Part 25 (1/2)
”You see,” said Mrs. Camber, smiling in her naive way, ”we only have one servant, except Ah Tsong, her name is Mrs. Powis. She is visiting her daughter who is married. We made the poor old lady take a holiday.”
”It is difficult to imagine you burdened with household responsibilities, Mrs. Camber,” I replied. ”Please forgive me but I cannot help wondering how long you have been married?”
”For nearly four years.”
”Really?” I exclaimed. ”You must have been married very young?”
”I was twenty. Do I look so young?”
I gazed at her in amazement.
”You astonish me,” I declared, which was quite true and no mere compliment. ”I had guessed your age to be eighteen.”
”Oh,” she laughed, and resting her hands upon the settee leaned forward with sparkling eyes, ”how funny. Sometimes I wish I looked older. It is dreadful in this place, although we have been so happy here. At all the shops they look at me so funny, so I always send Mrs. Powis now.”
”You are really quite wonderful,” I said. ”You are Spanish, are you not, Mrs. Camber?”
She slightly shook her head, and I saw the pupils begin to dilate.
”Not really Spanish,” she replied, haltingly. ”I was born in Cuba.”
”In Cuba?”
She nodded.
”Then it was in Cuba that you met Mr. Camber?”
She nodded again, watching me intently.
”It is strange that a Virginian should settle in Surrey.”
”Yes?” she murmured, ”you think so? But really it is not strange at all. Colin's people are so proud, so proud. Do you know what they are like, those Virginians? Oh! I hate them.”
”You hate them?”
”No, I cannot hate them, for he is one. But he will never go back.”
”Why should he never go back, Mrs. Camber?”
”Because of me.”
”You mean that you do not wish to settle in America?”
”I could not-not where he comes from. They would not have me.”
Her eyes grew misty, and she quickly lowered her lashes.
”Would not have you?” I exclaimed. ”I don't understand.”
”No?” she said, and smiled up at me very gravely. ”It is simple. I am a Cuban, one, as they say, of an inferior race-and of mixed blood.”