The Plague Doctor's Daughter

Epilogue

Investiture of a new family amongst the ranks of Venetian nobility nowadays was a rarity, and as such, everyone from the Polani and Baseggio to the Contarini and Badoer lines came out to witness the honor. As the 97th Grand Duke of Venice, Alvise Mocenigo conducted the ceremony just weeks into his own tenure, but the occasion gave the city much more to celebrate than just the bestowal of a title.

The Republic could finally breathe again.

Easter Sunday in the year 1630 had brought with it not only the end of Lenten fasting and reflection, but also spurred another kind of rebirth. The plague—and the unspoken terrors it had caused—had been defeated. The boats to the Lazzaretto rarely made their morose trips across the lagoon any more, and hope had returned to the islands.

Standing in the back of the Great Council hall within the Palazzo Ducale, Giovanna clasped her hands together and nervously kneaded her fingers. Up front, her father had just donned the robes of a voting member of Venice's administrative body and was preparing to sign his name to the master ledger. When he was done, a triumphant reception followed as hundreds of citizens began to clap.

Filled with pride at her father's well-deserved recognition, Giovanna turned to sneak out before the ball in his honor. But instead of a clear path to the door, she found two gentlemen approaching.

"A drink to toast this auspicious day, Madonna?" asked the blonde in a dark blue tunic, offering her one of the cups he held.

The other—wearing an embroidered jerkin and elaborate collar—bowed in greeting and held out his hand. "Or perhaps you'd prefer to start with a dance?" he asked.

Giovanna took a small step backward and steadied her shaky hands against her billowing skirt. Although she wore a custom-tailored gown of the finest silks that overshadowed even that which Matteo had once offered her, she still felt out of place and now would have gladly been strolling the canals, instead.

It was her work there—originally in the company of both Matteo and Simone—that had earned the coins for the dress. The trio's work was so secret not even the Procurator knew the whole truth, but the fact that Venice quickly saw a decrease in unexplained attacks, disappearances, and deaths deserved to be rewarded. Gold from the Republic's coffers went to the man who likely had the most to do with the remarkable turnaround: the plague doctor himself, Agostino Rienzo.

And while their efforts weren't directly recognized, all three were all content with the arrangement. In fact, any of them would have done it for free, recognizing the need for safety above any profit. So each night for over a month they scoured the alleys, putting down the preacher's aberrations with a swift blade through the brain.

As the number of creatures waned, so did the need for all of their attention. Simone's sense of duty to his upcoming marriage and Matteo's obligations to his position in the Council supporting the newly appointed Doge eventually took both away from the task. Left alone, Giovanna finished what they had started, wiping the last remnants of the plague's invisible victims from existence.

"I . . ." she stammered, overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

"Signora Visconti," a burly voice from behind interrupted the moment.

Giovanna turned to see the unexpected figure of the city's chief jailer.

"Signore," she said with a curtsy, silently thankful for the man's impeccable timing that saved her from the awkward encounter. "What may I do for you?"

The man took her hand and grazed it with his lips. "I merely wanted to extend my congratulations to your family for the great honor it is receiving today," he said.