They had hindered her from forming friendships with girls of her own age, and altogether from acquaintanceship with young married women, excepting Bianca Corleone, who had been her friend in the convent.

In society, when she went with them, men were introduced to her very rarely.

Bosio had been present once or twice on such occasions, and he remembered having seen her with Gianluca.

It had been very much as Taquisara had described it to Gianluca himself--a mere exchange of a few words, while the girl watched her aunt almost all the time with a sort of childish fear of doing something not quite right.

Veronica could not be said to know any man to the extent of exchanging ideas with him, except her uncle and Bosio himself.