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But reality told her they didn’t share the kind of tacit understanding and warmth she had imagined.
A lot of things were probably just foolish fantasies born from her youthful idealism.
Suddenly, there were three knocks on the door.
Hedy sat up, instinctively adjusting her dress and hair.
"Madam," Dechio’s voice sounded anxious. "A letter has come from Florence. They say the grapevine disease is worsening, and it’s behaving like some kind of strange illness."
It was Dechio.
"Cosimo asks if you have any solution to this. They’re still praying to the gods and sprinkling exorcism potions."
Hedy paused for a moment, then got up. "How serious is it?"
"Three estates have already been struck by this strange illness, and the grapes are completely inedible—yet there are no visible insects," Dechio muttered. "It’s definitely the work of demons."
Hedy walked wearily to the door, opened it, and took the letter. She stared at it for a long while.
— As she had expected, Lorenzo had indeed returned to his cold, distant state after waking up from his drunken stupor, like an emotionless machine. Even in such a situation, he chose to handle things on his own and did not seek her help again.
"Dechio," she sighed, "What is Mr. Da Vinci doing?"
"Sarai's cheek is already swollen, and he's still crying," Dechio seemed to know something and used the term "little devil" with a certain amount of familiarity. "Do you need me to call him to come back with you?"
"No need," she said calmly. "Pack up and bring the bottles of medicine I prepared earlier."
"Yes, madam."
Da Vinci had finally managed to calm the poor boy to sleep when he suddenly heard the distant sound of a carriage.
Who could be coming at this hour?
He put on his outer robe instinctively and went to the courtyard, only to see her being helped into a new carriage, her luggage already prepared.
"Hedy—" Da Vinci’s heart suddenly panicked, and his voice rose a little higher. "Where are you going?"
"There’s an urgent request from a lord in Florence," she looked at him with a calm gaze, her tone devoid of any other emotion. "I’m going back for a while."
"I’ll accompany you. Maybe I can help you," Da Vinci instinctively moved toward her carriage, trying to approach. "What happened in the south?"
"No need, you stay here," she said coolly. "I can solve these problems on my own."
Before he could plead once more, the carriage disappeared into the night, leaving him standing alone in the empty house.
Da Vinci stood there for a long time, feeling lost and uneasy.
Something had changed, as if the distance between them had suddenly grown vast.
He had never felt this way even in front of his harsh and unpredictable employer, Sforza.
But when she left, it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over him.
He had grown accustomed to exposing his softer side to her, but he never expected it to come to this point.
Would you rather travel alone overnight... than bring me along?
He had kept Sarai only out of kindness, unable to bear the sight of the boy’s pathetic, pitiful state.
