Near her bed was an American magazine;
she read the advertisements, to fill her mind with thoughts commonplace
and practical enough to banish dreams. The sun was rising when at last
she fell asleep, and she did not awake until nearly noon.
The morning's mail brought her a letter from John Derby--a good letter,
simple and frank, like himself, full of enthusiasm and of plans for
making the "Little Devil" a model settlement. He would arrive in Rome,
he told her, within a week. But even John's letter gave her only a few
moments' relief from her distressing memories.
Knowing that she had to pay visits with her aunt again that afternoon,
she put on her hat before lunch, in the hope of securing an opportunity
to speak with Giovanni while waiting for Eleanor, who always dressed
after luncheon. When she was nearly ready to go down, Celeste answered a
knock at the door, but, instead of delivering a package or message,
disappeared. After at least five minutes she returned, and, with a
noticeable air of mystery, locked the door, and then gave Nina a letter.
"I was told to give this into Mademoiselle's hands, without letting any
one know," she said.
Nina felt an undefined misgiving as she tore open the envelope. Though
she had never seen Giovanni's handwriting, she had no doubt that it was
his.
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