“Okay, Contessa!” the photographer called. “Let me see more of what you just gave us.”
Giselle went back to posing and lost track of time until Juliette entered the studio. Everyone moved toward her in unison, as if she were a magnet. Even the photographer stopped shooting and hurried away from her camera to be in the presence of the most beloved woman in Venice. “Contessa Verona! What an honor!”
Juliette smiled and said, “Buongiorno. Please do not let me disturb your work. I am simply here to peek behind the scenes and offer my support to Giselle.” She stepped off to one side and, Giselle gave her a little wave and blew her a kiss before the photographer resumed shooting.
After the shoot, Giselle washed her face and brushed out some of the hairspray, got back into her regular clothes, and accompanied Juliette to Raphielli’s shelter for their volunteer shift. When they poked their heads into the office, Giselle was struck by how tired Raphielli looked, and went over to her desk. “Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Sì. Sometimes I get twinges in my back that wake me up.” She smiled.
Juliette came over and rubbed Raphielli’s back. “Young lady, it is not just sleep you are deprived of. You must get some joy out of life.”
“Good. She should hear it from someone other than me,” Kate said. “Raphielli, you’re depriving yourself.”
As Raphielli made some evasive non-word sounds, Giselle had a great idea. Grabbing Raphielli’s arms, she pulled her from her chair. “I have an idea! I’ve just found out that my best friends are coming to Venice for a couple of days, you should come out with us!”
Juliette and Kate threw their hands up. “Sì! Sì! Go! Have some fun!”
Raphielli hesitated. “Can you tell me a little bit about them?”
“They’re very nice. They’re coming all the way from the Ardennes.”
“Mmm…I don’t know.”
“I’ve known them since we were in diapers together.”
“How nice. I’ve lost touch with my childhood pals, we used to have such fun.” Kate said. Giselle could tell she was trying to keep the conversation alive before Raphielli could shut it down.
“We had the best childhood, always playing games, swimming in the lake on our property, and racing each other any way we could—on foot, horseback, bicycles, skateboards, you name it. Playing hide-and-seek in the forest. And we never got tired of dancing.”
“All right, I’ll come meet them.” Raphielli gave in.
“Great! You can come to my friend Ava’s fashion show and buy some new clothes.”
Raphielli was eyeing Giselle’s ensemble. “I can’t dress like you. Look at you, coming to work in the nursery dressed like an Amica magazine model.”
Giselle looked down at her matching floral Massimo Giorgetti slacks and pullover with fuchsia Gucci loafers. “Well, suit yourself. You’ll see lots of clothes that appeal to you, I’m sure. We’re going to have lunch at Harry’s Bar before the show.”
“I could maybe go to lunch, but I can’t take the whole day off. I have too much work to do. Anyway, I wouldn’t know what to do at a fashion show. That isn’t for me.”
“Ah, you admire clothes, and you buy some,” Juliette said. “My dear, it is time for you to climb out of your shell.”
Kate pushed, too. “Si! Raphielli, you need business clothes. You dress…”
Giselle bit her lip in embarrassment for Raphielli and saw Juliette do the same.
Kate gently finished, “…like a nonna.”
Raphielli looked down and said, “Okay.” Then she seemed to panic. “Wait! Can I wear my clothes to the show? Maybe I should wear my new dress?”
“No!” Giselle blurted. “…need for that. Don’t worry about a thing. We’re meeting at Ava’s and she’s giving us dresses to wear to the show. I’ll send you the address.”
Juliette flashed Giselle a look of relief and pressed a button on her phone. “My assistant, Ippy, will make a salon appointment for you to get your hair, nails, and makeup done before you meet the girls.” She put her phone to her ear, dictated rapid-fire orders, and clicked off with a smile.
Raphielli looked resigned and nodded. “All right. Thank you for arranging this…outing.” Then she headed for the office door. “Now, I’ve got to go see Mia.”
Kate said, “I’ll just clear your appointments for tomorrow.” She popped a Mentos into her mouth with a satisfied look on her face, and picked up the phone.
Juliette started for the shelter’s kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “Kate, Vincenzo confirmed he will teach the personal budgeting class via Skype at five.”
Kate nodded and then winked at Giselle. “I love your husband.”
“Everybody does.”
“I’m so glad you’re introducing Raphielli to your friends.”
Giselle retrieved a fuchsia scarf out of her tote and swept her hair up into an up-do to make the long strands harder for the babies to pull on. “Me too. We’ll have fun tomorrow.”
“Get her some decent clothes. I’m always embarrassed for her, poor thing.”
“No problem. I’m on it. Now, I have to get to work in the nursery. Those babies won’t hug and bounce themselves.” She gave a salute and headed out into the hall.
Alphonso stood in front of the mysterious gray doors that had thwarted them for days. Raphielli was sitting patiently beside him watching Zelph fiddle with the last lock. He’d gone all the way to Bologna to find a special tool, and Alphonso couldn’t help feeling this might be their last shot at getting into the mysterious room without smashing their way inside.
All of a sudden, Zelph stood up. “Ci siamo! That’s how it’s done!” When he turned around he was grinning ear to ear. “Finally! No Etruscan lock is gonna keep me out!”
Alphonso helped Raphielli to her feet and they pushed against the giant doors, which were just as heavy as they appeared. When the big slabs swung open, a fresh-smelling gust of humid air poured from the darkness. He grabbed his flashlight and shined it into a room that belonged in a bathhouse. Raphielli walked past him into the green marble chamber that had benches on two sides. “Careful,” he called out just as he saw the shimmering surface. “That’s water just a few paces beyond you.”
“What is this place?” Her voice was hushed with uncertainty.
“It’s unlike any room we’ve seen so far—and certainly unexpected.” Zelph started feeling along the dark walls for a light switch, being careful not to fall into what looked like a pool. In the center of the small chamber were white marble steps that descended into crystalline water. Their eyes were adjusting to the dark, but Alphonso could see that hazy light was coming from under the water. There must be a submerged light source under the pool. How bizarre.
“It smells like a spa,” Zelph said.
As they gathered at the steps, Alphonso said, “It’s a room was where people undressed to go for a soak in that water.”
“Why is this water so clear? It isn’t lagoon water.” Raphielli bent close to the surface.
“Underground hot spring?” Zelph was shaking his head slowly. “But shouldn’t it smell of minerals like sulfur?”
Alphonso put his hand in, and it felt warm. “Ooh. It’s really nice.” He started taking his shoes off. “I’m going to swim down there and find where the light is coming from.” He and Zelph stripped to their underwear, while Raphielli averted her eyes.
“Wait! You’re leaving me behind?” As they splashed down the steps away from her, she called, “I thought we were a team!”
“We’ll take a quick look,” Alphonso said. “We’ll be right back.”
Zelph was at his side as he dove in, and together they swam toward the golden light. They passed through a wide underwater tunnel that had shimmering gold markings set into white and green tiles. Once they cleared the tunnel, they broke the surface inside a golden light-filled space with an enormous Olympic-sized pool. It was bowl-shaped, with the center about three meters deep, getting shallower near the walls. Ther
e were golden symbols and mosaic pictures all over the ceiling and walls, and under the water on the floor. They swam toward the far side of the space where steps led up to a marble stage with an altar at one side. They were surrounded by gilded depictions of men and boats, and strange hieroglyphs. They’d found a golden church.
“Al! This place is fucking beautiful!” Zelph gasped. “It’s like ancient Egypt or Greece in here! Che cazzo è…”
“Stronzino! You can’t swear in a temple! I’m going back to get Raphielli, this will blow her mind!” He swam back to where she was pacing on the steps in her bare feet. Her cardigan was on a bench and her hair was down.
“What?” she demanded. “What’s there?”
As Alphonso came out of the water to his waist, he watched Raphielli’s eyes travel up and down his body. He slicked the hair back from his face. “Raphielli, you’ve got to see this.”
She waded down the steps fully clothed.
“You’re not swimming in your blouse and skirt, are you?”
“I can’t show you my underwear,” she said defensively.
“Okay, you’ll need to swim through a short tunnel. Can you hold your breath for a bit?”
“Certo!” She nodded eagerly. “We had to swim endless laps for our physical education at the abbey.” She dove in, and swam away, her hair streaming behind her and her clothes billowing around her in black and white clouds.
He dove under and swam behind her getting a glimpse of very practical underpants and luscious thighs. When he surfaced inside the golden space, she’d flipped over and was backstroking her way across the giant dish-shaped pool, staring around in wonder. She swam to the shallow end and followed Zelph who was climbing the steps to the altar. Warm water sheeted off his caramel-colored body, muscles rippling, and Alphonso knew he looked just the same.
“This must be a temple,” he called out to them. “But how weird to worship in a pool. They didn’t all tread water, did they? Do you suppose it used to be dry and was abandoned because it flooded?”
Raphielli smoothed her hair back from her face. “Maybe worshippers all lined up in the shallow ring around the edges to watch whatever happened at the altar.”
“Maybe it’s just a really fancy swimming pool.” Zelph laughed, and the sound had an echoing quality.
Alphonso flipped over and backstroked to the shallows. “You don’t believe that.”
“No. It’s a temple,” Raphielli and Zelph said in unison.
Alphonso walked to the side of the pool. He looked over at Raphielli, and his pulse quickened at the sight of her. Her body was molded by the white blouse, and her long skirt clung to her thighs. The material emphasized her Rubenesque figure in a lurid way that was more erotic than if she’d simply stripped down to her underwear…perhaps. Her face was bathed in aquatic gold reflections. Alphonso stayed waist deep in the water to hide his growing erection. He gave himself a mental shake to focus on their discovery. The air temperature was comfortable, not too steamy, so Alphonso knew it had ample ventilation. He raised his hand, feeling for air currents.
“The symbols are ancient Greek,” Raphielli said. “And that’s Paul on the ceiling and the walls.” She moved closer to the altar, inspecting items arranged on it, but didn’t touch anything. “The Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ,” she mused. “This temple venerates Paul, and Jesus Christ’s teachings.”
“How do you know that’s Paul?” Zelph followed her gaze to one of the figures.
“The color of his robe…and see the scroll?”
“Yeah,” Alphonso said. “But, I thought it was John who held a scroll.”
“No, John carries a book, but one of Paul’s symbols is the scroll.”
“Okay, religious expert,” Zelph said. “Who’s this?”
He was pointing at a mosaic of a man in white robes wearing a laurel crown, standing in a boat with an astral symbol behind his head. “A guy with three moons in the sky behind him.”
“I have no idea. I’ve never see that man or that symbol before. The composition looks astral. Is it the sun and two moons?”
Her brows rose in surprise or disbelief as her fingers traced pictograms on the edges of the elaborate altar. “I’ve only ever heard of Paul as an apostle, but here he’s elevated somehow beyond what the Bible says. He’s described here more as a…gardener. All very strange… And here is, um, well, a set of steps to know God.”
Alphonso was impressed with her knowledge. She sounded scholarly.
She gave her head a couple of shakes and then sounded disturbed. “This isn’t the Holy Roman Church. Here everyone saves themselves, and, um, their soul grows in enlightenment through, um, reaching out to …” She framed her hands around a set of symbols. “…to each other?” She turned slowly, looking around the temple. “The Blessed Virgin isn’t here. This place of Paul and Jesus and this sailor with the moons doesn’t, uh…do they not believe Mary’s holy? That can’t be right.”
Zelph had climbed up onto a ledge and was wedging his hands into slits high up on the wall. “Here’s where the air and light are coming in. We’re on the far side of the property and must be under one of the old pump houses or storage buildings. Some place we haven’t explored yet. Judging from the amount of light and fresh air, the building has an open roof. I bet rain water comes in here.”
“That would explain why it’s so sparkling and clean in here. It’s regularly washed with rain water,” Raphielli said.
“So, one of the outbuildings isn’t what it appears to be,” Alphonso thought out loud. “The Scortini builders made a structure to hide the dome of this church.”
“How did worshippers get in here?” Zelph climbed back down. “This must have been one very secret temple.”
Alphonso was gazing up at the slits in the walls. “Right, I assume followers weren’t all coming through the palazzo’s front door. There must be a secret entrance.”
Zelph nodded. “Maybe their access was the secret passage under the Diamond Bridge.”
Raphielli was down on her knees studying strange letters etched into a wall just above the water line in the shallow end. Sounding flummoxed she muttered to herself, “I can feel the love here. Every symbol and word teaches that there is no sin—at least not in the sense that I know it. There is only growth to enlightenment, caring for animals, plants, the earth, even to the point where there’s no more illness…” She swept her hands overhead to symbols twinkling above. “No aging, no sorrow, none of the deadly sins.” She looked at Alphonso. “But if they reject Mary’s divinity, her son Jesus can only be human. I have a temple of arrant heterodoxy in my home.” She got up and walked to the edge of the steps nearest the deep end of the pool.
“An ancient temple of arrant heterodoxy,” Zelph amended.
“Well, at least it’s a loving ancient temple of arrant heterodoxy,” Alphonso added. “Let’s go get dried off and plan what to do about this.”
Zelph asked Raphielli, “What does ‘arrant heterodoxy’ mean?”
But she’d already ducked under the water and was swimming toward the green marble tunnel. Alphonso dove in with Zelph close behind, and they swam after her. When they surfaced and climbed the steps on the other side, the cold air was bracing. Alphonso pretended not to notice Raphielli’s firm alabaster thighs as she lifted the fabric of her skirt, gathered it and wrung out as much water as she could. Then she pulled her dry sweater on, shoved her wet feet into her shoes, and scurried off making childlike flubbering sounds with her lips as she went.
Alphonso and Zelph struggled their wet bodies into their clothes, and Alphonso gritted his chattering teeth as he helped Zelph secure one of the locks. They followed Raphielli’s soaked footsteps and trail of water droplets through the servant hallways until they came out behind the dining room.
They trotted past the main entryway, Dante gasped at Raphielli, but she didn’t slow down. “Don’t ask, we’re fine, getting some towels.”
Once in Raphielli’s suite, she grabbed a towel from her
bathroom and ducked into her closet. Alphonso and Zelph closed themselves in the bathroom moments before there was a knock on the door. Rosa’s voice called, “I have blankets for you. I will take your clothes and have them dry in thirty minutes.”
When they came out wrapped in blankets, Rosa took one look at them and shook her head before leaving with their clothes. As he and Zelph passed the closet, they heard Raphielli thinking out loud from behind the louvered doors. “I’ve got to look up that sun and double-moon symbol.”
“Or three moons,” Zelph offered. “You know, the phases of the full moon.”
Alphonso called to her, “To me, it looked like the sun, and a crescent moon, and a full moon. And what about that loosely woven knot symbol? I’ll try to sketch it.” He headed to her desk. She appeared at his side in her other shapeless white blouse, dowdy skirt, and oversized sweater.
“Sì, it was a pretty knot. I’d like to have it as a charm for a bracelet.” She looked down at Alphonso’s line drawing and declared, “That’s it.” Raphielli took another pencil and drew the sun and two moons. “Now we have more work than just exploring my home.”
Alphonso’s private detective antenna twitched. “The Scortinis went to great lengths to build this temple so no one would suspect it existed. I don’t think we can be too careful about keeping their secret.”
Raphielli agreed, “Okay, so we won’t tell anyone about the temple, and we’ll see what we can find out about these symbols without attracting any suspicion. I’m going to ask my friend, Eugenia, back at the abbey. She’s the librarian now.”
Storming Venice Page 17
