Darcia felt that she had only been asleep for a few minutes when she was awakened by a knock on the door.
She opened her eyes knowing that she had not slept before dawn broke and her head was aching from sheer tiredness.
Her maid entered the room and came to her side.
“There be a telegram, Mademoiselle,” she said. “Mr. Curtis opened it and as it’s ever so urgent thought you should have it immediate.”
“A telegram,” Darcia exclaimed, wondering who it could be from.
She sat up in bed, took the telegram from the silver salver and the maid hurried across the room to pull back the curtains.
Darcia opened the telegram and looked at it only to stare in disbelief as she read,
“Master gravely injured. Please come immediately, Villa Vesta, Rome.
“Master gravely injured. Please come immediatel
