couldnotthinkwherehehadseenit.ThenherememberedthatitwasLilia’s.Shehadbroughtit“tohackaboutin”atSawston,andhadtakenittoItalybecause“inItalyanythingdoes.”Hehadrebukedherforthesentiment.
“Beautifulasanangel!”bellowedPerfetta,holdingoutsomethingwhichmustbeLilia’sbaby.“ButwhoamIaddressing?”
“Thankyou—hereismycard.”HehadwrittenonitacivilrequesttoGinoforaninterviewnextmorning.Butbeforeheplaceditinthebasketandrevealedhisidentity,hewishedtofindsomethingout.“Hasayoungladyhappenedtocallherelately—ayoungEnglishlady?”
Perfettabeggedhispardon:shewasalittledeaf.
“Ayounglady—pale,large,tall.”
Shedidnotquitecatch.
“AYOUNGLADY!”
“Perfettaisdeafwhenshechooses,”saidtheDogana’srelative.AtlastPhilipadmittedthepeculiarityandstrodeaway.HepaidoffthedetestablechildattheVolterragate.Shegottwonickelpiecesandwasnotpleased,partlybecauseitwastoomuch,partlybecausehedidnotlookpleasedwhenhegaveittoher.Hecaughtherfathersandcousinswinkingateachotherashewalkedpastthem.Monterianoseemedinoneconspiracytomakehimlookafool.Hefelttiredandanxiousandmuddled,andnotsureofanythingexceptthathistemperwaslost.InthismoodhereturnedtotheStellad’Italia,andthere,ashewasascendingthestairs,MissAbbottpoppedoutofthedining-roomonthefirstfloorandbeckonedtohimmysteriously.
“Iwasgoingtomakemyselfsometea,”hesaid,withhishandstillonthebanisters.
“Ishouldbegrateful—”
Sohefollowedherintothedining-roomandshutthedoor.
“Yousee,”shebegan,“Harrietknowsnothing.”
“NomoredoI.Hewasout.”
“Butwhat’sthattodowithit?”
Hepresentedherwithanunpleasantsmile.Shefencedwell,ashehadnoticedbefore.“Hewasout.YoufindmeasignorantasyouhaveleftHarriet.”
“Whatdoyoumean?Please,pleaseMr.Herriton,don’tbemysterious:thereisn’tthetime.AnymomentHarrietmaybedown,andweshan’thavedecidedhowtobehavetoher.Sawstonwasdifferent:wehadtokeepupappearances.Butherewemustspeakout,andIthinkIcantrustyoutodoit.Otherwisewe’llneverstartclear.”
“Prayletusstartclear,”saidPhilip,pacingupanddowntheroom.“Permitmetobeginbyaskingyouaquestion.InwhichcapacityhaveyoucometoMonteriano—spyortraitor?”
“Spy!”sheanswered,withoutamoment’shesitation.ShewasstandingbythelittleGothicwindowasshespoke—thehotelhadbeenapalaceonce—andwithherfingershewasfollowingthecurvesofthemouldingasiftheymightfeelbeautifulandstrange.“Spy,”sherepeated,forPhilipwasbewilderedatlearningherguiltsoeasily,andcouldnotansweraword.“Yourmotherhasbehaveddishonourablyallthrough.Sheneverwantedthechildnoharminthatbutsheistooproudtoletitcometome.ShehasdoneallshecouldtowreckthingsshedidnottellyoueverythingshehastoldHarrietnothingatallshehasliedoractedlieseverywhere.Icannottrustyourmother.SoIhavecomeherealone—allacrossEuropenooneknowsitmyfatherthinksIaminNormandy—tospyonMrs.Herriton.Don’tlet’sargue!”forhehadbegun,almostmechanically,torebukeherforimpertinence.“Ifyouareheretogetthechild,Iwillhelpyouifyouareheretofail,Ishallgetitinsteadofyou.”
“Itishopelesstoexpectyoutobelieveme,”hestammered.“ButIcanassertthatweareheretogetthechild,evenifitcostsusallwe’vegot.Mymotherhasfixednomoneylimitwhatever.Iamheretocarryoutherinstructions.Ithinkthatyouwillapproveofthem,asyouhavepracticallydictatedthem.Idonotapproveofthem.Theyareabsurd.”
Shenoddedcarelessly.Shedidnotmindwhathesaid.AllshewantedwastogetthebabyoutofMonteriano.
“Harrietalsocarriesoutyourinstructions,”hecontinued.“She,however,approvesofthem,anddoesnotknowthattheyproceedfromyou.Ithink,MissAbbott,youhadbettertakeentirechargeoftherescueparty.IhaveaskedforaninterviewwithSignorCarellatomorrowmorning.Doyouacquiesce?”
Shenoddedagain.
“MightIaskfordetailsofyourinterviewwithhim?Theymightbehelpfultome.”
Hehadspokenatrandom.Tohisdelightshesuddenlycollapsed.Herhandfellfromthewindow.Herfacewasredwithmorethanthereflectionofevening.
“Myinterview—howdoyouknowofit?”
“FromPerfetta,ifitinterestsyou.”
“WhoeverisPerfetta?”
“Thewomanwhomusthaveletyouin.”
“Inwhere?”
“IntoSignorCarella’shouse.”
“Mr.Herriton!”sheexclaimed.“Howcouldyoubelieveher?DoyousupposethatIwouldhaveenteredthatman’shouse,knowingabouthimallthatIdo?Ithinkyouhaveveryoddideasofwhatispossib