had won the beautiful English woman. He had followed her to
Greenoke and repeated his question. There was neither coquetry nor
affectation in Valentine--she had thought the matter over, and decided
that she was never likely to meet with any one else she liked and
respected so much as her Italian lover. He had the virtues, without
the faults, of the children of the South; a lavishly generous, princely
disposition; well-cultivated artistic tastes; good principles and a
chivalrous sense of honor. Perhaps the thing that touched her most was
his great love for her. In many respects he resembled Ronald Earle
more nearly than any one else she had ever met.

To the intense delight of both parents, Miss Charteris accepted him.
For her sake the prince consented to spend every alternate year in
England.

Three times had the whole country side welcomed the stately Italian and
his beautiful wife. This was their fourth visit to England, and, when
the princess heard from Lady Charteris that Ronald's two daughters,
whom she remembered as little babes, were at Earlescourt, nothing would
satisfy her but a visit there.

The young girls looked in admiring wonder at the lady. They had never
seen any one so dazzling or so bright. The calm, grand, Grecian face
had gained in beauty; the magnificent head, with its wealth of golden
hair, the tall, stately figure, charmed them. And when Valentine took
them in her arms and kissed them her thoughts went back to the white,
wild face in the garden and the dark eyes that had flamed in hot anger
upon her.

"I knew your mother years ago," she said; "has she never mentioned my
name? I used to nurse you both in the little villa at Florence. I was
one of your father's oldest friends."

No, they had never heard her name; and Beatrice wondered that her
mother could have known and forgotten one so beautiful as the princess.

The week she remained passed like a long, bright dream. Beatrice almost
worshiped Valentine; this was what she had dreamed of long ago; this
was one of the ideal ladies living in the bright, gay world she was
learning to understand.

When the prince and princess left Earlescourt they made Lady Helena
promise that Beatrice and Lillian should visit them at Florence. They
spoke of the fair and coquettish Countess Rosali, still a reigning
belle, and said how warmly she would welcome them for their father's
sake.

"You talk so much of Italy," said Valentine to Beatrice. "