Your suitor Gian Maria returning to Guidobaldo's court, eager for the nuptials that were promised him, has learnt of your flight to Roccaleone and is raising--indeed will have raised by now--an army to invest and reduce your fortress." Gonzaga turned as pale as the vest of white silk that gleamed beneath his doublet of pearl-coloured velvet at this realisation of the prophecies he had uttered without believing.

A sickly fear possessed his soul.

What fate would they mete out to him who had been the leading spirit in Valentina's rebellion?
He could have groaned aloud at this miscarriage of all his fine plans.

Where now would be the time to talk of love, to press and carry his suit with Valentina and render himself her husband?
There would be war in the air, and bloody work that made his skin creep and turn cold to ponder on.

And the irony of it all was keenly cruel.