He chooses Nicoletti after she is brought to the palazzo to heal the don's sick niece, who has been poisoned. The fact that he's twice her age doesn't bother her, but the fact that her mother, her aunt, and many people from the surrounding area have been murdered while at the palazzo does disturb her somewhat. It's rumored that all the Scarletti men are cursed and love their wives so much, they end up killing them in a jealous rage. This happened to Giovanni's mother, his grandmother, and various other assorted relatives and servants. Giovanni has two brothers, Vincente and Antonello, a grandfather, a cousin, Portia, and her daughter, all of whom act suspiciously in their turn.
More murders occur.
Servants are battered and bruised. Nobody names names. Two others are killed by Giovanni as they lay in wait to ambush him. There are a couple of villains from the village who must be dealt with, but overall, the story focuses on Nicoletta and Giovanni's impending marriage. There are secret passageways, whispered voices, and murder plots.