Chapter 38

As he spoke the curtains were pulled aside for a moment as one of the serving men stepped out, and Giannotto, bending eagerly forward, caught a glimpse of two faces at the far end of the brilliant table. Visconti's, laughing, triumphant, insolently handsome, and Valentine's, set and white, with dangerous eyes. The curtains fell to again, but Giannotto had a thought. "Leave it to me, good friends," he said, and passed into the hall. "The Lady Valentine shall give the news!" That was the secretary's inspiration. "The…