Part 14 (1/2)
Miles Channing did not dance, but after watching for a time--while Georgiana was acutely conscious that his eyes constantly followed her--he claimed and bore her off before others could prevent. In a palm-shadowed corner well removed from observation he drew a long breath of content and settled down beside her.
”I hope you will not be too much bored at missing a round or two,” he began in the slightly drawling speech which was somehow one of his charms, it was so curiously accompanied by his intent observation. ”I haven't danced for so long I can't venture to attempt it, especially with you.”
”I should be the most patient of partners, I'm so unaccomplished myself,” declared Georgiana.
”Nevertheless I shouldn't want to try you. You dance like a sylph, I like an elephant.”
”I don't believe it.”
”You do grudge sitting out, then, do you?” he asked.
”Not a bit.”
”It wouldn't really matter if you did, for I intend to hold my advantage now I have it. I care more to talk with you than for all the dances on the program. And the time is so short I must make the most of it. You go back to-morrow, I understand?”
”Yes, indeed.”
”And you'll not be here soon again?”
”I don't expect to. I'm a very busy person at home and can seldom be spared.”
”That means that whoever wants to know you must come to your home?”
Georgiana felt her pulse beats quickening. This was certainly losing no time. She a.s.sented to the interrogation, explaining that her father was an invalid and she was his housekeeper. She felt no temptation to represent things to Mr. Channing as other than they were. It was somehow an atonement for appearing in her borrowed attire that she should not allow appearances to deceive this new acquaintance into thinking her home the counterpart of her cousin's. The news did not appear in the least to disconcert him.
”I should like very much to meet your father,” Channing said; and Georgiana liked him for taking the trouble to put it in that way. He instantly added: ”And I should like still more to see you in your own home. May I have that pleasure?”
”We shall be very glad to see you,” she promised, careful of her manner.
”No matter how soon I come?”
”I suppose you will allow me to reach home first?” she questioned gayly.
”Barely. This is Wednesday night. You go home to-morrow--Thursday. May I come Sat.u.r.day?”
”You have been living on railway schedules so long you have acquired the habit,” she gave back with slightly heightened colour. In the course of her experience she had seen more than one young man change his plans after encountering her, but she had never known one to form new ones as quickly as this.
”I have discovered that when one wants to reach a place very much, he can't start too soon,” he said very low, with such obvious meaning that she had some difficulty in keeping her cool composure. It was not only his words, but his looks and manner which spoke. She had never dreamed that outside of stories men ever really did begin to fire on sight, like this.
The matter settled, Channing began to talk of other things, but through all his speech and acts ran the visible thread of his instant and powerful attraction to her, so that she was conscious of the colour of it. By the time two dances had gone by and she was sought and found by an eager claimant, the girl was quite ready to get away from this new and decidedly disturbing experience. And when, a little later, she allowed James Stuart to try one of the new steps with her, she had a comfortable sense of having got back upon known and solid ground, after having been swimming in a too-swift current.
CHAPTER XII
EARLY MORNING
”You've no idea, Jimpsy,” Georgiana said, when she and James Stuart had a.s.sured themselves that they were able to suit their steps to each other and were moving smoothly down the floor, ”how glad I am to be with some one I know, for a bit.”
”Only some one? Not particularly me?”