Page 69 of DATE
Leonardo da Vinci, leaning against the doorframe, watched her as she rubbed the heads of the two little creatures. Smiling, he said, "The nearby farmers just had a litter, and they gave me two of them."
"So, where should I keep them?" Hedy even thought about giving them a bath and keeping them in her room. "They're so cute, they must only be about one or two months old, right?"
"In the yard?" Da Vinci pondered. "Botticelli and I often go there to paint. We can feed them for you when we have time."
"Sounds good," Hedy smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons as her light blue eyes sparkled. "I'll leave them in your care, then."
Da Vinci glanced around to check if anyone was nearby, then lowered his voice and asked, "Are you... adjusting well here?"
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," Da Vinci took a deep breath. "I've been wondering if I've been irresponsible. If you feel too suffocated here or want to leave, I can have a friend take you to Venice or even farther away."
Hedy looked at him, somewhat surprised.
Her former employer, although he was known to steal corpses for dissection or secretly mock Botticelli, was actually always kind-hearted.
"Actually, I think there will always be danger wherever I go," she said with a relieved smile. "At least here, I have you and a few other friends."
"True," Da Vinci said, hearing footsteps approaching in the distance. He carefully took the two rabbits. "If you ever have any problems, come find me. Also, be careful in the palace. Don’t offend those hot-tempered people."
Hedy waved her hand and smiled, watching as he quickly descended the stairs.
A while later, Dechio came upstairs with a pottery jar. Upon seeing her leaning against the doorframe with a pleasant expression, she curiously asked, "You look really good today."
"Mm," Hedy reached out to take the jar from her and cheerfully replied, "I'll be going out for a while, but I'll be back soon."
She hadn’t expected the Medici family to be so generous towards her.
Earlier, they had given her so many gold coins that even lying in bed, she was still in shock.
These past few days, Hedy had moved the location of her jewelry again, hiding them in places such as under the bridge, near the roots of the olive trees, and other secluded areas where there were few people and high concealment.
She had previously sold a ring to quickly exchange it for some cash, just in case she needed it for emergencies. That diamond ring had only fetched five gold coins on the black market, which she now regretted.
—It’s best to buy it back quickly and hide it elsewhere.
The reason she hadn’t bought it back earlier was that she hadn’t yet established herself at the Palazzo Vecchio, and she didn’t have the courage to do so. Fortunately, the lord had always paid his staff on time, and now she had much more money at her disposal.
Hedy walked through the bustling crowd, listening to the flutists practicing Easter music, while poets stood on street corners loudly reciting their works. Children were chasing each other and playing, and many women were busy drying noodles.
She looked around, lost in thought.
Should I… get myself a house?
The gold coins she had on hand were enough to secure a place for herself. However, as soon as the thought appeared, it was quickly dismissed.
The sharp-eyed Lorenzo de’ Medici seemed to instantly appear in her mind.
What if that lord grew suspicious and decided to search through her place while she was away? It would definitely cause trouble.
A city with a shrewd lord would be well-protected, but being too perceptive could be a curse as well.
Right now, she was isolated, with no family, no brothers, and no solid footing.
Another thought crossed her mind.
Maybe… I should marry Mr. Alejo.
