(1941) Up at the Villa Read Online Free Page A

to excite me very much. It's an asset and I should be a
fool not to know its value. It has its disadvantages as well.’
    `You're a very sensible girl.’
    `Now you're paying me a compliment that does flatter me.’
    `I wasn't trying to flatter you.’
    `Weren't you? It sounded to me like an opening I've heard
very often before. Give a plain woman a hat and a pretty one a book. Isn't that
the idea?' He was not m the least disconcerted.
    `Aren't you a trifle caustic tonight?'
    `I’m sorry you should think that. I merely wanted to make
it quite plain once and for all that there's nothing doing.’
    `Don't you know that I'm desperately in love with you?”
    ‘Desperately is perhaps hardly the word. You've made it
pretty clear during the last few weeks that you'd be glad to have a little
flutter with me. A widow, pretty and unattached, in a place like Florence - it
looked just your mark.’
    `Can you blame me? Surely it's very natural that in
spring a young man's fancy should lightly turn to thoughts of love.’
    His manner was so disarming, his frankness so engaging
that Mary could not but smile.
    `I'm not blaming you. Only so far as I'm concerned,
you're barking up the wrong tree and I hate the idea of you wasting your time.’
    `Full of consideration, aren't you? In point of fact I
have plenty of time to waste.’
    `Ever since I was sixteen men have been making love to
me. Whatever they are, old or young, ugly or handsome, they seem to think you're there for no purpose except to gratify their lust.’
    `Have you ever been in love?”
    ‘Yes, once.’
    `Who with?’
    `My husband. That's why I
married him.’
    There was a moment's pause. The Princess broke in with
some casual remark and once more the conversation became general.

     
    3
    THEY had dined late and soon after eleven the Princess
called for her bill. When it grew evident that they were about to go, the
violinist who had played to them came forward with a plate. There were a few
coins on it from diners at other tables and some small notes. What they thus
received was the band's only remuneration. Mary opened her bag.
    `Don't bother,' said Rowley.
    `I'll give him a trifle.’
    He took a ten-lira note out of his pocket and put it on
the plate.
    `I'd like to give him something too,' said Mary. She laid
a hundred-lira note on the others. The man looked surprised, gave Mary a
searching look, bowed slightly and withdrew.
    `What on earth did you give him that for?' exclaimed
Rowley.
    `That's absurd.’
    `He plays so badly and he looks so wretched.’
    `But they don't expect anything like that!’
    `I know. That's why I gave it. It'll mean so much to him.
It may make all the difference to his life.’
    The Italian members of the party drove off in their
respective cars and the Princess took the Trails in hers.
    `You might drop Rowley at his hotel, Mary,' she said.
    `He's right out of my way.’
    `Would you mind?' he asked. Mary had a suspicion that
this plan had been arranged beforehand, for she knew how the lewd old woman
loved to forward love affairs and Rowley was a favourite of hers. but there seemed no possibility of refusing so reasonable a
request and so she answered that of course she would be delighted. They got
into her car and drove along the quay. The full moon flooded their way with radiance.
They spoke little. Rowley had a feeling that she was occupied with thoughts in
which he had no part and he did not wish to disturb them. But when they came to
his hotel he said `It's such a gorgeous night; it seems a pity to waste it by
going to bed; wouldn't you drive on a little? You're not sleepy, are you?’
    `No.’
    `Let's drive into the country.’
    `Isn't it rather late for that?’
    `Are you afraid of the country or afraid of me?’
    ` Neither .’
    She drove on. She followed the course of the river, and
presently they were going through fields with only a cottage here and there by
the roadside or, a little way back, a white