Then he hurried back to the car.
Waiting till the Pescobaldis were well out of earshot: “Now, Lily,” he cried out gaily, “come and sit by me, pretty cousin! I’m going to take you all just a little round before we go to the Hôtel de Paris for luncheon. Papa, do you mind sitting by mamma?”
The Count got into the back of the car by his wife, and Lily took the place in front. Somehow she now felt exhilarated and pleasantly at ease. The Marchesa’s personality had affected her disagreeably.
As they drove along, Beppo talked to her with eager animation, telling her all sorts of curious, interesting, and yet, amusing things, about the places they passed. She learnt more from him in half an hour about this quaint and beautiful part of the Riviera than she had learnt from his father and mother all the time she had been at La Solitude.
At last they turned round, and swept down into Monte Carlo. “The Marchesa’s chauffeur will take over the car and then come back for us in an hour,” said Beppo.
“Have you ordered luncheon?” his mother inquired.
“Mamma! Of course I’ve ordered a very nice luncheon, including the lobster à la sauce verte of which you are so fond! Neither have I forgotten papa’s spaghetti. But as something tells me that cousin Lily and I have the same tastes, we are going to share a delicious sole à la Monte Carlo.”
When the little party walked through into what has become one of the most famous restaurants in the world, it was clear that Count Beppo Polda enjoyed there a high reputation as host. The head waiter himself marshalled them to a light, well-placed table, where they could see everything without being themselves overlooked or overheard.
There were comparatively few people lunching, for Monte Carlo, like the rest of the Continent, gets later and later each year as to its hours and habits. But all at once Lily’s heart gave a leap, for she saw some way off, seated at a little table for two, the man whom she by now always affectionately called in her own mind “Papa Popeau.” He was with a stranger, and she felt just a little disappointed.
Yet Lily was not particularly anxious that Count Beppo and Captain Stuart should meet. They were so very different—something seemed to tell her that they would not get on together, and, after all, Beppo’s visit to Monte Carlo was to be only for a few days.