“Here is some of the money I promised you. I have more, but I am afraid to send it in this way.
“Your Mother.”
There was a pause.
“Then you had nothing to do with it? Will you swear that, Lily?”
“No,” said Lily quietly. “I will not swear anything. My word is good enough. I had nothing to do with it at all. Surely Beppo does not think I had?”
“I admit that the thought did not occur to Beppo. You see, he knows how often his mother has sent him money before. But it did occur to me.”
“And I suppose you thought,” said Lily slowly, “that I would not have lent the Countess the money were I not going to marry Beppo?”
“That is so. You see what passed in my mind exactly.”
The Marchesa felt rather surprised. Then this young English girl was not quite as simple as she looked?
There came a quick knock at the door, and Beppo, opening it, stood smiling before them.