The explanation was plausible, at all events.

Neither Ugo nor his man believed that any one would really try to blow up the place, for they regarded that as quite impossible without the collusion of some one of the soldiers, which was not to be thought of.
While they were talking, Pica managed to get off the Captain's outer clothes; but as they were partly wet with rain, the bed was now damp.
He therefore went and got the new camp bedstead and set it up, spread dry blankets and sheets over it, and lifted Ugo to it without letting the injured foot hang down, for he was a fairly strong man and was far from clumsy.
The change had just been successfully made when a motor was heard coming up the short stretch from the high-road to the house, and Pica hastened downstairs to open the door for the surgeon.

To his surprise, but much to his satisfaction, the Princess Chiaromonte was the first to get out in the rain, bareheaded, but muffled in a waterproof.

She had no footman and no umbrella, and she made a quick dash for the door, followed at once by Doctor Pieri.

She recognised the handsome orderly and smiled at him as she shook the rain-drops from her hair and then gave him her cloak.
'Is he badly hurt ?' she asked quickly; but she saw from Pica's face that it was not a matter of life and death, and she did not wait for his answer.