"It was the Marchese Torrigiani, since you ask. I would have told you before if your torrential abuse had permitted." She replied quietly. "But I thought he was in Italy!" "So he will be in another week. He is sailing to-morrow." The regret in her tone angered Alexis. "But what is he doing in New York again? Or has he been here all the time?" He inquired with quick suspicion. "I am not in the habit of lying, Alexis." Her composure frightened him. He threw out his arms in a beseeching gesture. "Have pity on me, Anne. I don't mean to hurt you. But I'm so unhappy!" The cold light died out of her eyes. "There's nothing to be so miserable about, Alexis. Torrigiani has been in Mexico all this time. He merely stopped on his way back to Italy. He hadn't even let me know that he was here. He happened to be passing by Carnegie Hall to-night and saw the notices of your concert. Our meeting was entirely accidental, and nothing to torture yourself about. As it seemed to be our only chance for a talk, I drove him around the park and left him at his hotel." He flung himself at her feet in his customary gesture of penitence. "Oh, Anne, forgive me if I seem cruel and suspicious. But are you in love with this man?" She laid her hand on the tumbled fair hair. "No, dear, of course not. But I do care for and respect him almost more than any one I know. No one, not even you could ever come between us, and I don't want you to try." He looked at her with tragedy-ridden eyes. "I have a terrible premonition that you are going to marry Torrigiani some time, and I am ready to kill him when I think of it." "Don't commit any murders as yet!" Her laugh sounded forced. "I am not going to marry him or any other man, yourself included!" He rose to his feet with the cry of a wounded animal. "You do love him. You cannot hide it from me any longer, Anne. As soon as I leave New York you are going to Italy to meet him. Deny it if you can!" "Of course I'm going to Italy, Alexis. There could be nothing to keep me here after you go. I am homesick for Florence and my garden. But I'm not going there to meet Vittorio." "Yes, you are. And you are afraid to tell me for fear my music will suffer. But it won't. Nothing can ever take it from me now. Least of all a woman's whim!" A grim smile sketched itself upon Anne's lips. Alexis' temper she had borne with before. But his ingratitude was new, and wounded. "If I'm not necessary to you, perhaps it is just as well that we are separating so soon!" "So I was right, after all!" he exclaimed with a certain tragic satisfaction. She determined to punish him. "Perhaps, who knows? Life with Vittorio would at least be peaceful. He is neither temperamental nor a genius. Just a mere man who believes in me. His bruised feelings wouldn't have to be perpetually coddled!" "If that is the way you feel about me, Anne, I had better go!" Beads of moisture about his temples, Alexis made for the door.