Starling by Fiona Paul

Octavia
has a copy of either in her library. I can tell you the story, and then
I’ll mark a few passages for you to remember.”
After they finished eating, Flavia led the way to the library where
Cass found a printed copy of Homer’s Odyssey. Cass handed her the
book, and Flavia flounced down in a chair by the window.
“I think this might be the largest book I’ve ever held,” she said. “It
weighs as much as a full-grown chicken.”
“Read the beginning aloud to me,” Cass said.
Flavia licked her finger and turned past the title page. She struggled through the first few paragraphs, stumbling occasionally over an
unfamiliar word. Cass helped her along, and after Flavia had read
the first couple of pages, Cass instructed the courtesan to set the
book down on her lap.
Then she told Flavia about Odysseus and his journeys, about how
the entire time he was away, his wife, Penelope, fought off suitors and
waited faithfully for him to return. “Men like to hear stories like
that,” Cass said, even though she had no idea if it was true. “They
like to think of their women as sitting dutifully by the fire embroidering while they’re out journeying to Palazzo Dolce to visit you.”
Flavia giggled, her brown eyes lighting up. “And is he faithful to
her, as well?”
“Not exactly,” Cass said. “Though he never stopped loving her.”
She scooped the book from Flavia’s lap and skimmed through the
pages, folding back an occasional corner to mark the more exciting
passages. When she finished, she handed the book back to Flavia
and turned her attention to the shelves around them. “Let’s see what
else is in this library.”
Cass went from shelf to shelf, inhaling the scent of ink and parchment. Her fingers stroked the spines as she passed up stories that
were either too dark or too complicated for Flavia. It was difficult to
choose a book for someone else. Who could say what sort of characters or story would speak intimately to another person? Finally, Cass
selected the first quarto of Romeo and Juliet and a recent book of
essays by Michel de Montaigne. “These are both favorites of mine
you might try.”
Flavia gathered all three of the books on her lap. Cass was just
about to tell her the story of Romeo and Juliet when Octavia breezed
into the library.
“Capricia, lovely,” she started. “Just the girl I was looking for.”
“Yes?” Cass said.
“I would like to speak to you about the event tomorrow.”
Flavia perked up from beneath the stack of books. “The
Domacetti party, Signorina Octavia?” she asked. “Is Capricia going?
    Does that mean I get to go along too?”
“Both of you may go,” Octavia said. “ Santo cielo, I almost didn’t
see you there buried beneath that stack.”
Flavia held up The Odyssey. “Capricia has been helping me with
literature,” she said. “A romance, an adventure, and scholarly
thoughts. If I learn these, I’ll be able to please many men.”
“Indeed,” Octavia said, giving Cass a warm smile. “But I’m going
to steal away your tutor for a moment. You keep studying, all right?”
Flavia nodded, and opened the cover of the Michel de Montaigne
book.
Octavia turned to Cass. “I do appreciate your help. One of my
most trusted, Seraphina, is available to give you a tour of Palazzo
Dolce and teach you a few secrets of the trade.”
Cass blushed. Secrets of the trade? Did she even want to know
what that meant? She followed Octavia down the corridor to the
portego, where several of the girls were lying about, two still in their
bedclothes. They glanced curiously at Cass.
“The girls seem to be warming to you,” Octavia murmured, low
enough so that only Cass could hear her. “Perhaps you’ll decide you
want to stay on here permanently.”
Cass tried to imagine herself draped over a velvet divan like the
girl with silk-straight black hair that hung slightly past her chin. Or
like the pale girl dressed in a sheer chemise, the curves of her