She wished that the matter might be conducted with due dignity, and her convent rearing left her in doubt of how this might best be achieved.

She addressed herself to Francesco.
"Will you give him his answer, my Lord Provost," she said, with a smile, and Francesco, stepping forward and leaning on a merlon of that embattled wall, obeyed her.
"Sir Herald," he said, in a gruff voice that was unlike his own, "will you tell me since when has the Duke of Babbiano been at war with Urbino that he should thus beset one of its fortresses, and demand the surrender of it ?" "His Highness," replied the herald, "is acting with the full sanction of the Duke of Urbino in sending this message to the Lady Valentina della Rovere." At that Valentina elbowed the Count aside, and forgetting her purpose of conducting this affair with dignity, she let her woman's tongue deliver the answer of her heart.
"This message, sir, and the presence here of your master, is but another of the impertinences that I have suffered at his hands, and it is the crowning one.

Take you that message back to him, and tell him that when I am instructed by what right he dares to send you upon such an errand, I may render him an answer more germane with his challenge." "Would you prefer, Madonna, that his Highness should come himself to speak with you ?" "There is nothing I should prefer less.

Already has necessity compelled me to have more to say to Gian Maria than I could have wished." And with a proud gesture she signified that the audience was at an end, and turned to quit the wall.
She had a brief conference with Francesco, during which he consulted her as to certain measures of defence to be taken, and made suggestions, to all of which she agreed, her hopes rising fast to see that here, at least, she had a man with knowledge of the work to which he had set his hand.

It lightened her heart and gave her a glad confidence to look on that straight, martial figure, the hand so familiarly resting on the hilt of the sword that seemed a part of him, and the eyes so calm; whilst when he spoke of perils, they seemed to dwindle 'neath the disdain of them so manifest in his tone.
With Fortemani at his heels he went about the execution of the measures he had suggested, the bully following him now with the faithful wonder of a dog for its master, realising that here, indeed, was a soldier of fortune by comparison with whom the likes of himself were no better than camp-followers.