Milan, 25 October 1816, 9 a.m.
Seat of the Directorate-General of the Austrian Police
Anna Molinari made herself known in Ziani’s office with a folder of loose-leaf papers under her arm. Her spectacles were not thick enough to conceal the dark rings beneath her eyes owing to her frequent overnight work at the archive.
‘Have you found the Englishmen?’ asked the lieutenant, making space for her at his desk.
‘They number three, to wit: George Gordon Byron, John Polidori and John Cam Hobhouse’.
‘Have you worked on this all night?’
‘I thought it important for the investigation’.
‘You’ve done marvellously and deserve respite until tomorrow morning’.
‘Thank you, but I’ll return this afternoon because I’m awaiting a telegraph’.
‘Luigi Bolza! Perchance he’s already found somethi
