Chapters One and Two Summary

The story opens with a description of the sixteenth century Tuscan villa at the top of the hill where Mary Panton is staying. The villa is owned by the Leonards, who have offered it up for Mary's use. From the terrace or the gardens, Mary can see the highest points of the city of Florence. She initially spends some time driving around to see the sights, but later spends more time at the villa, and it's there that her spirit is renewed from the recent trials. Mary has recently spent a great deal of time with lawyers after the death of her husband. She says that he'd managed to squander all the money he'd had and that her purpose in being at the villa is to figure out what she should now do with her life.

On...