Nicolò told her of his work on the ship, and that he could garden, as he had done that before he took work as the first mate. She offered him a job immediately.
Feeling crushed, used and betrayed her gaze dropped to the floor, Alannah shook her head, she was ready to give up.
"This is not a resort, Señorita, nor is it the sort of place where a young couple would normally come seeking employment. This is my home, and I expect people to do their fair share of work around here. Have you any skills? What were you doing for a living while you were in Germany?"
When Alannah began telling her about her work in the fish market, the Señora shook her head impatiently. "I'm afraid that your skills, such as they are, will avail you nothing." She paused for a long moment to take in Alannah bedraggled, defeated visage, and in a quieter, kinder tone, she said, "So tell me, young woman, what is it that attracted a beautiful young girl like yourself to such a place as Storm Haven Island? There is nothing there, you are far from civilization even here, I know that the place is beautiful, but nothing is worth a journey half way around the world. It is a poor, isolated place, full of poverty-stricken villagers and their malnourished children. There are no amenities or jobs there fit for a young girl like yourself. Is Nicolò your husband? If you were to continue on to Storm Haven Island you would need a big burley man to protect you from the wild animals and the wild men, didn't you know that child?"
Fighting back hot tears, Alannah muttered, "But . . . the man on the boat to America . . . he told me . . . he even showed me pictures - "
The Señora shook her head and sighed, sympathetically. 'You poor little fool,' she said gently. 'It seems that you were taken by an enticing-sounding name and a tall teller who told you a story, no doubt by a man who no doubt had questionable motives - tell me, was he a rather sallow-faced fellow with bad teeth and sly-looking, heavily lidded eyes?'
"You know him?" Alannah blurted out in surprise.
"Lets just say that I know of him. I have heard that he is an acquaintance of Matias's. Well, well, so Matias has found a way to drum up a little extra business."
Alannah turned away, with tears streaming down her face, she was gritting her teeth in an effort of maintaining her composure, obviously it didn't work.
The woman dismissed the maid with a gesture of her head, Nicolò was told to go with the maid and he would be set up. He didn't want to leave Alannah side, "Ach, your amore will be fine, please go and get settled." led her to a bench and seated both of them. "What's this, then? You look positively ill, child! Are you unwell?" She said in a matronly way. 'Running away from a bad relationship, perhaps?'