Part 23 (2/2)

”I should say that it was competent to run anything. That salad was a--what do women say?--a symphony--a star. Not that I care much for salads myself, but to see you putting it together----”

”Murray--you didn 't!”

”Didn't I? You had on a pink-and-white checked ap.r.o.n that came up over your shoulders. Your sleeves were short, and your hair curled round your ears, the way it does on damp days. You----”

”Where were you? How did you know! Who----”

”I was on the other side of the door, which you forgot to lock. Never in my life was I so bowled over by the sight of a girl in a kitchen.”

”If I had known you were looking----”

”Precisely. That was why s.h.i.+rley wouldn't let me call you out. Of course I should have kissed you--I never felt more like it--and that might have endangered the composition of the salad.”

”I 'm afraid it would,” laughed Jane. ”As it was, I made the one real mistake of the luncheon--I sent that salad in on the game plates! The girls were in such a flurry they did n't notice till the plates began to come out again. I hope mother did n't mind very much.”

”I 'll warrant n.o.body else did. Mrs. Arlo Stevenson is as short-sighted as an owl in the day-time, and as I understand it, Mrs. Stevenson was the guest who counted--goodness knows why! I think she's insufferable.

I 'm glad mother 's got her off her mind, for the time being. It will give her a chance to recuperate. Poor mother! She misses a lot of fun, does n't she?”

”She thinks it's we who miss it.”

”Perhaps we can show her better some day--when we 've been very good and earned that house by ourselves. Hi! What?” exclaimed Murray. ”How you jumped! Did you think that house by ourselves was n't really to materialise some day?”

”I--wasn't sure.” Jane's voice was low. She did not mean to show how much she cared, or how she longed to believe definitely in a prospect which, as yet, had not been in so many words held out to her.

”Why, it's a certainty! Have n't I made that clear, little girl? You know, when I told you how anxious father was to have us live with them, I said it would n't be for all time. Don't you remember that?”

”I know. But I thought----”

”You thought, I see, it meant while he needed me, which would be as long as he lived. No, he does n't insist on that. It was to be only while he stayed an active partner in the business. He wanted me at his elbow, and I did n't feel like refusing him. He means to retire within five years--or sooner, if his health shows signs of breaking. Then he understands that I 'm to have a home by myself--build one, you know.

Well, well, what a squeeze my arm is getting! Are you so glad?”

”I'm pretty glad. It's not that--that this place is n't pleasant, and everybody more than kind, but----”

”You needn't be afraid to tell me--in fact, you don't need to tell me.

You 're too much of a born Jenny Wren not to want to feather your own nest. And I want to see you do it. We 'll begin to look over plans.

We can talk about it and think about it----”

”No, we can't, Murray.”

”Why not? Isn't antic.i.p.ation----”

”Yes, but it would make it harder to wait. Now I know it's sure, I can----”

”Be good?” said her husband. ”You are being good--heavenly. What you did to-day--well, if you could have known what I thought about you when I saw you out there putting those pretty shoulders to the domestic wheel--proud is n't the name for it. And let me tell you, Janey Townsend, it is n't every girl who could take command of the forces and have them working for you at the top of their ability, like that. Norah has n't a nose and chin of that perky shape for nothing; and Mary can soldier for fair when she chooses. As for Sophy--but you had Sophy for your own from the start. And it 's not been done with tips, either, has it? Honestly, now, have you ever given Sophy a tip since you came to the house?”

”A tip?” said Jane. ”Money, you mean? Why, no. Should I? I never thought of it. Does she expect it?”

”She probably doesn't now--from you--or want it, as long as you reward her with your smiles and ask about her invalid brother, the way I overheard you doing the other day. She'd probably rather have your friendly interest than all Olive's dollar bills. Oh, there are several ways of winning people's loyalty, dear--and yours is the best. Only everybody can't do it. Do you know, gentle Jane, I 'm a good deal interested in seeing you in the role of mistress of this house for a while?”

”Murray, I 'm so doubtful about it!”

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