The Justice of Guido

# "The Justice of Guido" by Eleanor M. Ingram

This romantic drama, set in Renaissance Belfiore, centers on Roger Neville, an English envoy who falls in love with Donna Faustina Faustiniani at her father's house. The mysterious girl captivates him despite her pallid, silent demeanor. At a ducal festival, Neville's inquiries about her provoke strange reactions from locals, including a beggar warning him away from "Lovers' Well."

When Neville dines at the Palazzo Faustiniani, he witnesses the Count forcing his daughter to taste all food and wine before the men eat—a precaution against poisoning. The Count reveals a dark history: servants and suitors connected to Faustina have died under suspicious circumstances, leading him to believe she possesses murderous intent. Despite these warnings, Neville declares his love and proposes marriage. Faustina accepts, overcome with emotion. They marry with ceremony, defying Belfiore's whispered suspicions of her culpability in the deaths.