Part 19 (1/2)

'Really!' Constance dimpled irrepressibly. 'You are sure Jerry wrote it?'

'It was his writing; and I showed it to Gustavo, and what do you think he said?'

Constance shook her head.

'He said that Jerry had forgotten to register, that that was written by a Hungarian n.o.bleman who was here last week--imagine a Hungarian n.o.bleman named Abraham Lincoln!'

Constance dropped into one of the little iron chairs and bowed her head on the back and laughed.

'Perhaps you can explain?' There was a touch of sharpness in Nannie's tone.

'Don't ever ask me to explain anything Gustavo says; the man is not to be believed under oath.'

'But what's become of Jerry?'

'Oh, he'll turn up.' Constance's tone was comforting. 'Aunt Hazel,' she called. Miss Hazel and Mrs. Eustace, their heads together over the tea table, were busily making up three months' dropped news. 'Do you remember the young man I told you about who popped into our garden last week? That was Jerry Junior!'

'Then you've seen him?' said Nannie.

Constance related the episode of the broken wall--the sequel she omitted.

'I hadn't seen him for six years,' she added apologetically, 'and I didn't recognize him. Of course if I'd dreamed----'

Nannie groaned.

'And I thought I'd planned it so beautifully!'

'Planned what?'

'I suppose I might as well tell you since it's come to nothing. We hoped--that is, you see--I've been so worried for fear Jerry----' She took a breath and began again. 'You know, Constance, when it comes to getting married, a man has no more sense than a two-year child. So I determined to pick out a wife for Jerry, myself, one I would like to have for a sister. I've done it three times and he simply wouldn't look at them; you can't imagine how stubborn he is. But when I found we were coming to Valedolmo, I said to myself, now this is my opportunity; I will have him marry Connie Wilder.'

'You might have asked my permission.'

'Oh, well, Jerry's a dear; next to Harry you couldn't find any one nicer.

But I knew the only way was not to let him suspect. I thought, you see, that you were still staying at the hotel; I didn't know you'd taken a villa, so I planned for him to come to meet us three days before we really expected to get here. I thought in the meantime, being stranded together in a little hotel, you'd surely get acquainted--Jerry's very resourceful that way--and with all this beautiful Italian scenery about, and nothing to do----'

'I see!' Constance's tone was somewhat dry.

'But nothing happened as I had planned. You weren't here, he was bored to death, and I was detained longer than I meant. We got the most pathetic letter from him the second day, saying there was no one but the head waiter to talk to, nothing but an india-rubber tree to look at, and if we didn't come immediately, he'd do the Dolomites without us. Then finally, just as we were on the point of leaving, he sent a telegram saying: ”Don't come. Am climbing mountains. Stay there till you hear from me.”

But being already packed, we came, and this is what we find----' She waved her hand over the empty grove.

'It serves you right; you shouldn't deceive people.'

'It was for Jerry's good--and yours too. But what shall we do? He doesn't know we're here and he has left no address.'

'Come out to the villa and visit us till he comes to search for you.'

Constance could hear her aunt delivering the same invitation to Mrs.

Eustace, and she perforce repeated it, though with the inward hope that it would be declined. She had no wish that Tony and her father should return from their trip to find a family party a.s.sembled on the terrace.