"Yet, if you were to place in my hands that trust, I would defend it to my last breath." And then, before she could answer him, Gonzaga entered by the side-door, and frowned to see Francesco there before him.

He was a trifle pale, he carried his cloak on the right shoulder, instead of the left, and in general his apparel was less meticulous than usual, and showed signs of hasty donning.

With a curt nod to the Count, and an utter ignoring of Fortemani--who was scowling upon him in memory of yesterday--he bowed low before Valentina.
"I am distraught, Madonna----" he began, when she cut him short.
"You have little cause to be.

Have things fallen out other than we expected ?" "Perhaps not.

Yet I had hoped that Gian Maria would not allow his humour to carry him so far." "You had hoped that--after the message Messer Francesco brought us ?" And she looked him over with an eye of sudden understanding.