"You have not told me about your father's discovery," she said, suddenly.
"Yes—I will tell you."
In a few minutes he communicated to her the details of the journey. She listened with profound interest.
"It is very strange," she said. "And yet it is so very natural."
"You see it is all Del Ferice's doing," said Giovanni. "I suppose it was really an accident in the first place; but he managed to make a great deal of it. It is certainly very amusing to find that the last of the other branch is an innkeeper in the Abruzzi. However, I daresay we shall never hear of him again. He does not seem inclined to claim his title. Corona mia, I have something much more serious to say to you to-night."
"What is it?" she asked, turning her great dark eyes rather wonderingly to his face.
"There is no reason why we should not be married, now—"
"Do you think I ever believed there was?" she asked, reproachfully.
"No, dear. Only—would you mind its being very soon?"
The dark blood rose slowly to her cheek, but she answered without any hesitation. She was too proud to hesitate.