How did they know? The deepest silence prevailed outside. Then, quitting the dining room, they fled to the garden like startled doves. Almost immediately there was a knock at the door. The old servant doubtless recognized the knock, for he at once opened. The count and his friend entered.
"The ladies?" the count asked.
"In the huerta, Excellency," the servant answered, as he closed the door after them.
The ladies were seated in an arbour; doña María was embroidering, the young ladies were attentively reading—so attentively, indeed, that, though they suddenly blushed, they did not hear the sound of their visitors' footsteps on the gravel walks, and were greatly surprised on perceiving them.
The gentlemen took off their hats on entering the arbour, and bowed respectfully to the ladies.
"Here you are at last, gentlemen," doña María remarked with a smile; "do you know that we felt very anxious?"
"Oh!" said doña Carmen with a pout.
"Not so very," doña Dolores murmured, "these gentlemen have doubtless found an opportunity to amuse themselves elsewhere and took advantage of it."
The count and Dominique gazed at the young ladies in surprise, for they did not understand.
"Come, come, little mad caps," doña María said gently: "do not torment the poor young men so, you render them quite confused: it is probable that they did not come sooner because they were prevented."