The carriage is ordered at three o'clock." She spoke so coldly that Maddalena felt a little pardonable resentment, though she knew that her friend was not at all herself.
"Very well," she answered quietly.

"If you had rather that I should not stay with you we will go back this afternoon." "It will be much better." When the carriage appeared neither Folco nor any of the men had returned.

The Signora made an evident attempt to show a little of her habitual cordiality at parting, and she even kissed Aurora coldly on the forehead, and embraced Maddalena with something like her usual affection.

The two looked back as they drove away, calling out a last good-bye, but they saw that the Signora was not even looking after them; she was leaning against one of the wooden supports of the verandah, gazing towards the trees, and pressing one hand to her forehead.
"Do you think it was my fault, mamma ?" asked Aurora, when they were out of sight of the cottage.
"No, dear," answered Maddalena.

"Something has happened, I wish I knew what!" "I only told him he was a baby," said Aurora, settling herself in the corner of the carriage, and arranging her parasol behind her so that it rested on the open hood; for the weather had cleared and the sun was shining brightly after the storm.
So she and her mother went back to Rome that afternoon.