The children were waiting for her at the door, and when they saw that she was alone they took their _soldi_, though with a touch of sulkiness.
And the door was opened to her by Lucy.
'Truant!' said the girl reproachfully, throwing her arm round Eleanor.

'As if you ought to go out without your coffee! But it's all ready for you on the _loggia_.

Where have you been?
And why!--what's the matter ?' Eleanor told the news as they mounted to their rooms.
'Ah! _that_ was the priest I saw last night!' cried Lucy.

'I was just going to tell you of my adventure.

Father Benecke! How very, very strange! And how very tiresome! It's made you look so tired.' And before she would hear a word more Lucy had put the elder woman into her chair in the deep shade of the _loggia_, had brought coffee and bread and fruit from the little table she herself had helped Cecco to arrange, and had hovered round till Eleanor had taken at least a cup of coffee and a fraction of roll.