It was quite dusk when they reached the Villa Bianca. Amaldi helped Sophy out and went up to the villa with her. As they mounted the last step, and came out upon the terrace, they saw that some one was standing there—the figure of a man, looking almost gigantic in the thick twilight. He walked towards them with a long, swinging step that brought him near in a few paces.
"Cecil...?" Amaldi heard her whisper.
"Is that you, Sophy?" came Chesney's voice. "This is the most confoundedly tricky light." He was close now.
"Ah, yes!... I see it's you," he ended, with a note of vibrant satisfaction in his voice. "How d'ye do?" he added, peering at Amaldi.
"The Marchese Amaldi——" murmured Sophy, as once before.
"How d'ye do?" said Chesney again.
"How d'ye do?" said Amaldi. The men bowed without shaking hands. The three stood a little awkwardly for a second in the dusk. Luigi came pattering down the third flight of steps that led to the upper terrace on which the house stood. Amaldi yielded Sophy's cloak to him.
"Excuse my haste," he then said, "but my mother's waiting for me below. We've a train to meet. Good evening, Mrs. Chesney. Good evening...."
He was gone.
Chesney stood immovable till he heard the descending footsteps die away. Then he said: