"But Malipieri has come expressly to see him."
"He can see him at the Senate," suggested Sabina.
"But I have asked Malipieri to stay to luncheon. If I tell him that my
husband is not coming, perhaps he will not stay after all."
"Perhaps not," echoed Sabina with great calmness.
"You do not seem to care," said the Baroness.
"Why should I?"
"I thought you liked him. I thought it would amuse you if he lunched
with us."
Sabina looked at her with some curiosity.
"Did you tell the Baron that Signor Malipieri is here?" she asked
carelessly.
"No," answered the Baroness, looking away. "As my husband said he
could not come to luncheon, it seemed useless."
Sabina understood now, and smiled. This was the direct consequence of
the talk which had preceded Malipieri's coming; the Baroness had at
once conceived the idea of marrying her to Malipieri.
"What shall we do?" asked the Baroness.
"Whatever you think best," answered Sabina, with sudden meekness. "I
think you ought at least to tell Signor Malipieri that the Baron is
not coming. He may be in a hurry, you know. He may be wasting time."
The Baroness smiled incredulously.
"My dear," she said, "if he had been so very anxious to see my
husband, he would have gone to the Senate first. It is near the
palace."
She said no more, but led the way back to the morning room, while
Sabina reflected upon the possible truth of the last suggestion, and
wondered whether Malipieri had really made his visit for the sake of
exchanging a few words with her rather than in order to see Volterra.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117