What a story! As commented out by others, it is clear that such an outbreak would propagate so much faster today, with all these people traveling all around the globe.
She was content to sip coffee in St. Mark's Square, soak up the sun, take in the scenery, watch pools of water dry on the pavement, and marvel at the multitude of pigeons that nested in church turrets.
This is my best part of your story: remembering good and similar memories to me from my honeymoon. Although I must admin that I have visited many of the places you mentioned and described, and that I have excellent memories from there too (without smallpox... I am too young for that).
