life, was thoroughly happy on the estate.
She liked to watch the gathering of the oranges and lemons, the pruning
of the vines; to see the great white bullocks plowing in the fields or
slowly drawing the gaily painted carts. The wealth of flowers delighted
her, and much to Everard's disgust, she frankly acknowledged herself in
love with Sicily, and insisted that she would like to live there.

"I shall ask Aunt Nita to keep me instead of Carmel!" she declared. "You
may all go back to England and leave me behind!"

"What would Mr. Bowden say to that?" asked Cousin Clare. "He has
arranged for you to stay another two years at school!"

"Oh! bother Mr. Bowden! I wish he wasn't my guardian! Can't I swop him,
and have Mr. Greville instead?"

"Unfortunately people can't change their guardians!" laughed Cousin
Clare. "They have to stick to those to whom the law assigns them. Cheer
up! You might have a far sterner one than Mr. Bowden, and a much more
disagreeable school than Chilcombe. You've the summer term to look
forward to when you get back."

"Chilcombe isn't Montalesso!" persisted Dulcie, pulling a face. "No, you
dinky, deary Cousin Clare, you'll never persuade me to like school
again! I shall catch a cold on purpose as soon as I go back, and then
you'll have to bring me over here for the sake of a warmer climate. I'll
bribe the old doctor!"

"Who'll probably send you to Switzerland for open-air treatment among
the snow!" said Cousin Clare, who generally managed to get the last
word.

The Ingletons had now been some weeks at the Casa Bianca, and were
beginning to grow more accustomed to Sicilian ways. In Mr. Greville's
car they had been taken to many of the principal places of interest in
the neighborhood; they had seen the Castello, the old ruined tower which
in bygone days had been the stronghold of brigands, the ancient Greek
amphitheater, with its marble seats still bearing the names of owners
who sat and watched the chariot races in the fourth century B. C., the
beautiful Temple of Neptune, and the Palazzo Salvatore, with its museum
of priceless treasures. There was one local gathering, however, which
Carmel declared they must not on any account miss.

"I'm so glad you will here for the fair at Targia Vecchia!" she said.
"It's really the event of the whole year. You'll see more Sicilian
customs there than anywhere else I know. The peasants come down from the
mountains for miles round. You'll just love it!"