To Veronica it seemed as though she herself had never before known what liberty was.

The whole mode of life was different from anything to which she had been accustomed.

The villa was near the country, and its own grounds were not small.

Bianca was passionately fond of dogs and horses, for her father bred horses on his lands in the Roman Campagna, and she had been accustomed to animals from her childhood.

She taught Veronica to ride, and the fearless young girl was a good pupil.