Gustavo hurried out to meet them. He was plainly in a flutter; something had occurred to upset the usual suavity of his manners.
“Si, signorina, in ze garden—ze two American ladies—having tea. And you are acquaint wif ze family; all ze time you are acquaint wif zem, and you never tell me!” There was mystification and reproach in his tone.
Constance eyed him with a degree of mystification on her side.
“I am acquainted with a number of families that I have never told you about,” she observed.
“Scusi, signorina,” he stammered; and immediately, “Tony, zat donk’-man, what you do wif him?”
“Oh, he and my father are climbing Monte Brione today.”
“About seven o’clock, I fancy.”
“Ze signora and ze signorina—zay come two days before zay are expect.” He was clearly aggrieved by the fact.
Constance’s mystification increased; she saw not the slightest connection.