"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 assembled on the terrace. The adventure was not to end with any such tame climax as that. To her relief they did decline, at least for the night; they could make no definite plans until they had heard from Jerry. Constance rose upon this assurance and precipitated their leave-takings; she did not wish her aunt to press them to change their minds. "Good-bye, Mrs. Eustace, good-bye, Nannie; we'll be around tonight to take you sailing--provided there's any breeze." She nodded and dragged her aunt off; but as they were entering the arbor a plan for further complicating matters popped into her head, and she turned back to call: "You are coming to the villa tomorrow, remember, whether Jerry Junior turns up or not. I'll write a note and invite him too--Gustavo can give it to him when he comes, and you needn't bother any more about him." They found Gustavo hovering omnivorously in the courtyard, hungering for news; Constance summoned him to her side. "Gustavo, I am going to send you a note tonight for Mr. Jerymn Hilliard. You will see that it gets to him as soon as he arrives?" "Meestair Jayreem Ailyar?" Gustavo stared. "Yes, the brother of the signorina who came today. He is expected tomorrow or perhaps the day after." "_Scusi_, signorina. You--you acquaint wif him?" "Yes, certainly. I have known him for six years. Don't forget to deliver the note; it's important." They raised their parasols and departed, while Gustavo stood in the gateway bowing. The motion was purely mechanical; his thoughts were laboring elsewhere. CHAPTER XIV