'We must call on them at once and bring them back to the house.'
'I suppose we must.' Constance agreed with an uncordial sigh.
Fifteen minutes later they were on their way to the Hotel du Lac, while Elizabetta, on her knees in the villa guest-room, was vigorously scrubbing the mosaic floor.
Gustavo hurried out to meet them. He was plainly in a flutter; something had occurred to upset the usual suavity of his manners.
'_Si_, signorina, in ze garden--ze two American ladies--having tea. And you are acquaint wif ze family; all ze time you are acquaint wif zem, and you never tell me!' There was mystification and reproach in his tone. Constance eyed him with a degree of mystification on her side.
'I am acquainted with a number of families that I have never told you about,' she observed.
'_Scusi_, signorina,' he stammered; and immediately, 'Tony, zat donk'-man, what you do wif him?'
'Oh, he and my father are climbing Monte Brione to-day.'
'Ze signora and ze signorina--zay come two days before zay are expect.' And he was clearly aggrieved by the fact.
Constance's mystification increased; she saw not the slightest connexion.
'I suppose, Gustavo, you can find them something to eat even if they did come two days before they were expected?'
The two turned toward the arbour, but Constance paused for a moment and glanced back with a shade of mischief in her eye.
'By the way, Gustavo, that young man who taught the parrot English has gone?'
Gustavo rolled his eyes to the sky and back to her face. She understood nothing; was there ever a muddle like this?
'_Si_, signorina,' he murmured confusedly, 'ze yong man is gone.'
Nannie caught sight of the visitors first, and with a start which nearly upset the tea table, came running forward to meet them; while her aunt, Mrs. Eustace, followed more placidly. Nannie was a big wholesome outdoor girl of a purely American type. She waited for no greetings; she had news to impart.
'Constance, Miss Hazel! I'm so glad to see you--what do you think? I'm engaged!'
Miss Hazel murmured incoherent congratulations, and tried not to look as shocked as she felt. In her day, no lady would have made so delicate an announcement in any such off-hand manner as this. Constance received it in the spirit in which it was given.