“I am going to bed, Signora.”
“Go. Sleep well.”
“Grazie, Signora. The Signorina is still outside, I am sure.”
“She goes out for a minute nearly every evening, Gaspare. She likes the air and to look at the sea.”
“Si, Signora; in a minute I shall go to bed. Buon riposo.”
And he went out.
When he had gone Hermione remained at first where she was. But Gaspare had effectually changed her mood, had driven away what she chose to call her egoism, had concentrated all her thoughts on Vere. He had never before spoken like this about the child. It was a sudden waking up on his part to the fact that Vere was growing up to womanhood.
When he chose, Gaspare could always, or nearly always, make his Padrona catch his mood, there was something so definite about him that he made an impression. And, though he was easily inclined to be suspicious of those whom he did not know well, Hermione knew him to be both intelligent and shrewd, especially about those for whom he had affection. She wondered now whether it were possible that Gaspare saw, understood, or even divined intuitively, more clearly than she did—she, a mother!
It was surely very unlikely.
She remembered that Gaspare had a jealous nature, like most of his countrymen.