On New Year's Day--the great fete--the priest had called in the
afternoon on Prince and Princess Della Robbia, at the Villa Mirasole,
knowing that their arrival had been delayed until the night before.
Vanno, who had lunched with them, had already gone; and it was no news
to the cure that the younger brother was not living at Cap Martin.
Angelo referred to this change of plan, saying laughingly that no doubt
the foolish boy feared to interrupt a tete-a-tete. Nonsense this, of
course; for the honeymoon had extended itself over months, and the
Princess was anxious to see as much as possible of her new
brother-in-law. Angelo, too, particularly wished Vanno to love Marie as
a sister, and report well of her to the Duke, whose favourite he was. It
was no secret that Vanno could do what he liked with his father,
although no other soul was permitted to take liberties with the Duke.
Nothing had been left unsaid which might assure Vanno of his welcome,
yet he insisted on remaining at some Monte Carlo hotel, only coming over
to lunch or dinner, though Angelo quite understood that his brother had
promised to live with him.
The cure, soothing the elder and defending the younger gayly, thought in
his heart that he knew better than Angelo why Vanno clung to Monte
Carlo. He supposed Miss Grant to be the attraction, but this was the
Principino's affair, and the cure kept the secret. Miss Grant's name was
not mentioned. Evidently Prince and Princess Della Robbia had not heard
of her.
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