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13 June 1912 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Thursday. 13th [June 1912]. Nora came in the morning & we modelled but it was a bad day for work as there was a tremendous scirocco & stormy & rainy. Sigra Gigliucci came with her daughter Css Notarbartolo to tea– Sigra G. is an Englishwoman who lives in Florence. I had met her many years ago at Baveno. Her daughter & husband is in the navy & in a command here. After their visit Nela & I went out in gondola to the Piazza & I went on to see Css Villamarina at Hotel Europe who is not very well. She talked of her late husband & said that some 4 years ago in London she had a visit from an Italian lawyer who was unknown to her– He said his name was Quirico & his brother is Dr to the King of Italy. He said he had been commissioned to put her on her guard as to money which might be kept from her by the Villamarina family & ended by saying “I suppose you know who your husband really is?” On her looking surprised & saying she knew nothing he said “Then you are the only person that does not know that he is the son of Marchesa Villamarina by King Umberto!” She says she wonders whether he was not sent by the present King to put her on her guard. A letter from my sister Blanche tells me that the King & Queen are going to pay a visit to Dowlais to see our father’s old iron works & the present company entertains them at lunch in the old house in wh we were all born, at the end of this month. B. & Edward will be there. | |
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