The soldier shoved Rosa aside. She hit the cobblestones hard but was already scrambling back up. "Doesn't matter who she is. She's wronged the heir's woman, and she'll kneel and apologize for it."
Nana Agata clutched her swollen, reddened cheek and screeched, "Guard! This vicious woman can't bear children yet still clings to the position of the Don's wife, tormenting our mistress!"
"Once the mistress delivers the heir's firstborn son, she'll surely be elevated. Then it's the mistress who'll be the true lady of the house!"
"A barren woman like her should be thrown out of the compound. Go on, hit her! The mistress will answer for it."
Gianna spoke in that soft, fragile voice of hers. "My lady, even someone as high and mighty as you must own up to her wrongs. Just apologize to Nana, and we can put this behind us."
I let out a cold laugh. "Apologize to her? You think either of you are worthy of that?"
Gianna sighed. "If that's how you want it, I can't help you." She shot Nana Agata a look. The old woman's fingers released the rosary. She lunged forward and struck me hard across the face.