It was easy enough to make up her mind that she must see Gianluca, but it was much more difficult to determine exactly how she should find an excuse for going out alone on such a morning.

It seemed probable that, whatever she might propose as a reason, her aunt would immediately wish to accompany her.

They had given her the afternoon and the evening of the previous day in which to think over her answer, and Matilde might naturally enough expect to hear it this morning.

In any case she should not be able to order the carriage and slip out alone as she had done the first time.

She had meant to go out on foot with her maid, and then to take a cab in the street and drive to the villa.