CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE – SURVIVAL BAG

Over the next few days, Joan carefully gathered supplies for her escape. A small bag of clothes, some cash she had managed to squirrel away, a map of Sicily. All hidden carefully under a loose floorboard in her room. But as she prepared, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Scipione's men seemed to be everywhere, their eyes following her every move. One evening, as she was returning to her room, she overheard Scipione talking to Lorenzo in his study. "I want you to keep a closer eye on the girl," Scipione was saying. "Something's not right. She's up to something." Joan's heart pounded as she hurried past the door. Time was running out. The night before her planned escape, Joan tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. The risks of what she was about to attempt weighed heavily on her mind. A soft knock at her door startled her. She opened it to find Anna, looking pale and frightened. "Miss Joan," Anna whispered urgently. "We have a problem. I overheard