“Of course I am sure,” Lady Rothley replied.
“But Vincenzo Caravargio was a friend of Papa’s.”
“Yes, I know. He told me so.”
“Then listen, Belle-mère, I have met him, so you must be very careful what you say.”
“You could not have made much of an impression. He has never spoken about you, although he has talked of your father. Apparently they had the same interests.”
“But of course they did,” Tempera said almost impatiently. “Do you not know, Belle-mère, that Count Vincenzo Caravargio has one of the most famous collections of sculptures in the whole of Italy? The Villa Caravargio outside Rome is famous, almost as well known as the Villa Borghese, and Papa often spoke of it.”
“I am not interested in his possessions, and if you try to describe a lot of statues to me I shall scream!” Lad
