"How old is she?"
"Past twenty, and in some ways, absurdly young for her age."
"And I am thirty-eight, and absurdly old for my years, so I think you had better appoint me deputy-chaperon. Well now, I must be off to dress! May I look in again after dinner?"
"To be sure," assented Mrs. De Wolfe, "come in and out, whenever you please, just as you always do, and arrange to sit with us in the restaurant. Don't let Nancy make any difference!"
"All right, then, I won't! I've got a capital motor-boat; I'll take you both on the lake, all day, and every day, and anywhere you like."
Sir Dudley Villars promptly installed himself as one of Mrs. De Wolfe's party, whilst Antonio, his valet, enacted the part of cavaliere-servente, to the two lady's-maids. He sat with them at meals, entered their sitting-room, when so disposed—which was often; played piquet, sang tender and emotional love songs in a melting tenor, to Nancy's accompaniment, and was even suffered to smoke! He was evidently attached to his godmother, and full of petits soins on her behalf. His manner to her was charming; that of a cheery, sometimes teasing, and yet always devoted son! He went her errands, carried her wraps, brought her flowers, books, and papers; also occasionally, his letters from mutual friends; made a capital sketch of her for Nancy, a sketch of Nancy for his godmother, and altogether lived up to his reputation.
Mrs. Wynne, her daughter Flora, her fiancé—a young diplomatist on leave from Rome—joined forces with Mrs. De Wolfe. A party of six, just filled the motor-boat, and were admirably paired—two matrons, two lovers, Nancy and her new friend. Sometimes the younger people, went up and spent a long afternoon on the links above Menaggio; but as a rule the days were devoted to picnics and excursions, about the lake. Mrs. De Wolfe was anxious that Nancy should see all her old favourite "beauty spots," and proved an active, and indefatigable chaperon, but a long tiring day at Grave-dona, was too much for her seventy-four years. Returning amid the late mists, she caught a severe chill, and was confined to her room for one whole week; and as the Wynnes had betaken themselves to Bellaggio, Nancy and Sir Dudley were abandoned to a tête-à-tête!
The invalid would not suffer her young companion to sit what she called "stuffing,—in a sick-room," and drove her forth to enjoy the exquisite autumn weather; to walk, to boat, and to sketch,—and so it came to pass, that Nancy and Sir Dudley—a rather striking pair—went about together, to play golf, to visit old villas and lovely gardens, or to climb the hills to well-known holy shrines,—also to flit around the lake in the motor-boat; now to Como, now to Varenna,—in short, wherever their fancy carried them!
Nancy had found old friends in Menaggio; the two Clovers (her schoolfellows), and their belongings,—which included their parents and an elder brother. They were eager for her company; she played golf with them on several occasions, but somehow most of the shining hours were claimed by Dudley Villars,—who pronounced the Clover family to be "bourgeois," and the son,—who exhibited a fervid interest in Miss Travers, "as a blundering lout, with a calf-like smile, and dull to the verge of idiocy."
Dudley, to do him justice, was a delightful companion; so entertaining, so thoughtful, always ready to fall in with the slightest whim; and he did things so well! To Nancy his painting was a revelation and a delight, his voice was sympathetic, and he told her many entrancing tales, of his wanderings in the far-away East, and then his good looks,—what a haunting face!