“Oh, my darling, you should not have stayed here an hour!”
“Then you would be more foolish than I,” cried Violante; “more foolish a great deal, Rosa. You see I am well and happy. And is not a girls’ school like a convent? I never see any of them but Signor Arthur, and he is always kind. His promessa sposa was here at school, you know, Rosa. She was Miss Florence’s dear friend.”
“I could not have believed that you would have concealed such a thing from me!” said Rosa, reproachfully.
“It was because I knew you would expect me to be unhappy. I wanted you to see me and to know that I can bear it,” said Violante, with excitement. “Rosa, I would not deceive you—it is all over—all over! But I knew you would hear their names.”
“Mr Spencer Crichton, then, is an acquaintance of Miss Venning’s?” said Rosa, still in a tone of perturbation.
“Yes; and, besides, he has to do with everything—the railways and the gas—”
“The what?”
“Why, they were going to build some ugly gas-works in the field, and he was the only person who could prevent it. That was why he came here. But it is Signor Arthur who is their friend.”
“Ah, has he got over his trouble?”
“No,” said Violante, with an air of interest and knowledge rather surprising to Rosa.