Georgiana found a book and reclined on a lounge chair in the garden shade to read it. Snacks and wine sat on the chair beside her.
When she opened it, she found D'Hancarville Cicognara's name written on the title page. She thought carefully. Count Cicognara seemed to be called Leopold, so who was this D'Hancarville?
Just as she was about to send someone to ask, she noticed Fredley, the British ambassador to Italy, approaching from the other end of the garden.
"Good morning," Fredley said with a broad smile.
"Good morning." Georgiana smiled back. "Do you know D'Hancarville Cicognara?"
Fredley froze for a moment.
"I'm reading his book." Georgiana showed him the book in her hands.
She had only asked casually, never expecting Fredley to actually know this D'Hancarville Cicognara.
The adventurer and art historian had been born in Nancy in 1719. Because of debts, he had been thrown into prison in most European countries, forcing him to flee to the New World. He had even become friends with George Washington. Around the 1780s, he returned to Europe and spent some time in France, even taking part in the destruction of the Bastille in 1789.
"Wait." Georgiana stopped Fredley. "Did you just say he was born in 1719?"
"That's right." Fredley nodded.
"Then he would have been seventy in 1789?" Georgiana said in astonishment.
Fredley smiled somewhat helplessly. "He told me that he had been involved in Württemberg's purchase of Corsica, and that he had been friends with the German prince at the time."
"Really?" Georgiana asked in surprise.
"He was a gambler and a swindler. There's a famous saying in Florence: if you show D'Hancarville your treasures, keep a close eye on his hands. Even Frederick the Great called him an expert in the art of stealing." Fredley said.