Three weeks had gone by since he had written, and yet no word of reply had reached him. Then he sought out Spicca and asked him boldly whether anything had happened to Maria Consuelo, explaining that he had written to her and had got no answer. Spicca looked at him curiously for a moment.
"Nothing has happened to her, as far as I am aware," he said, almost immediately. "I saw her this morning."
"This morning?" Orsino was surprised almost out of words.
"Yes. She is here, looking for an apartment in which to spend the winter."
"Where is she?"
Spicca named the hotel, adding that Orsino would probably find her at home during the hot hours of the afternoon.
"Has she been here long?" asked the young man.
"Three days."
"I will go and see her at once. I may be useful to her in finding an apartment."
"That would be very kind of you," observed Spicca, glancing at him rather thoughtfully.