"Perhaps you would like to take a trip round the world?" suggested Mrs. North, with a touch of sarcasm. "No. I don't know what you will say, mamma, but I should like to go back to Belmonte." "I have a good deal of patience, my dear, but I must say that you wear it out." "I know I do; but if you will take me back, I promise to stay there this time as long as you like." "_I_ like--" began Mrs. North; but Dorothy, with a frown, had rushed out of the room. "What shall we do now?" said the aunt. "Go back, I suppose; I have always thought Belmonte the best place up to really hot weather. One good thing: if we do go back we can take the opportunity to rid ourselves definitely of both of those villas. My idea is the Black Forest country for August and September. Then we could come here again for a few weeks. For the winter, what do you say to a long cruise towards the South somewhere, in a yacht of our own? We could select the right people to go with us." They returned to Italy, reaching Bellosguardo again on the 11th of April. On the 6th of May Charlotte Tracy said, "Laura, to me this is dreadful! Waddy is here morning, noon, and night." "So many people have left Florence that it hardly matters; nobody knows what is going on up here. He amuses her, and that is something gained." "I wish he wouldn't be forever singing!" said the aunt, irritably. "He sings very well. And Dorothy has shown a new interest in singing lately. Don't you remember that she took lessons herself before we went to Paris?" "You don't mean to intimate that Waddy had anything to do with that?" "Why not? A girl of that age has all sorts of changing interests and tastes; there will be something new every month or two, probably, for a long time yet." In June, Mrs. Tracy demanded, "Is Owen Charrington one of your something-news?" "I dare say he is," Mrs. North answered, smiling. For Owen Charrington had come back from Australia. He found the zigzags which led to Belmonte very hot and very solitary; there was no Waddy going up or coming down, either on foot or in a carriage, although his ascents and descents had been as regular as those of the postman during the six preceding weeks. Shortly before Charrington's return, Dorothy, entering the boudoir one evening at ten o'clock, said: "Mamma--Aunt Charlotte--will you tell the servants, please, that whenever Mr. Brunetti calls, after this, they are to say that we are engaged, or not at home? I don't suppose _you_ care to see him?" "What can have happened?" said Mrs. Tracy, when the girl had gone out again without explanation. "There hasn't been time for much to happen. I have been out there with them all the evening; I only came in for my tea," answered Mrs. North, sipping that beverage. "Since then he has been singing. At least, I thought I heard his voice--not very loud." "Perhaps she is tired of his voice--not very loud."