said the Lorraine steward. “I am sorry to interrupt you, but your daughter’s handmaiden has some troubling news for you.” The Duke, Duchess and Leonardo, who were seated together in one of the upper rooms of the Lorraine household, pouring over sketches on the table, all looked up. The handmaiden tried to raise her eyes, but as soon as they met the Duchess’s she dropped them back to the floor again. “Yes?” the Duke asked again. The handmaiden stammered a few words towards her shoes and the Duchess said, “Speak up girl!” She nearly burst into tears at that, and wondered if her punishment would be any less severe if she were crying. “It’s… it’s… Lucia,” she stammered. “Yes?” said the Duke again. “She’s… she’s… she’s… gone missing.” “What do you mean gone missing?” the Duchess demanded, and the handmaiden started spilling words to match the tears now falling on the floor about her in soft splashes. She told them that when Lucia had not come downstairs for luncheon she went back up to her chamber to tell her of the parents’ displeasure, but she was not there.
