old Countess di Pepoli at the family estate near Bologna. From Sicily he had written to Ernesto that he would receive no more letters from his wife, had requested that she should not be allowed to stay in his brother's family, and announced that on his return to Rome he should put the case into his lawyer's hands.
In the week that had elapsed before Ernesto's arrival, Teresa had seen that Nina was being gradually won over to Edith's side. She could not resist that desperate appeal; and the affair was something to manage, and Nina had stores of unused executive ability. Ernesto was non-committal, but with a bias in favour of doing what his brother wanted. He pronounced finally that Egisto, although a younger brother, ought to be allowed to manage his own domestic affairs, and that he did not think they should interfere. The affair was unpleasant, and Ernesto hated unpleasantness and bother. Nina began to argue strenuously with him, and several times Teresa was drawn into the debate.
As though she felt that her fate was on trial here, Edith levelled her batteries at Ernesto. Up to the time of his arrival, both she and Nina had come to dinner in tea-gowns. But now both dressed every night. Nina laced in her middle-aged waist and had her hair built up into an elaborate coiffure. And Edith appeared each night in a different dress, looking fragile and
