Part 32 (1/2)

She seemed to have settled herself now, for the remainder of the journey; the sun had risen quickly over the land while they were talking, and she put up a parasol which lay on the opposite seat. She did it unconsciously, not realising that she had not brought one with her, but when she held it up, she looked at the handle and saw that it was not one of her own. Then she remembered.

”Did you get it for me?” she asked, smiling.

”Yes,” said Julius; ”I knew you would want it, so I sent out for it last night.”

”A puggia!” shouted one of the men from behind the sail.

Julius put the helm up accordingly, and, as the boat fell off a little, a big fis.h.i.+ng smack ran across her bows.

A dozen rough fellows were lounging about in their woollen caps and dirty s.h.i.+rts. They laughed gayly at the crazy foreigners as they went by, and some of them waved their caps.

”Buon viaggio, eccellenza!” they shouted. Julius waved his hand in answer to the greeting. Leonora was pleased.

”At all events,” said she, ”some one has wished us a pleasant journey.

It was sweet of you to get the parasol, dear.”

So they chattered together awhile, and presently the boat went round the point of the island to the north side, and they took in the sails, and the six men pulled her l.u.s.tily along under the sh.o.r.e, until they reached the little harbour of Casamicciola.

”We can stay here and rest all day,” said Julius, as they entered the hotel on the hill, half an hour later. ”We shall not be disturbed, and this afternoon we will sail over to Naples, and you can do your shopping when it is cool.”

At half past eight they sat down to a breakfast of figs and bread-and-b.u.t.ter and coffee. At the same moment over there in Sorrento, Temistocle laid the key of Leonora's room on Marcantonio's writing-table, and edged away to make sure of an easy escape through the door.

”How perfectly lovely!” exclaimed Leonora, stopping in the consumption of a very ripe black fig, to look out at the sea and the exquisite islands that lie like jewels between Ischia and the mainland.

A waiter had brought a shabby book of ruled paper, with a pen and some ink. He asked if his excellency would be good enough to write his name.

Julius took the pen and wrote something, glancing up with a smile at Leonora, who finished her fig in silence.

”Let me see,” said she, when he had done. He handed her the book, while the servant waited respectfully.

Julius had written simply, ”MR. AND MRS. BATIs...o...b.., ENGLAND.”

”Give me the pen,” said Leonora. ”Oh, dip it in the ink, please--thanks!” She wrote something and gave him back the book.

Underneath his writing she had put in another name.

”I wanted to write it,” said she with a little laugh. Julius looked, and laughed too.

”LEONORA BATIs...o...b..,” that was all.

But as she wrote it, Marcantonio, over there in Sorrento, fell upon the hard tiles with his mother's diamond cross in his hand.

CHAPTER XXI.

Leonora did all her errands--or as many as she said could be done in so short a time. There were a great many things, she explained, which she could order when they were settled, but which would be in the way at present. Julius bought her a box, and wrote a label for it, and pasted it on the cover. She began to find out that, besides his other qualities, he was a very practical man, and understood travelling better than any courier she had ever had.

They had spent a few hours in Ischia as they had intended, and had then come over to Naples in a small steamer which plied daily between the island and the city. Julius paid something to have his boat towed across, and when he was in Naples he paid the men a month's wages in advance, and told them to go back to Genoa and wait for him there. They might steal the boat--or they might not, he did not care. The thing had to be sent somewhere, and if it ever reached Genoa so much the better.

He drove with Leonora up and down the Toledo for hours, stopping at all manner of shops, and buying all manner of things. Now and then he would succeed in paying for something, but she generally insisted on using her own money. It was fortunate that she had taken it, she thought, as it would have been so awkward to let him pay for everything. He remonstrated.