Her hand fell from the window. Her face was red
with more than the reflection of evening.
"My interview--how do you know of it?"
"From Perfetta, if it interests you."
"Who ever is Perfetta?"
"The woman who must have let you in."
"In where?"
"Into Signor Carella's house."
"Mr. Herriton!" she exclaimed. "How could you believe
her? Do you suppose that I would have entered that man's
house, knowing about him all that I do? I think you have
very odd ideas of what is possible for a lady. I hear you
wanted Harriet to go. Very properly she refused. Eighteen
months ago I might have done such a thing. But I trust I
have learnt how to behave by now."
Philip began to see that there were two Miss Abbotts--the
Miss Abbott who could travel alone to Monteriano, and the
Miss Abbott who could not enter Gino's house when she got
there. It was an amusing discovery. Which of them would
respond to his next move?
"I suppose I misunderstood Perfetta. Where did you have
your interview, then?"
"Not an interview--an accident--I am very sorry--I meant
you to have the chance of seeing him first. Though it is
your fault. You are a day late. You were due here
yesterday. So I came yesterday, and, not finding you, went
up to the Rocca--you know that kitchen-garden where they let
you in, and there is a ladder up to a broken tower, where
you can stand and see all the other towers below you and the
plain and all the other hills?"
"Yes, yes.
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