Even now, he blushed when he thought of it, and yet he longed to do it again, and wondered inwardly what would happen if he did.
As for Aurora, though she looked at the sea for a moment, she seemed quite self-possessed.

It is a strange thing that if a boy and a girl are brought up in just the same way, by women, and without many companions, the boy should generally be by far the more shy of the two when childhood is just past.
"You are very fond of your stepfather, are you not ?" asked Aurora, so suddenly that Marcello started a little and hesitated slightly before he answered.
"Yes," he said, almost directly, "of course I am! Don't you like him, too ?" "I used to," answered Aurora in a low voice, "but now his eyes frighten me--sometimes.

For instance, though he is a good way behind, I am sure he is looking at me now, just in that way." Marcello turned his head instinctively, and saw that Folco had just dismounted to tighten the girth of the Contessa's saddle.

It was exactly while Aurora was speaking that he had drawn his eyelids together with such a strange expression--a mere coincidence, no doubt, but one that would have startled the girl if she could have suddenly seen his face.
They rode on without waiting for the others, at an even canter over the sand.
"I never saw anything in Folco's eyes that could frighten anybody," Marcello said presently.
"No," answered Aurora.

"Very likely not." Marcello had always called Corbario by his first name, and as he grew up it seemed more and more natural to do so.