99.

   The next morning, I woke up feeling reborn. La Casamentara was standing over me with her tiny dog in her hair. She held a pile of clothes in her hands and a pair of scissors dangled from her fingers. I sat up in bed. The dogs were still asleep at my feet. I stretched out my arms, rolled back my head, closed my eyes and reveled in a long yawn. When I opened my eyes, I was looking at another hooded crucifix hanging over the bed. Then I thought of Claudia.
   The matchmaker must have seen a shadow darken my face. She launched into a breathless verbal distraction accompanied by the whimpering and yipping of her dog. “First, we are going to trim that mop on your head. Then I want you to get dressed.” She snipped at my hair and practically dressed me herself, all the while babbling away and keeping a concerned eye on me. “You’ll continue your journey but not with your dogs alone. Come downstairs. Breakfast is waiting for you. When you have finished, step out onto the veranda. There is someone I want you to meet.” We followed her down. She sat Pat, Nanette and me before a magnificent spread and floated out of the room humming a tune to her dog.
   “I can’t believe we’re eating this feast after a warm bath and a feather bed.”, marveled Nanette.
   “Maybe we can stay here awhile.”, said Pat as he gazed at the feast. “Let’s at least make the most of it while we can.”
   So we lingered, eating slowly, sensuously, gratefully. I looked at the dogs lost in their rumination. A sudden affection for them welled up in me and brought tears to my eyes.