Fruit of the Golden Vine by Sophia French

love to you, day after day, until you can no longer resist me, and we’ll elope to whichever land our hearts take us.”
    Silvana sighed through lips barely parted, and a wild thrill capered through Adelina. Her fears had been for nothing; her ardent arrow had hit its mark. Tears welled behind her eyes, elation and relief arriving together in triumph.
    “Let’s find my brother,” said Silvana. “And something cool to drink. This cape is stifling.”
    Adelina laughed. “Then why did you wear it?”
    “For reasons of romance, of course.” Silvana swished the cape, nearly knocking over a passerby. “Something I suspect we’ve both had too little of.”
    “You must have been loved before.”
    “Not like this.” Silvana shifted to allow a group of men to walk by. “Let’s start moving before somebody forcibly lifts us out of their way.”
    With Silvana at her side, Adelina’s previous fear of the crowd seemed absurd. This was only a little marketplace, after all, not some monstrous labyrinth. After only a short distance, she caught the shrill tone of a pipe and urged Silvana to follow it.
    Finally a voice rose above the din, calling her name. Irena, bless her beautiful heart. “Ada!” Irena dashed to Adelina and crushed her in an embrace. “Oh, my God. I was so worried.”
    “Did you just blaspheme, Ira?”
    “Oh, damn!” Irena’s eyes widened. “Oh, I mean…” She giggled. “It’s forgiven, surely, when I’m in such distress. Rafael went hunting for you, and told me to wait near the musicians. I’m sure he won’t be…oh…”
    Silvana stepped from the crowd, which parted before her as if recognizing a divine presence. “Good morning, Irena.”
    “Oh, my.” Irena covered her mouth. “You look simply…I don’t even have a word for it. I’ve never seen a woman look that way. I might not even know you were a woman save from your features.”
    “That’s because you’re used to women wearing dresses,” said Adelina. “She looks very much a woman to me. And a beautiful one at that, don’t you agree?”
    “Yes, most beautiful.” Irena lowered her voice. “Ada, I thought she wasn’t coming.”
    “Silvie!” Rafael’s voice boomed above the noise of the market. “I’d recognize that cloak a mile off. What the hell are you doing here?”
    Irena flinched—the blasphemy, no doubt. Adelina considered Rafael’s narrowed eyes and the tension in his jaw. He suspected Silvana’s intentions, then, and he was furious. A passion that could cleave sister from sister, sister from brother…Adelina shivered despite the heat.
    “I decided it was too good a day to stay indoors.” Silvana straightened her hat and smiled at Rafael, who only glared in return. “I elected to visit the marketplace, and by chance I ran into Adelina. She had mislaid you.”
    “Well, what a coincidence. I suppose we’ll all be enjoying a day out together after all.”
    “I suppose we will.” Silvana put her hands on her hips, and they stared at one another as intently as if some message were being passed between them. Finally Rafael averted his eyes.
    “Well, while I was roaming, I found a stall selling cider,” he said. “Shall we?”
    “Yes!” Irena clasped her hands. “All Father lets us drink is wine!”
    Adelina put an arm around Irena’s waist and squeezed her. At that moment, she loved her sister—loved everything, this beautiful, sensual world and its happy, foolish inhabitants. “Let’s buy some cider, some fruit pies and some cakes, and have a picnic over there by the copse.”
    Irena laughed and kissed Adelina on the cheek. “Ada, dearest, I adore you.”
    “And I you.” Adelina looked at Silvana, who lowered her lashes and smiled.

Chapter Eight
    The noon sun attempted to rout the townsfolk from their merriment, but they merely sheltered beneath hats, awnings and trees and continued their revelry just as before. Adelina sprawled on a soft rug beneath the shade of several trees while Irena knelt