Read The Wind Dancer for Free Online Page B

buy Sanchia?"
    "Why not? She's young and appears strong and healthy. She has many years of service
left in her. That's why I'm willing to make so generous an offer. You should be able to
replace her with no trouble."
    "Twenty-five ducats," Giovanni repeated. He shook his head, trying to comprehend. "For
Sanchia?"
    "Is it a bargain?" Lion asked. "Do you have her papers?"
    "In my chest in the other room. A bill of sale for the mother and her." Suddenly
Giovanni's bewildered expression was replaced by craftiness. "It's not enough. How
would I conduct my business? I've spent many years teaching her the skills of copying
and running the press. Now you think to take her away from me for a mere twenty-five
ducats?"
    Cristo, the man was as greedy as Caprino, Lion thought in disgust. "Twenty-five ducats is
more than fair."
    "For an ordinary slave, perhaps, but Sanchia is not only skilled, she has a talent."
Giovanni paused impressively. "She remembers everything. She has only to look at a leaf
of script and she can recite it back to you."
    "A pretty trick but of no value to me," Lion said impatiently. "Will you sell her or not?"
    Giovanni was thinking quickly. "She's young enough to bear you children. That should
be worth something."
    "I'm not buying her to occupy my bed. She's hardly appetizing enough to interest me in
that fashion."
    Giovanni looked at Sanchia and reluctantly agreed. "True, but a woman is a woman when
a man's blood runs hot. Perhaps you could--"
    "I'm weary of this haggling." Lion reached in his belt and drew out his purse. "Fifty
ducats. No more. Agreed?"
    Giovanni's gaze fastened hungrily on the purse. "It's still too little. She works hard and..."
He stopped as his glance met Lion's and took an involuntary step back. "Agreed, my
lord."
    "No!" Sanchia had been enveloped in a nightmare of shock and bewilderment, unable to
believe this was happening until Giovanni's final words of assent jarred her from her
stupor. She rushed toward Giovanni. "You can't do this. I can't go--"
    "Quiet! Do you know how long it would take me to earn fifty ducats?"
    "I won't leave them." She clutched at his arm. "You can't do this. How will they--"
    She broke off as Giovanni's hand cracked against her cheek and sent her reeling away
from him.
    "Sanchia." Elizabet started toward her, tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, Sanchia."
    Giovanni turned swiftly back to Lion. "She's not usually so unruly. A good beating now
and then keeps her in order."
    Lion's face hardened as he gazed at the livid mark appearing on Sanchia's cheek. "Don't
touch her again. She's mine now and I'll discipline her as I see fit."
    "I
won't
go with him." Sanchia's eyes were suddenly blazing. "This is wrong. I've served
you well, you stupid fool."
    Giovanni took three steps toward her. "Be silent or I'll--"
    "Don't touch her." Lion's voice held steely menace. "Or by the saints, you'll regret it,
Ballano."
    Giovanni stopped and took a deep breath. "She'll be more obedient when she's away from
those three strays. I should never have let her persuade me to take them in."
    "They cost you nothing." Sanchia's voice was fierce. "I saw that they were fed. I took
care of them."
    "Sanchia, don't," Elizabet whispered.
    "Why not?" Sanchia's eyes glittered with a recklessness born of desperation. "What can
he do to me that he hasn't already done? He's a greedy fool who cares for nothing but his
vino."
    "Her papers and a bill of sale," Lion said quickly. The terrified kitten had suddenly
grown claws, he noticed with exasperation. In another minute she would have Ballano so
enraged he would refuse to sell her just to have the pleasure of beating her senseless. "I
have no more time."
    Giovanni cast a furious glance at Sanchia, then strode over to the scribe table and
scrawled a few lines on the parchment lying on it. "There's your bill of sale. She's yours
now." He turned and strode to the door leading to his quarters. "I'll get her papers from
my chest."
    Elizabet was weeping softly,