Part 26 (1/2)
”Yes, hers and mine. She is my dearest friend, and so she is allowed to call me Clem; you may, too, if you like.”
Poppy came, thanking her, and sat by the tea-table. She felt suddenly happier, for now she could follow the dictates of her heart and love this woman--whose name was _Clem_.
As they took tea the door opened gently and a little figure stole into the room straight to her mother's knee.
”I like you, and love you,” said she solemnly.
”Hyacinth, what have you been doing?” Mrs. Portal asked anxiously.
It was easy to see that they were mother and child, for they had the same golden-brown eyes, full of dots and dashes and shadows, and the same grave-gay mouths. There, however, all resemblance ceased. The child's physique consisted of a head covered with long, streaky brown hair, and a pair of copper-coloured legs which apparently began under her chin.
”I love and like you,” she repeated glibly.
”Then I know you have been doing something very wicked, Cinthie. You always have when you like and love me.”
”_Pas!_” said Cinthie, now gazing calmly at Poppy.
”I shall go and find out,” said Mrs. Portal. ”I have to go, anyway, to speak to cook about dinner; do forgive me for five minutes, dear; Cinthie will look after you. Cinthie, I hope I can trust you to be good with Miss Chard for five minutes.”
The moment she was gone Cinthie made a boastful statement.
”My face is bigger than yours!”
Poppy put up her hand and felt her face carefully; then looked at Cinthie's with the air of one measuring with the eye.
”Well, perhaps it is!” she acceded.
”It's bigger'n anyone's,” continued Cinthie, even more bragfully. ”Who are you married to?”
This was an awkward and surprising question, but Poppy countered.
”Why should you think I am married, Cinthie?”
”Everybody's married,” was the swift response. ”_I'm_ married to Mammie, and Mammie's married to Daddie, and Daddie's married to the moon, and the moon's married to the sun, and the sun's married to the sea, and the sea's married to the stars, and the stars are married to the stripes--Daddie says so. Let me sit on your lap, I'm as tired as a bed.”
Poppy lifted her up, and Cinthie, lolling against the white, lacy dress, gazed for a s.p.a.ce into the lilac eyes. She then carefully selected a long streak of her own hair and put it into her mouth, thoughtfully sucking it as she continued her remarks:
”I think you had better marry Karri,” she said. ”I like Karri better'n anyone, except Daddie. His face is bigger than anybody's.”
”Is Karri a man, then?”
”Yes; but he's got two women's names, isn't that funny? One's Karri and the other's Eve. I'll show you his photo.”
She ran to the other side of the room, grabbed a frame from a table, and brought it back triumphantly.
”There!” she cried, and dumped it into Poppy's lap.
Poppy stared down into the pictured face of the man she loved.
Mrs. Portal reappeared.
”Oh, Cinthie, I've heard all about it from Sarah, and I'm very angry with you. I knew you had been doing something specially wicked. You're a _pet.i.te mechante_.”