The Golden Tulip Read Online Free
will be for us to see her go. We must smooth the way for her.”
Neither of them noticed that Maria, thinking that Anna and Francesca should be on their own together at this moment, had shepherded Aletta away with her. Francesca swallowed hard.
“Will she be happy forever and ever with Signor de Leone?”
Anna drew her daughter to a cushioned bench by the wall. “Love isn’t just being happy, Francesca. It’s more than that. It is the willing commitment of one’s whole heart to one person. That brings joy and ecstasy beyond measure and far ahead of your present understanding, but it can also bring pain and sorrow and the agony of being torn apart, not only by outside events but through the actions of the very two who care most for each other. Janetje will have special problems to face in going to a new country where another language is spoken, amid strangers and far from home.” Fondly she smoothed back an unruly curl from her daughter’s brow. “But true love can maintain its strength no matter what is hurled against it. I believe Janetje and Giovanni have found that kind of love for each other or else I would do everything in my power to prevent the marriage.”
Francesca sensed, almost without being aware of it, that a great deal of what had been said had referred to her own parents’ relationship as much as to what lay in store for Janetje. “May I go up and see her?”
Anna nodded. “She asked that you should go to her as soon as you came home.”
As Francesca darted away upstairs, Anna went through the archway that led from the stair hall. When she entered the studio she was met by a strong odor of resin and animal glue with which, combined with ochre, Hendrick was preparing a canvas. He was whistling in high spirits, for after he had given his permission for Janetje to marry the Florentine a most generous offer had been forthcoming.
“My future wife’s only reservation about leaving her homeland,” Giovanni had said in his limited Dutch, “is her concern for her sister and nieces through your present financial straits. I want her to be happy and for her sake I am willing to give you a fresh start and settle all your debts from whatever source if you care to present me with the figures.”
“I’m overwhelmed!” Hendrick had exclaimed.
“Do not thank me. I am doing it solely for Janetje’s peace of mind and on the condition that you will never approach either her or myself for any financial help in the future.”
“You have my word!” Hendrick had declared.
Anna, crossing the studio toward him, was grateful for Giovanni’s generosity, but she had no hope of Hendrick being able to keep out of debt for long, even though he was to be given a clean slate. She linked her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. With the jar of gluey mixture and the brush still in his hands, he folded his arms about her, knowing that the forthcoming break with her sister was already causing her enormous anguish.
“I love you,” he said softly, putting his lips to her temple.
She nodded. Had she not known that to be the truth she could never have borne the trials and tribulations that marriage to him had brought her. Slowly she turned her face up to his and immediately his hot, passionate mouth met its response in hers.
Chapter 2
A NNA SAVED EVERY ONE OF J ANETJE’S LETTERS AND WROTE twice a year herself. With various wars raging around Holland’s peaceful borders the passage of mail was precarious and it was best to entrust it to a merchant or traveler known to be going to Florence. Heer Korver had contacts there and he always sent word to Anna when he knew of someone prepared to collect and deliver a letter. The marriage between her sister and Giovanni was proving to be a good one. Janetje, although assailed at times by homesickness, was content in her new life, much absorbed by her sons, one having arrived nine months after the wedding and the second a year later.
Anna always had
Neither of them noticed that Maria, thinking that Anna and Francesca should be on their own together at this moment, had shepherded Aletta away with her. Francesca swallowed hard.
“Will she be happy forever and ever with Signor de Leone?”
Anna drew her daughter to a cushioned bench by the wall. “Love isn’t just being happy, Francesca. It’s more than that. It is the willing commitment of one’s whole heart to one person. That brings joy and ecstasy beyond measure and far ahead of your present understanding, but it can also bring pain and sorrow and the agony of being torn apart, not only by outside events but through the actions of the very two who care most for each other. Janetje will have special problems to face in going to a new country where another language is spoken, amid strangers and far from home.” Fondly she smoothed back an unruly curl from her daughter’s brow. “But true love can maintain its strength no matter what is hurled against it. I believe Janetje and Giovanni have found that kind of love for each other or else I would do everything in my power to prevent the marriage.”
Francesca sensed, almost without being aware of it, that a great deal of what had been said had referred to her own parents’ relationship as much as to what lay in store for Janetje. “May I go up and see her?”
Anna nodded. “She asked that you should go to her as soon as you came home.”
As Francesca darted away upstairs, Anna went through the archway that led from the stair hall. When she entered the studio she was met by a strong odor of resin and animal glue with which, combined with ochre, Hendrick was preparing a canvas. He was whistling in high spirits, for after he had given his permission for Janetje to marry the Florentine a most generous offer had been forthcoming.
“My future wife’s only reservation about leaving her homeland,” Giovanni had said in his limited Dutch, “is her concern for her sister and nieces through your present financial straits. I want her to be happy and for her sake I am willing to give you a fresh start and settle all your debts from whatever source if you care to present me with the figures.”
“I’m overwhelmed!” Hendrick had exclaimed.
“Do not thank me. I am doing it solely for Janetje’s peace of mind and on the condition that you will never approach either her or myself for any financial help in the future.”
“You have my word!” Hendrick had declared.
Anna, crossing the studio toward him, was grateful for Giovanni’s generosity, but she had no hope of Hendrick being able to keep out of debt for long, even though he was to be given a clean slate. She linked her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. With the jar of gluey mixture and the brush still in his hands, he folded his arms about her, knowing that the forthcoming break with her sister was already causing her enormous anguish.
“I love you,” he said softly, putting his lips to her temple.
She nodded. Had she not known that to be the truth she could never have borne the trials and tribulations that marriage to him had brought her. Slowly she turned her face up to his and immediately his hot, passionate mouth met its response in hers.
Chapter 2
A NNA SAVED EVERY ONE OF J ANETJE’S LETTERS AND WROTE twice a year herself. With various wars raging around Holland’s peaceful borders the passage of mail was precarious and it was best to entrust it to a merchant or traveler known to be going to Florence. Heer Korver had contacts there and he always sent word to Anna when he knew of someone prepared to collect and deliver a letter. The marriage between her sister and Giovanni was proving to be a good one. Janetje, although assailed at times by homesickness, was content in her new life, much absorbed by her sons, one having arrived nine months after the wedding and the second a year later.
Anna always had
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