The Secret Power by Marie Corelli
page 80 of 372 (21%)
page 80 of 372 (21%)
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real extent of her fortune, and why she should have spent so much in
restoring a "palazzo" for herself alone. An occasional thought of "the only man" she had said she was "disposed" to like, teased his brain; but he was not petty-minded or jealous. He was keenly and sincerely interested in her intellectual capacity, and he knew, or thought he knew, the nature of woman. He watched her now as she reclined, a small slim figure in white, with the red glow of the sun playing on the gold uptwisted coil of her hair,--a few people of the neighbourhood had joined her at dinner, and these were seated about, sipping coffee and chatting in the usual frivolous way of after- dinner guests--one or two of them were English who had made their home in Sicily,--the others were travelling Americans. "I guess you're pretty satisfied with your location, Miss Royal"-- said one of these, a pleasant-faced grey-haired man, who for four or five years past had wintered in Sicily with his wife, a frail little creature always on the verge of the next world--"It would be difficult to match this place anywhere! You only want one thing to complete it!" Morgana turned her lovely eyes indolently towards him over the top of the soft feather fan she was waving lightly to and fro. "One thing? What is that?" she queried. "A husband!" She smiled. "The usual appendage!" she said--"To my mind, quite unnecessary, and |
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