Unfortunately, he was not at all the kind of man whom Veronica would ever be inclined to fancy for a husband.

It was easy for her to respect him, as she came to know him better; it would have been hard not to like him, but it seemed impossible to her that she should ever love him.
Taquisara came very rarely--not more than three or four times in the course of the winter.

He came alone, and did not stay long.

Veronica saw that he avoided her on those few occasions, and preferred to talk with Bianca, though she was sometimes aware that he was looking at her earnestly, when her eyes were half turned from him.
Gianluca seemed to grow a little stronger towards the spring.

At least, he was less transparently thin; but the difficulty he had in walking was more apparent than before..