"I wish you would come with us," she said, gently.

"It is not often I ask you to do anything." Giovanni looked at her quickly.

He knew that Donna Tullia wished to marry him; he even suspected that his father had discussed the matter with her--no uncommon occurrence when a marriage has to be arranged with a widow.

But he did not know that Donna Tullia was in love with him in her own odd fashion.

He looked at her, and he saw that as she spoke there were tears of vexation in her bold blue eyes.