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She liked pretty Dora, too; but there were times when the dainty, fastidious countess looked at the young wife in wonder, for, as she said one evening to her husband: "There is something in Mrs. Thorne that puzzles me she does not always speak or look like a lady " Few days passed without bringing Ronald and Dora to the Villa Rosali.
Dora did not like the change; she felt lonely and lost where Ronald was so popular and so much at home. Among those who eagerly sought Ronald's society was the pretty coquette, the Countess Rosali, an English lady who had married the Count Rosali, a Florentine noble of great wealth. No one in Florence was half so popular as the fair countess.
All the elite of Florence were there, and great was the excitement when Countess Rosali entered the ball room with an exceedingly beautiful woman a queenly blonde the lady about whom all Florence was interested an English heiress, clever as she was fair, speaking French with a courtly grace and Italian with fluent skill; and when the prince stood before her he recognized in one moment the original of his famous "Guinevere."
Countess Rosali, there was no denying the fact, certainly did enjoy a little flirtation. Her grave, serious husband knew it, and looked on quite calmly. To his grave mind the pretty countess resembled a butterfly far more than a rational being.
One event had happened which had saddened Lord Earle for a few days the death of the pretty, coquettish Countess Rosali. She had nor forgotten him; there came to him from her sorrowing husband a ring which she had asked might be given to him. Gaspar Laurence was still abroad, and there was apparently no likelihood of his return.
She watched the growing admiration on Ronald's face when Valentine played and sang, and her restless heart grew weary and faint. She had never felt jealous before. When Countess Rosali talked and laughed with her husband, treating him sometimes as a captive and again as a victor, Dora never cared; but every smile on this woman's fair face pained her she hardly knew why.
When Miss Charteris read the letter she knew that all effort to restore peace would for a time be in vain. She heard the day following that the clever young artist, Mr. Earle, had left. Countess Rosali loudly lamented Ronald's departure. It was so strange, she said; the dark-eyed little wife and her children had gone home to England, and the husband, after selling off his home, had gone with Mr.
Though grave matrons shook their heads and looked prudish when the Countess Rosali was mentioned, yet to belong to her set was to receive the "stamp of fashion." No day passed without some amusement at the villa picnic, excursion, soiree, dance, or, what its fair mistress preferred, private theatricals and charades.
With kind and graceful tact the countess gave Dora time to recover herself; but that was the last time she ever invited the young artist and his wife alone. Countess Rosali had a great dread of all domestic scenes. Neither Dora nor Ronald ever alluded again to this little incident; it had one bad effect it frightened the timid young wife, and made her dread going into society.
"Nothing," she said, "would please her better;" and as the Countess Rosali stood near, the prince included her in the invitation. "Certainly; I never tire of the 'Guinevere, never weary of the artist's triumph, for he is one of the most valued of my friends."
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