Summary

Leda's revelation about herself to Nina and Rosaria seems to have opened up a channel to her past. She leaves the shelter of the market under a light rain, gets into her car and begins to drive, thinking back to another episode in her past when her daughters were young. She admits, "One never knows where the velocity of bad feeling comes from, how it advances" (74), adding to the reader's sense that Leda as narrator does not have all the answers, especially with regard to herself.

She begins to recount the story of Lucilla, who was married to Matteo, a colleague of Gianni's, and how this seemingly kind woman tried to win over the affections of Bianca and Marta. Lucilla and Matteo often spent time with Leda, Gianni, and their daughters, and Leda says that Lucilla always ignored her and only paid attention to...