“She hoped that Beppo and I would be great friends.”
Lily felt a little ashamed of having said that. But, after all, it was quite true, and she did so want to know if Captain Stuart would—mind. Rather to her disappointment he remained silent.
CHAPTER XI
After a delicious fish lunch, which included the celebrated bouillabaisse so delightfully sung by Thackeray, none of the three felt in the mood for a visit to the Prince’s famous aquarium. Instead, they slowly went up to old Monaco and lazed about in the terraced gardens which overhang the sea.
After a while M. Popeau exclaimed: “I’m afraid I ought to go back now to the Hôtel de Paris, for I’m expecting a message from Paris.”
He looked at Captain Stuart and at Lily Fairfield in an odd, undecided way, and Captain Stuart reddened slightly under his tan. “I’ll take Miss Fairfield up to La Solitude,” he said shortly.
“I suppose that will be all right,” but the Frenchman still looked as if uncertain what to do.
“I can walk back to La Solitude quite well by myself,” said Lily smiling.
It always amused her to notice that M. Popeau seemed to regard her as something fragile and delicate, that required a great deal of looking after.
“I do not think that will be necessary, Mademoiselle,” the Frenchman said in a rather dry voice. “I can trust our friend here to see that you are provided with an escort.”