Chapter XVIII: An Impertinent Question

The Chandos family remained at Rome longer than they originally intended, as it seemed to suit Mr. Chandos, and he was able to enjoy some of the sights, as well as the quiet kind of society into which they had so fortunately entered.

Norah often heard of Lady Selina Bugginfield, and her doings, from Lady Spendfast, but she never met her but once. It was at the Vatican, and the fine lady came up and shook hands with Norah, and gravely asked whether she had heard any news of Sir Alfred.

“No? Well, I suppose he must have been murdered by the Abruzzi bandits. But have you written to England to inquire? Does not his uncle, Mr. Mordaunt, know anything of him; or your young friend, the beauty of last season, who turned his head so wonderfully? What does she say about it?”

Mrs. Chandos, who had never seen Lady Selina before, did not even know who she was; and, although these questions were partly addressed to her, yet she felt this impertinence of the stranger’s tone and manner so keenly that she was at a loss what answer to make.

Norah saw her puzzled embarrassment, and though she was annoyed at Lady Selina’s rudeness, she could not help being half-amused at her effrontery, and a smile was on her face as she gave a calm and civil answer to the string of questions.

“Oh! you don’t mind it, I see. You are quite indifferent to the fate of the man to whom you were said to be attached. Then I suppose you would not care to have the beautiful sketches he made on our journey along the Cornice? And I was going to offer you some, if you like to come to my rooms and choose them.”

“If Sir Alfred gave them to you,” said Norah, “I do not wish to deprive you of any.”

“Ah! you would not accept them from me, I see.”

At this moment the Duke de Luna came up, who seemed to belong to her party, for, after making a stiff bow to Mrs. Chandos and Norah, he held out his arm to Lady Selina, and they went on to the next room.

“Was that really Lady Selina Bugginfield?” inquired Mrs. Chandos, as soon as they were out of hearing. “What a strangely-impertinent woman! How could she say such things to you? And how wonderfully composed you remained! You did not even look angry; and yet I saw that you frightened her. Her eyes sank so beneath your steady, civil look.”

“Poor Lady Selina!” said Norah. “She has had great disadvantages. I daresay I should have been quite as bad, or worse, if I had been as badly brought up.”

But, in spite of her apparent cheerfulness, or, as Lady Selina interpreted it, indifference, Norah could not help feeling more and more anxious about Sir Alfred’s fate. This anxiety--the idea that he really had been murdered--of course tended to make her more lenient to his faults, and something of her old feeling of admiration began to revive.

The following week they left Rome, and as there was no railroad in those days, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the road to Naples. They travelled vetturino, as it was less fatiguing; and Norah was delighted at the midday halt in some of the quaint old towns, which enabled her to sketch, and see so much of the country.

The road beyond the Pontine Marshes was said to be infested by banditti, and they were advised at Terracina to have an escort as far as Mola di Gaeta. To this Mr. Chandos consented, although he did not put much faith either in the prevalence of banditti, or the efficiency of any escort in case of an attack.

Cattarina, however, declared that she was very much frightened, because the last family she travelled with were attacked by banditti between Terracina and Forli, and robbed of all the money and jewels they possessed; and she had told John and Mrs. Spinnyfit such fearful stories that they were quite pale and trembling at the idea of going among such dangers.

Miss Rumble, too, and the nurse, were anything but easy in their minds. But the vetturini laughed at their fears, and declared that they had “taken Signori safe through many, many times. All the same, it may be better to have an escort.”