But the answer was there before the question, and she had made up her mind.
At the last minute, she had forgotten the flower she had promised to wear, and she sent her maid in haste to see whether she could find one of any sort in the house.

It was the middle of December, and it was not probable that such a thing could be found in the Palazzo Macomer.

The maid came back empty-handed.

Veronica told her to find an artificial one, and Elettra, after some searching, produced a very beautiful artificial gardenia, which Veronica pinned in her white bodice, with a smile.

She glanced at herself once more, and saw that the colour was still in her cheeks, and she was satisfied with herself.
When she entered the drawing-room, the other three were already there, and she saw the faces of Matilde and Bosio change as they caught sight of the flower.