Chapter XII

SIR ALFRED’S NAME IS SEEN IN THE STRANGER’S BOOK AT SAN REMO.

When they arrived at the Goldne Krone, and informed Mademoiselle Diabelli of the loss of her box, she broke forth into the most piteous lamentations, and declared that everything she valued most in the world was in that “Baule;” her jewels, her best dresses, all the presents that ever belonged to her family in Italy, her new silk, all the splendid presents given to her by her late “adored mistress,” the Countess Rossi. Oh! she should never recover the loss of that box!

Signor Valentino, to whom nothing ever seemed impossible, declared that she need not disarrange herself, for it would certainly be recovered. The _Polizei_ were excellent, and he never had the misfortune to lose anything for any of his _maestri_. However, for this once Signor Valentino was not successful; the box was never recovered, and Cattarina, who declared she had also lost all her money in it, made such piteous appeals to Mr. Chandos and her mistress, that they most kindly gave her a large sum as a compensation for what she had lost. But the new silk dress which she had declared was in it, Norah fancied she afterwards saw in one of the other boxes, and she came to the conclusion that Cattarina had exaggerated very much in her piteous statements, more particularly as she observed that when they were at Genoa, and other places, where it was the fashion to get filigree silver ornaments and other things to take home as presents, Cattarina always made an appeal to Mrs. Chandos, that she had lost some in that “maledetto baule” from her former tour, which she was taking as a present to her sister at Naples. And in all these cases Mrs. Chandos most kindly gave her the money to buy more, and replace these said-to-be lost goods.

Mr. Chandos had intended to cross the Simplon, and enter Italy by the Lago Maggiore; but Mrs. Chandos, who had never travelled in a mountainous country before, became so frightened at the idea of the precipices, that he altered his plan, and they resolved to go round by Avignon to Nice, and then along the Cornice to Genoa. Mrs. Chandos comforted herself with the idea that there would be no snow there; still the accounts she had heard of a three-days’ journey along the brink of a precipice terrified her extremely. But she was a good walker, and as Mr. Chandos wished to proceed slowly, in order to enjoy more fully the splendid scenery, she thought she should be able to walk nearly the whole way.

Signor Valentino cautioned them that, if they made the journey last more than three days, they would be obliged to stop at places where the inns were very bad. And so they found them; but still the enjoyment of travelling among such lovely scenery fully compensated for the discomforts they encountered.

They remained for some days at St. Remo, where the first sight of those beautiful palm-trees seem to transport one into another and more lovely world. Just before they left it, Norah happened to look at the Strangers’ Book, and was startled to see the name of Sir Alfred Rivers, with a date of only a fortnight before, on his way from Nice to Genoa. The page swam before her eyes, and she hastily turned away, to hide the blushes which she was conscious rushed to her cheeks; but her little sister Hetty exclaimed, “What is it that makes Norah look so happy?” and running up to the book, read over aloud a number of names, and, amongst others, that of Lady Selina Bugginfield.

“What an odd name!” said the child; “and it is next to----”

Hetty stopped suddenly, for now she remembered hearing something about him and her dear sister, so she was discreet enough to say no more, though it had occurred to her that the sight of Sir Alfred’s name might have caused the blushes and happy look on her sister’s face.

But, on hearing the name of Lady Selina Bugginfield, Norah looked again at the book, and she saw that it was the same date as that of Sir Alfred, and also coming from and going to the same place. And then she turned so pale that little Hetty, who was eagerly watching her face, became quite frightened.

“Darling Norah,” said she, “come out of the sunshine; the heat is making you quite ill,” said the child, as, putting her arm round her sister’s waist, she tried to draw her away from the Strangers’ Book, which seemed to have had such an exciting effect.

It was true, Norah’s worst fears were aroused, for she well knew that Lady Selina Bugginfield had always been Sir Alfred’s evil genius ever since he left College.