Part 21 (1/2)
”No, you are not,” he agreed. ”Sad, isn't it?”
Then they both laughed. She was elated, bubbling over with delight, at meeting some one in Loringwood who actually laughed.
”Gertrude's note last night never told us she had company, and I had gloomy forebodings of Uncle Matthew and Uncle Matthew's doctor, to whom I would not dare speak a word, and the relief of finding real people here is a treat, so please don't mind if I'm silly.”
”I shan't--when you are,” he agreed, magnanimously. ”But pray enlighten me as to why you will be unable to exchange words with the medical stranger? He's no worse a fellow than myself.”
”Of _course_ not,” she said, with so much fervor that her listener's smile was clearly a compromise with laughter. ”But a doctor from Paris! Our old Doctor Allison is pompous and domineering enough, and he never was out of the state, but this one from Europe, he is sure to oppress me with his wonderful knowledge. Indeed, I don't know who he will find to talk to here, now, except Judge Clarkson. The judge _will_ be scholarly enough for him.”
”And does he, also, oppress you with his professional knowledge?”
Evilena's laugh rang out clear as a bird's note.
”The Judge? Never! Why I just love him. He is the dearest, best--”
”I see. He's an angel entirely, and no mere mortal from Paris is to be mentioned in the same breath.”
”Well, he is everything charming,” she insisted. ”You would be sure to like him.”
”I wish I could be as sure you might change your mind and like the new-comer from Paris.”
”Do you? Oh, well, then, I'll certainly try. What is he like, nice?”
”I really can't remember ever having heard any one say so,” confessed the stranger, smiling at her.
”Well,” and Evilena regarded him with wide, astonished eyes, ”no one else likes him, yet you hoped I would. Why, I don't see how--”
The soft quick beat of horse hoofs on the white sh.e.l.led road interrupted her, or gave opportunity for interrupting herself.
”I hope it's Gertrude. Oh, it _is_! You dear old darling.”
She flounced down the steps, followed by the man, who was becoming a puzzle. He gave his hand to Miss Loring, who accepted that a.s.sistance from the horse block, and then he stepped aside that the embrace feminine might have no obstacle in its path.
”My dear little girl,” and the mistress of Loringwood kissed her guest with decided fondness. ”How good of you to come at once--and Mrs.
Nesbitt, too? I'm sorry you had to wait even a little while for a welcome, but I just had to ride over to the quarters, and then to the far fields. Thank you, doctor, for playing host.”
”_Doctor_?” gasped Evilena, gripping Miss Loring's arm. There was a moment of hesitation on the part of all three, when she said, reproachfully, looking at the smiling stranger, ”Then it was you all the time?”
”Was there no one here to introduce you?” asked Miss Loring, looking from one to the other. ”This is Dr. Delavan, dear, and this, doctor, is Kenneth's sister.”
”Thanks. I recognized her at once, and I trust you will forgive me for not introducing myself sooner, mademoiselle, but--well, we had so many other more interesting things to speak of.”
Evilena glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and with her arm about Gertrude walked in silence up the steps. She wanted time to think over what awful things she had said to him, not an easy thing to do, for Evilena said too many things to remember them all.
Margeret was in the hall. Evilena wondered by what occult messages she learned when any one ascended those front steps. She took Miss Loring's riding hat and gloves.
”Mistress Nesbitt is just resting,” she said, in those soft even tones. ”She left word to call her soon as you got back--she'd come down.”
”I'll go up and see her,” decided Miss Loring. ”Will you excuse us, doctor? And Margeret, have Chloe get us a bit of lunch. We are all a little tired, and it is a long time till supper.”