to stay. I knew you’d be safe here.” Was that the way in which worldly husbands and wives behaved?
He would know how I was feeling. He would never worry me like this.
I must do something.
I went down to the servants’ quarters. I could hear their voices. They were chattering as they normally did. They apparently did not think Aubrey’s absence was unusual. I went back to my bedroom and stood on the veranda looking out at the darkening water.
He must come back. There must be news of him. How could I go through the night like this? I could hear the bronze figures
striking on the bell in the Clock Tower. I must go and get help. I would find Benedetto and ask him to accompany me. We must find the Embassy and report Aubrey’s disappearance.
But I remained standing on the veranda. Gondolas slipped by. I prayed for one of them to stop and for Aubrey to get out and come running to tell me what had happened.
Just as I was feeling I could endure it no longer and that I must go out in search of him without delay a gondola stopped at the palazzo. A man got out. He was very tall. He stood with his back to me; he was wearing a black cloak and a black hat.
Then both he and the gondolier were helping someone to alight.
I stared. It was Aubrey.
I gripped the rail of the veranda. I could not see the stranger’s face because his hat hid it; and as I stood there as though petrified, for a moment floods of relief swept over me. Aubrey was safe.
I turned and ran out of the room to the stairs. He was coming up and he was alone. The man in black was no longer there.
“Aubrey,” I cried.
“Susanna … Oh, my dearest Susanna.”
I ran to him and was caught in his arms. He looked strange;
his cravat was twisted, there was an almost wild look in his eyes and his hands were shaking.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Let me get in … I’ll explain.”
I put my arm through his and unsteadily we went upstairs.
“Did someone attack you?” I asked.
He nodded, but he was clearly too weak to talk. He wanted;
to get to our room. When we reached it he sank into a chair, i “I’ll get you some brandy,” I said.
“Or whatever you would’ like.” ‘s He shook his head.
“Oh, Susanna, I’m sorry … so sorry this happened.
Were you worried? ” ;
“Desperately^ I did not know what to do.” j “Oh my dear. That was my great anxiety. What would yo be thinking .. what would you be doing?”
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“Dazed. Shaken a bit. No bones broken.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
He nodded.
“I went to the Freelings. I left about six. I wanted to be home before you returned. I took a short cut through one of those alleys. It was a silly thing to do.”
“Oh no! I could not get the thought of that man lying by the canal out of my mind … the blood on his clothes …”
“Two men approached me. I did not like the look of them. I turned to retrace my steps, but there were two more behind me. I was hit on the head and I just passed out.”
“Oh my dear Aubrey, how terrible! I should have made enquiries. I should have gone to the Embassy.”
“It -wouldn’t have done any good. When I came to … I don’t know how long after, I was alone … in some sort of hut. It was dark and I could see very little. But when my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness I explored a bit. I found a door. It was locked on the outside. I felt weak. I could scarcely stand. I shouted. But it seemed as if no one came that way.”
“They had robbed you, I suppose.”
“They took my purse. That was what they wanted.”
“But why did they lock you up?”
“Perhaps they didn’t want the alarm given too soon.”
“Oh … the wickedness!”
He nodded and, taking my hand, kissed it.
“There was a man with you … in the gondola,” I said.
“Yes. He brought me home. What I should have done without him I can’t imagine. I should still be in that hut.”
“I didn’t know what to do. I felt so
He would know how I was feeling. He would never worry me like this.
I must do something.
I went down to the servants’ quarters. I could hear their voices. They were chattering as they normally did. They apparently did not think Aubrey’s absence was unusual. I went back to my bedroom and stood on the veranda looking out at the darkening water.
He must come back. There must be news of him. How could I go through the night like this? I could hear the bronze figures
striking on the bell in the Clock Tower. I must go and get help. I would find Benedetto and ask him to accompany me. We must find the Embassy and report Aubrey’s disappearance.
But I remained standing on the veranda. Gondolas slipped by. I prayed for one of them to stop and for Aubrey to get out and come running to tell me what had happened.
Just as I was feeling I could endure it no longer and that I must go out in search of him without delay a gondola stopped at the palazzo. A man got out. He was very tall. He stood with his back to me; he was wearing a black cloak and a black hat.
Then both he and the gondolier were helping someone to alight.
I stared. It was Aubrey.
I gripped the rail of the veranda. I could not see the stranger’s face because his hat hid it; and as I stood there as though petrified, for a moment floods of relief swept over me. Aubrey was safe.
I turned and ran out of the room to the stairs. He was coming up and he was alone. The man in black was no longer there.
“Aubrey,” I cried.
“Susanna … Oh, my dearest Susanna.”
I ran to him and was caught in his arms. He looked strange;
his cravat was twisted, there was an almost wild look in his eyes and his hands were shaking.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Let me get in … I’ll explain.”
I put my arm through his and unsteadily we went upstairs.
“Did someone attack you?” I asked.
He nodded, but he was clearly too weak to talk. He wanted;
to get to our room. When we reached it he sank into a chair, i “I’ll get you some brandy,” I said.
“Or whatever you would’ like.” ‘s He shook his head.
“Oh, Susanna, I’m sorry … so sorry this happened.
Were you worried? ” ;
“Desperately^ I did not know what to do.” j “Oh my dear. That was my great anxiety. What would yo be thinking .. what would you be doing?”
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“Dazed. Shaken a bit. No bones broken.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
He nodded.
“I went to the Freelings. I left about six. I wanted to be home before you returned. I took a short cut through one of those alleys. It was a silly thing to do.”
“Oh no! I could not get the thought of that man lying by the canal out of my mind … the blood on his clothes …”
“Two men approached me. I did not like the look of them. I turned to retrace my steps, but there were two more behind me. I was hit on the head and I just passed out.”
“Oh my dear Aubrey, how terrible! I should have made enquiries. I should have gone to the Embassy.”
“It -wouldn’t have done any good. When I came to … I don’t know how long after, I was alone … in some sort of hut. It was dark and I could see very little. But when my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness I explored a bit. I found a door. It was locked on the outside. I felt weak. I could scarcely stand. I shouted. But it seemed as if no one came that way.”
“They had robbed you, I suppose.”
“They took my purse. That was what they wanted.”
“But why did they lock you up?”
“Perhaps they didn’t want the alarm given too soon.”
“Oh … the wickedness!”
He nodded and, taking my hand, kissed it.
“There was a man with you … in the gondola,” I said.
“Yes. He brought me home. What I should have done without him I can’t imagine. I should still be in that hut.”
“I didn’t know what to do. I felt so
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