Part 43 (1/2)
”Very well, dear,” said Lucy, as too kind not to be good to any girl in the school; ”only be quick, Maggie,” she said, ”for you know you are breaking the rules”
”Yes! oh yes!” said Maggie; ”and I will never do it again”
Miss Johnson left her, and Maggie flew back to bend over her paper and continue her writing:
”Darling, you must not let him come here He threatens to come, but you must keep him away All will be up with me if he is seen at the school I beseech of you have a little mercy on me For the sake of my own father, keep hihter,
”MAGGIE HOWLAND”
This letter was addressed to Mrs Martin (spelt this tiie sta downstairs, popped it into the box which held the letters
CHAPTER XX
THE VILLA
Laburnum Villa, in the suburb of Claphahtful place She had never appreciated her first husband, Professor Howland, but she thoroughly appreciated Bo-peep, and after her own fashi+on was fond of hi without cos of life to the full She had never really been ie, as too like her own father and too unlike herself to allow of the existence of any syie, even before Mrs Howland rocer, had been more or less a thorn in the flesh to her mother
Laburnum Villa was furnished, as James Martin expressed it, with an eye to coood springs, and these were covered with maroon-colored leather There were thick, -room s, and all the furniture of the room was of solid oak There was a rich Turkey carpet on the floor, and prints of different hunting scenes--by noon the walls The paint-work of the room was of dull red, and the paper was of the sae and heavy, but it represented in Martin's eyes the very essence of comfort The fireplace was oodly lumps of coal it caused a warmth to pervade the whole roo The house had electric light, which both Mr and Mrs Martin considered distinguished
They spent h Mrs
Martin, with some faint instinct still left of her own life, would have preferred to use the drawing-rooested this Bo-peep said, ”No, no, Little-sing; I can smoke here and sit by the fire, and enjoy the rest which I have rightly earned I hate roo-roo”
Mrs Martin knew better than to oppose her husband She recognized her oeakness, and knew that against his fiat she could nostrea-rooarded it with intense satisfaction It is true that the colors were crude, for James Martin would have screaood of its kind, the pictures on the walls not too atrocious
Although they were in gilt frae mirrors over the mantelpiece and at one end of the roo-room was fairly presentable, and Mrs Martin had soave a look of domesticity and even repose to the place Her little work-basket, with its eotten how to play, but she always kept the piano open Bo-peep suggested buying a pianola, and Mrs Martin thought it would be a good idea
”We'll have all the co of the classic order forover-my-head, but the popular tunes, plenty of the replied that it would be charlad that the pianola was still a thing to be purchased
Tildy had been turned into a very presentable little parlor-maid
There was also a first-rate cook, for Martin was fond of the pleasures of the table On the whole, the little household was comfortable, and Mrs Martin enjoyed her life She had some cards printed with her new name and address, and the notification that she was ”at home” on the third, fourth, and fifth of each month Tildy was very much excited about these At Hoe passed without a single individual calling upon her
Mrs Martin had been settled for over six weeks, and the day of Queen Maggie's great reception at the school in Kensington was drawing on apace Mrs Martin was in a state of subdued exciteht fawn-colored silk with velvet tris of the saers were s of much brilliancy, and she wore a small diamond brooch at her throat The reason of all this festive attire was a si hoed on special business, for the greater part of a week; but he was now returning to his beloved Little-sing, who had missed hiain She knew his tastes to a nicety, and had desired the cook to prepare a very special dinner for his delectation
”Beef-steak pudding, cook,” she said, ”with mutton kidneys, and plenty of oysters; and be sure the crust is very light”
Cook replied that if she did not kno to ht immediately to leave her ”perfession” She was a stout, red-faced woenerally retreated from the kitchen premises as quickly as possible
”Very well,” said Mrs Martin; ”I alad you quite understand You know that my husband is very particular Then we'll have potatoes and fried mushrooms, and I think afterwards apple-tart and cream”