Part 18 (1/2)
”I hope mademoiselle,” Marie corrected herself, ”has not caught a fever.”
”I should hope not,” exclaimed Marjory. ”What put that into your head?”
”Mademoiselle's cheeks are very hot.”
Marjory brought her hand to her face. It did not feel hot, because her hands were equally hot.
”It is nothing but the excitement that brings the color,” she informed Marie. ”I have been living almost like a nun; and now--to get out all at once takes away one's breath.
”Also being a bride.”
”Marie!”
”Eh bien, madame--mademoiselle was married only this morning.”
”You do not seem to understand,” Marjory explained; ”but it is necessary that you should understand. Monsieur Covington is to me only like--like a big brother. It is in order that he might be with me as a big brother we went through the ceremony. People about here talk a great deal, and I have taken his name to prevent that. That is all.
And you are to remain with me and everything is to go on exactly as before, he in his apartments and we in ours. You understand now?”
At least, Marie heard.
”It is rather an amusing situation, is it not?” demanded Marjory.
”I--I do not know,” replied Marie.
”Then in time you shall see. In the mean while, you might smile. Why do you not smile?”
”I--I do not know,” Marie replied honestly.
”You must learn how. It is necessary. It is necessary even to laugh.
Monsieur Covington laughed a great deal this afternoon.”
”He--he is a man,” observed Marie, as if that were some explanation.
”Eh bien--is it men alone who have the privilege of laughing?”
”I do not know,” answered Marie; ”but I have noticed that men laugh a great deal more about some things than women.”
”Then that is because women are fools,” affirmed Marjory petulantly.
Though Marie was by no means convinced, she was ready to drop the matter in her admiration of the picture her mistress made when properly gowned. Whether she wished or not, madame, when she was done with her this evening, looked as a bride should look. And monsieur, waiting below, was worthy of her.
In his evening clothes he looked at least a foot taller than usual.
Marie saw his eyes warm as he slipped over madame's beautiful white shoulders her evening wrap.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Monsieur's eyes warmed as he slipped the wrap over madame's shoulders]
Before madame left she turned and whispered in Marie's ear.