But
the cautious, and carefully-masked inquiries which the Duke had set
on foot, after the fashion in which such things are done in Italy,
had brought him the information that a marriage was almost as good
as arranged between the lady in question and the Marchese Ludovico
di Castelmare, an old acquaintance of the family. Were it not for
that impediment, the Duke thought that he might have good reason to
hope that his plan might succeed.
Now it so happened that the Signora Assunta Fagiani was an old
friend of the Duca di San Sisto; and when the widow of the professor
of jurisprudence was promoted to the important post she held in the
household of the Marchesa Lanfredi, that nobleman did not fail to
find means for securing the continuance of her friendship. It was
the object and purpose, therefore, of Signora Assunta Fagiani that
the Lady Violante should become in due time Duchessa di San Sisto,
and not Marchesa di Castelmare. But she understood her position
quite well enough to be aware that the end she had in view must be
approached cautiously and patiently.
Violante had, of course, been informed at the proper time that her
family destined her to become the wife of the young Marchese
Ludovico di Castelmare. Now, if Violante's temper and disposition
had been other than it was; had she been able to think of herself
differently from what she did; had it been possible for her, in a
word, to have supposed that the Marchese Ludovico loved her, he was
the man whom she could most readily have taught herself to love.
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