Boats came, boats went, but there was none that approached the villa; and Cornelia began to harbour dark thoughts against Cassandra.
"If the wretched woman had played false to her mistress again--" but the threat was never formulated.

There was a chink and click of a pair of oars moving on their thole-pins.

For an instant a skiff was visible at the foot of the embankment; two occupants were in it.

The boat disappeared under the friendly cover of the protecting sea-wall of the lower terrace.

There was a little landing-place here, with a few steps leading upward, where now and then a yacht was moored.