At the hotel bureau some letters were handed to Mario, but he stuffed them into his pocket without looking at them. Then Joanna and he were taken up in a lift, and followed their luggage down a long passage. The bedroom had the highest ceiling Joanna had ever seen in a bedroom, and the loftiest windows, with curtains arranged in a different way from any curtains at home. But she was most of all struck by the two little high beds. These were pushed together, made up as one, and turned into a huge diaphanous tent by white net draperies which hung from high wooden poles. Instinctively Joanna fancied some bridal symbol, and she would not have been surprised if the snowy hangings had been crowned with orange blossoms. But Mario, seeing her interest, explained mosquito-curtains to her; and as she curiously fingered the net, the porter smiled and said something to Mario. It was clearly the first time the young signora had been in Italy!

When they were left alone Mario glanced over his letters and handed one in a grey envelope to Joanna. “For you,” he said, and throwing his own unopened on a table he went into the adjoining bathroom, where Joanna heard him turn on a water-tap.

At the sight of the handwriting on her letter, Joanna caught her breath. It was from Bob! Its presence here in Italy appeared a miracle till she saw that it had been forwarded from Collessie Street in Linnet’s hand. It must have reached home immediately after her leaving, and so had outrun her on the journey south. What could Bob have to say? But what did it matter what he said? The envelope felt very thin. Suppose now, too late, Bob were to tell her that he loved her, that he had loved her all along? Why else should he have written?

Sitting half on, half against the bed, so that the poles at the corners creaked from the strain on the netting, Joanna read the short note Bob had written her. He wished her well – he had passed his examination – would shortly start for Africa – he was hers ever – Bob. And underneath the signature as a postscript he had set the words, “Have a good time.” That was all.