'I wanted to speak to you,' she said presently, without lifting her eyes to his. 'Sora Catarina told me you would have to go back to town at daybreak——'
'Yes?' he said, after waiting for a moment.
'I had something to say to you. Because I—I was sitting by the window last night,—it was so hot in there,—and I heard——'
'You heard?'
She drew her hands away from him very gently.
'Don't you see, Dino, that I know it all? I heard what you and my father said.'
He caught hold of one of her hands again, and grasped it between both his own. 'Italia!—oh, my poor child, my poor little girl, to think that you should have heard that! You know I did not mean to hurt you, dear. You know, Italia! you do know, that I love you.'
A wave of colour passed over her white cheek. Her eyelids trembled, but she did not look at him.
'I heard—what you said,' she repeated in a very low voice.
He pressed her hand more tightly.