBella; more than this, I've talked with your father.

He said thatFargo's attitude proved that he was the pirates' friend.

(Chiaracontinued,)

It wasn'tgood to take with him some women to go into

An unknownzone without having the possibility to

Protectthem; '' '' you've searched for anything appearing in view

Whilewalking along the shore; '' ''I did what I had to do.''

(Francescasaid,)

''I enjoyedpainting while Bella was playing the violin.

Those soundsinspired me; I would have liked to have a sister

Like her;how old was her child when he died? '' ''That's where mares begin.

In anepidemic measles, this child was ill and left her.

(Chiaracontinued,)

They fledthe war and have spent time in England; Bella

Didn't wantto be saved; she couldn't have another child.

She losthope after using the Hindu powers of chela.''

''On theshore, you helped me fight depression when you smiled.''

(Chiarasaid,)

Remaining onthe shore was the only salvation.

If the firehad been extinguished, our husbands would have

Found us; '''' I can't forget those moments of desperation.

Yet you havenot betrayed Fargo' s secret; '' '' I believe in Yahve.

(Chiaracontinued,)

This was whyI wanted to protect those accompanying

Him; I giveyou as much love as I have! '' ''I like this contrast

Between whoyou are and who you're suggesting you are; being

In thiscontrast is my desire; '' '' hope is engraved in the fights I've passed.''

(Francescasaid,)

I loved myfather too much because I had no other

Parent; Iwas afraid of losing him and I sacrificed

A lot; Iwould have been different if I had had a brother.

He marriedyou to release me and gave me this advice

(Francescacontinued,)

To start anew life; I think he wanted me to be happy,

But Icouldn't be; I've missed my mother so much that I wanted

To die forthe purpose of being with her; ’’ ‘‘you feel so crappy,

But we'rebrought to death by this life which by Almighty is granted.''

(Chiaracontinued,)

Much soonerthan we imagine, that final hour comes to us.

It can beexcruciating, but we must accept this fate.

We'repuppets in front of it acting as we know everything, thus

We knownothing; you were afraid of this sudden poorness, a gate

(Chiaracontinued,)

That couldmake you be catapulted to a lower social

Class, whereyou should marry a commoner; it was another

Motivationto accept this marriage that was crucial.''

''I was gladto know that my father loved you; there came the sequel.

(Francescacontinued,)

I didn'twant him to suffer; '' '' you pulled the boat while

Consideringmy age and the helplessness of Pedra.''

''I wantedto be sure that the boat is well hidden; smile!

Our life islike this slow balance of the moon called Libra.''

(Chiaraembraced Francesca tightly while not understanding what was happening toherself.)

(Chiarasaid,)

''Let'ssleep; it's late; before turning the lamp, check the documents

And lock thebox of the values; tomorrow we go shopping

In CorfuTown before talking with the governor

To help usgo home securely; '' he needs arguments.''

(Chiara alsotold Francesca how much to set aside for expenses explaining that she wantedthe rest of the riches and the documents to be transported in some conditionsof the maximum security. Chiara opened her medallion to show Francesca theportrait of Gregorio. A new thought sprouted in her mind.)