Part 18 (2/2)
”I don't believe you know yourself,” remarked Lady Helen. ”Now, get into your prettiest dress. We are going to motor in the Park, you and I, all by ourselves.”
”But Where's Daddy?” I asked. ”I want Daddy to come with us.”
”Your father won't be in until dinner-time; he is very busy. By the way, two gentlemen, special friends of mine--and, indeed, I think one of them is a special friend of yours--are coming to dine here to-night.”
”Oh!” I said. I felt myself changing colour.
My stepmother gazed at me, and a curious smile, which I did not like, flitted across her face.
”Come,” she said; ”you are a good girl; you are not quite as silly as you seem, and I perceive that you are taking kindly to my arrangements.”
”Please tell me the names of the gentlemen who are dining here to-night?” I asked.
”I shall do nothing of the kind. I never give away my pet secrets. You will see them when they come, and I wish you to look your very sweetest and best. That new feathery sort of dress, with the silver embroidery, will exactly suit you. You can wear a great bunch of these roses just here”--she indicated the front of my dress--”and Morris will arrange a few on the skirt. I a.s.sure you, with those additions to your white and silver dress, you will, my dear daughter, be irresistible. It isn't every girl who does so well in her first season; but then, it isn't every girl who has the advantage of a mother like me. Now I mustn't waste any more time. Ring for Morris. Tell her that she is to put you into your dark blue costume, with the blue hat to match, and the silver fox fur. Get ready as fast as you can. Ah! here you are, Morris. Attend to Miss Dalrymple, please.”
CHAPTER XII
Lady Helen swept out of the room, and Morris began to dress me.
”It's strange, her ladys.h.i.+p coming back,” she remarked. But I was in no mood to exchange confidences with my maid. I said at once:
”I suppose Lady Helen can change her mind.”
”Oh, of course, miss; but all the same it is strange. It means--yes, miss, I know what it means.”
”Please, Morris, don't talk now; my head aches.”
”Poor young lady!” said Morris. She gave me a significant look. ”If I was you I'd be firm,” she said. ”It means courage, but you have plenty of spirit. We remark on it in the servants' hall. We say that it would take a great deal to knock Miss Heather's spirit out of her.”
There was no use in finding fault with Morris. I remained silent.
”Those roses are superb,” she said again, as she arranged my dark blue cloth dress, and got me ready for my drive in the Park with my stepmother.
I made no response, but my heart throbbed when she mentioned the roses.
I wondered if Captain Carbury were coming to dinner. I forgot altogether the fact that Captain Carbury and my father, for some extraordinary reason, did not wish to meet. As I considered the possibility of the Captain's dining with us that evening, something else happened. I began to long inexpressibly for him. I earnestly hoped he would come, that he would be the person allotted to take me in to dinner, that I should sit by his side, and that I should have an opportunity of scolding him--of course, very gently--with regard to the roses. I made up my mind to tell him that he was foolishly extravagant, and to implore of him not to do such a thing again. It would be impossible for me to be too severe when I was wearing his roses, for I determined just when Morris was arranging my hat at the most becoming angle not to wear the silver thing in my hair, but a bunch of the softest roses, exactly where he would like to see them, nestling behind my ear.
Morris was very quick in getting me into my afternoon costume, and a few minutes later my stepmother and I were bowling away in the direction of Hyde Park. There we joined a long procession of carriages and motors.
It was a beautiful day, and we both looked around us, enjoying the gay and brilliant scene.
Lady Helen was dressed in her usual extravagant style, and her face was covered with a thick veil. She managed by this means to keep all appearance of age at bay, and looked quite an elegant woman of the world as she leaned back in her expensive motor-car with her wonderful sables round her shoulders. By and by a look of excitement flashed from her dark eyes. She desired the chauffeur to stop. We pulled up at the kerb, and a fine, aristocratic-looking man with a slightly withered face and tired grey eyes came forward. I had met him several times at different b.a.l.l.s and a.s.semblies. I liked him, and felt that there was even a possibility of our being friends. I regarded him in the light of an uncle.
”How do you do, Lord Hawtrey?” said Lady Helen.
Lord Hawtrey bowed to Lady Helen. Then he bowed to me. His tired eyes lit up with a smile, and he began to talk eagerly. While he talked he looked at me, and each moment it seemed to me that his eyes grew less tired, and the wrinkles seemed to leave his face. He certainly had a very fatherly manner towards me, and I smiled back at him in return, and felt very happy. I noticed on that special occasion, however, that there was a great deal of sadness behind his outward suavity of manner. I pitied him for this, as it was my nature to pity all creatures in the world who were not perfectly happy.
”I am so glad you are coming to dine to-night,” said Lady Helen.
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