Marco's cousin Maffio, a poor bard who was once publicly upstaged and later rejected by her, attacks Veronica due to envy. They have a duel of words as well of swords, after which Marco rushes to her aid. They rekindle their romance, but she refuses to stop seeing clients and accept his support. Nevertheless, Veronica spends a great deal of time with Marco, neglecting her business and ignoring her mother's warnings that such a relationship is dangerous for her.
