At that moment Morgana came slowly up the steps cut in the grass bordered on either side by flowers, and approached her.
"Here are some roses for you, dear 'Duchess!'" she said, "Duchess" being the familiar or "pet" name she elected to call her by. "Specially selected, I assure you! Are you tired?--or may I have a talk?"
Lady Kingswood took the roses with a smile, touching Morgana's cheek playfully with one of the paler pink buds.
"A talk by all means!" she replied--"How can I be tired, dear child? I'm a lazy old woman, doing nothing all day but enjoy myself!"
Morgana nodded her golden head approvingly.
"That's right!--I'm glad!" she said. "That's what I want you to do! It's a pretty place, this Palazzo d'Oro, don't you think?"
"More than pretty--it's a perfect paradise!" declared Lady Kingswood, emphatically.
"Well, I'm glad you like it"--went on Morgana--"Because then you won't mind staying here and looking after it when I'm away. I'll have to go away quite soon."
Lady Kingswood controlled her first instinctive movement of surprise.
"Really?" she said--"That seems a pity as you only arrived so recently--"
Morgana gave a wistful glance round her at the beautiful gardens and blue sea beyond.
"Yes--perhaps it is a pity!" she said, with a light shrug of her shoulders--"But I have a great deal to do, and ever so much to learn. I told you, didn't I?--that I have had an air-ship built for me quite on my own lines?--an air-ship that moves like a bird and is quite different from any other air-ship ever made or known?"
"Yes, you told me something about it"--answered Lady Kingswood--"But you know, my dear, I am very stupid about all these wonderful new inventions. 'Progress of science' they call it. Well, I'm rather afraid of the 'progress of science.' I'm an old-fashioned woman and I cannot bear to hear of aeroplanes and air-ships and poor wretched people falling from the sky and being dashed to pieces. The solid earth is quite good enough for my old feet as long as they will support me!"
Morgana laughed.
"You dear Duchess!" she said, affectionately--"Don't worry! I'm not going to ask you to travel in my air-ship--I wouldn't so try your nerves for the world! Though it is an absolutely safe ship,--nothing"--and she emphasised the word--"NOTHING can upset it or drive it out of its course unless natural law is itself upset! Now let us sit here"--and she drew two wicker chairs into the cool shadow of the loggia and set them facing the sea--"and have our talk! I've begun it--I'll go on! Tell me"--and she nestled down among the cushions, watching Lady Kingswood seat herself in slower, less supple fashion--"tell me--what does it feel like to be married?"