Part 6 (1/2)

He surveyed her more critically. ”It's not a bad get-up. You look very nice anyhow. If you like to bring me the handkerchief, I will see what I can do. I know a little about it from the point of view of an amateur artist. You want some earrings. Have you got any?”

Dinah shook her head. ”Of course not.”

”I believe my sister has,” said Scott. ”I'll go and see.”

”Oh no, no! What will she think?” cried Dinah in distress.

He uttered his quiet laugh. ”I will present you to her by-and-bye if I may. I am sure she will be interested and pleased. You finish off as quickly as you can! I shall be back directly.”

He limped away again down the pa.s.sage, moving more quickly than was his wont, and Dinah hastened back into her room wondering if this informality would be regarded by her chaperon as a great breach of etiquette.

”Rose thinks I'm vulgar,” she murmured to herself. ”I wonder if I really am. But really--he is such a dear little man. How could I possibly help it?”

The dear little man's return put an end to her speculations. He came back in an incredibly short time, armed with a leather jewel-case which he deposited on the threshold.

Dinah came light-footed to join him, all her grievances forgotten. Her hair, notwithstanding its waywardness, cl.u.s.tered very prettily about her face. There was a bewitching dimple near one corner of her mouth.

”You can come in if you like,” she said. ”I'm quite dressed--all except the handkerchief.”

”Thank you; but I won't come in,” he answered. ”We mustn't shock anybody.

If you could bring a chair out, I could manage quite well.”

She fetched the chair. ”If anyone comes down the pa.s.sage, they'll wonder what on earth we are doing,” she remarked.

”They will take us for old friends,” said Scott in a matter of-fact tone as he opened the jewel-case.

She laughed delightedly. There was a peculiarly happy quality about her laugh. Most people smiled quite involuntarily when they heard it, though Billy compared it to the neigh of a cheery colt.

”Now,” said Scott, looking at her quizzically, ”are you going to sit in the chair, or am I going to stand on it?”

”Oh, I'll sit,” she said. ”Here's the handkerchief! You will fasten it so that it doesn't flop, won't you? May I hold that case? I won't touch anything.”

He put it open into her lap. ”There is a chain of coral there. Perhaps you can find it. I think it would look well with your costume.”

Dinah pored over the jewels with sparkling eyes. ”But are you sure--quite sure--your sister doesn't mind?”

”Quite sure,” said Scott, beginning to drape the handkerchief adroitly over her bent head.

”How very sweet of her--of you both!” said Dinah. ”I feel like Cinderella being dressed for the ball. Oh, what lovely pearls! I never saw anything so exquisite.”

She had opened an inner case and was literally revelling in its contents.

”They were--her husband's wedding present to her,” said Scott in his rather monotonous voice.

”How lovely it must be to be married!” said Dinah, with a little sigh.

”Do you think so?” said Scott.

She turned in her chair to regard him. ”Don't you?”

”I can't quite imagine it,” he said.