'I was very fond of him,' she said at last. 'Did he ever talk about me to you?'
'No,' Ugo answered. 'Not that I can remember.'
Their eyes met and she saw that he was telling the truth, as, in fact, he always did.
'I suppose you have heard that he was in love with my poor niece, who went into a convent after he was lost?' she said tentatively, and watching his face.
'Indeed?' He showed more interest. 'I never heard of that. Were they engaged to be married?'
'No. At least, there was no formal engagement. My brother-in-law was killed in a motor accident just at that time. Then Giovanni went to Massowah, and you know the rest. But they were very much in love with each other, and Angela was broken-hearted.'
She now knew what she had come to find out, and she did not care to rouse his curiosity as to her own share in the story, since no gossip had taken the trouble to enlighten him.
'Has she taken permanent vows?' he asked.
'Yes. Three years ago, and now it is said that she means to go out to the Rangoon Leper Hospital. I daresay you have heard that a good many nuns do that. It is almost certain death and we all feel very badly about Angela.'
'Poor girl!' exclaimed Ugo. 'She must have cared for him so much that she is tired of living. Very few of those Sisters ever come back, I believe.'