At that moment Morgana came slowly up the steps cut in the grass bordered on either side by flowers, and approached her.
"Here are some roses for you, dear 'Duchess!'" she said, "Duchess" being the familiar or "pet" name she elected to call her by. "Specially selected, I assure you! Are you tired?—or may I have a talk?"
Lady Kingswood took the roses with a smile, touching Morgana's cheek playfully with one of the paler pink buds.
"A talk by all means!" she replied—"How can I be tired, dear child? I'm a lazy old woman, doing nothing all day but enjoy myself!"
Morgana nodded her golden head approvingly.
"That's right!—I'm glad!" she said. "That's what I want you to do! It's a pretty place, this Palazzo d'Oro, don't you think?"
"More than pretty—it's a perfect paradise!" declared Lady Kingswood, emphatically.
"Well, I'm glad you like it"—went on Morgana—"Because then you won't mind staying here and looking after it when I'm away. I'll have to go away quite soon."
Lady Kingswood controlled her first instinctive movement of surprise.
"Really?" she said—"That seems a pity as you only arrived so recently—"