'It has nothing to do with San Giacinto,' said Orsino. 'I want to be married.'
Sant' Ilario looked up sharply, in surprise. His eldest son's marriage was certainly a serious matter.
'To whom?' he enquired.
'To Vittoria d'Oriani,' said Orsino, squaring his naturally square jaw, in anticipation of trouble.
Sant' Ilario dropped the paper, took his cigarette from his lips, and crossed one leg over the other angrily.
'I was afraid so,' he said. 'You are a fool. Go back to Sicily and do not talk nonsense.'
The Saracinesca men had never minced matters in telling each other what they thought.
'I expected that you would say something like that,' answered Orsino.
'Then why the devil did you come to me at all?' enquired his father, his grey hair bristling and his eyebrows meeting.
But Orsino was not like him, being colder and slower in every way, and less inclined to anger.