Part 30 (1/2)
Mrs. Bernard Temple favoured her daughter with a glance which was returned in a very frank and determined manner by that young lady. She then sailed slowly up the room and condescended to admire the view pointed out by Sir John.
Hester was standing near one of the windows talking to Susy, who had already sunk into an easy chair, and was fanning herself with an enormous black fan which hung at her girdle. Antonia, after a moment's hesitation, came up to Hester.
”I'm very sorry we have come,” she said, ”but it really is not my fault.
Mother is in a state of flutter at having caught Sir John. I'm disgusted about it all. I don't want a stepfather any more than you want a stepmother. I'm to be turned into a fine lady now, and I hate being a fine lady. I have a soul for art. I adore art. I'm all art. Art is sacred; it shouldn't be talked about the way mother speaks of it. When I was in Paris I was in my element. I wore a linen blouse all over paint; ah, that blouse--those happy days.”
”Oh, Tony,” suddenly burst from Susy's lips, ”for pity's sake don't go off into a trance; you'll put Hester into a fit. Her face at the present moment is enough to kill anyone. For goodness sake, Hester, don't look like that; you'll make me laugh, and if I laugh immoderately it always wakes me up. I was looking out for a little nap before tea--forty winks, you know--I can't live without my forty winks, and now if you put on that killingly tragic face, I'll scream with laughter, I know I shall.
Oh, dear, oh, dear, you must learn once for all never to mind a single thing Tony says; she's the oddest, most irrational creature--a genius of course--her pictures are simply monstrosities, which is a sure sign of genius.”
”Would you like me to take you to your room?” said Hester, turning to Antonia when Susy had given her a moment of time to open her lips. ”I'm sure you must be tired after your long journey.”
”What should tire me?” asked Antonia, opening her big brown eyes in astonishment. ”I travelled first-cla.s.s from London, and drove out here in a landau; the whole journey was nothing short of effeminate. When I was in Paris I rose at four in the morning, and worked at my easel standing for five hours at a stretch; that was something like work. No, I'm not the least tired, thank you, and I don't want to be bothered tidying myself, for I may as well say frankly that I don't care twopence how I look.”
”Tea will be ready in half an hour,” said Hester. ”Will you come out into the garden, then, for a stroll?”
”If you don't hate me too much to walk with me; but pray consider your own feelings if you do, for I don't in the least object to strolling about alone.”
Hester and Antonia had now stepped out on the velvet lawn. They each gazed fully at the other.
”No,” said Hester, speaking with a sudden swift intuition; ”I don't hate you; I rather like you. I am glad you are frank.”
”Oh, I hate pretence,” said Antonia, with a shudder. ”Fancy a priestess of art stooping to pretence. Well, if you don't detest me, let us walk about for a little. Have you no wild, uncultured spot to show me, which the hand of man has not defaced? My whole soul recoils from a velvet lawn.”
”Oh, Tony, Tony, you're too killing to live,” shrieked Susy from the other side of the window.
Antonia and Hester moved slowly away together; Hester was trying to think of some portion of the grounds which might be sufficiently full of weeds and thorns to satisfy the priestess of high art, and Susy lay back in her chair and wiped her eyes.
”This is rich,” she murmured to herself. ”To think of poor Prunes and Prism being thrown with Tony--to think of Tony as a sort of sister to Prunes and Prism. Well, this is a delicious lark. Hullo! is that you, Nan? Come along and speak to me at once, you pert puss. Why, do you know you've grown?”
”Well, I don't suppose I've stood still for the last five years,”
replied Nan, who could be intensely pert when she pleased. ”I'm too busy to stay with you now, Susy; Nora wants me.”
”Nora; who is Nora?”
”Nora Lorrimer.”
”Nora Lorrimer, is she one of the Tower Lorrimers?”
”Yes; she wants me in a hurry; I must fly to her.”
”Stay a moment, my dear child,” Susy absolutely rose from her chair in her strong interest. ”If this girl is one of the Tower Lorrimers, I had better know her at once; you had better bring her to me and I'll question her.”
”I can't bring her to you; she has had a fall and is lying on her back; she can't walk.”
”Dear me, what a nuisance; well, I'll go to her, then. Come along, Nancy, show me the way this minute.”
”But really, really, Susy,” began Nan, raising blue, imploring eyes.
”Really, it is very sad about the Towers, you know.”
”Sad; good heavens, are the drains wrong?”