Part 8 (2/2)
Brewster isn't at home; but I'll come in and wait till she does. I'm her grandmother, Mrs. Carroll; you've probably heard her speak of me, and I guess you're the girl she tells about in her letters sometimes. You've got a pretty name, my dear, and you look real neat and clean. Now if you'll just take my bag, it's pretty heavy, and----”
Annita had not taken her beady black eyes off the little presence. ”I never let strangers in when Mrs. Brewster's not at home,” she said stolidly. ”It ain't to be expected that I should. I guess you'll have to come again, about four this afternoon, maybe.”
”I like to see a hired girl careful and watchful,” said grandma approvingly, ”but if you look in the photograph alb.u.m I gave my grandaughter Lizzie, on her sixteenth birthday, you'll see my picture on the front page, and that'll relieve you of all responsibility.” She pushed determinedly past the astonished Annita, and was laying off her bonnet in the front room before that young person could collect her forces for a second protest.
”So your mistress isn't coming home for dinner?” Mrs. Carroll's voice full of kindly inflections pursued Miss McMurtry to her final stronghold. ”My! I'd forgotten what a small kitchen this was. Dark, isn't it? I'm afraid that's what makes you look so pale. Now if you'll just make me a cup of tea--or let me do it if you're busy; I'm used to waiting on myself. I suppose I'll find the tea-caddy in here.”
”You--let--my place alone--you!” hissed Annita, livid with rage, as Grandma Carroll laid her hand on the door of the cupboard. But she was too late; the open door disclosed a large frosted cake, a heap of delicately browned rolls and a roasted chicken.
”Well, well! your cooking looks very nice indeed. I suppose you're expecting company; but if you can spare me one of those tasty rolls I shall make out nicely with the tea. Be sure and have it hot, my dear.”
And grandma pattered gently back into the dining-room, smiling wisely to herself.
Just how many of Miss McMurtry's plans went awry that afternoon it would be hard to say. At three o'clock, when a mysterious black-robed elderly person carrying a capacious basket came up in the elevator she was met in the corridor by a white-visaged fury in a frilled cap and ap.r.o.n, who implored her distractedly to go away.
”An' phwat for should I go away; ain't the things ready as usual?”
demanded the lady with the basket. ”I'd like me cup o' tea, too; I'm that tired an' cold.”
Miss McMurtry almost wept on the maternal shoulder. ”I've got a lovely chicken,” she whispered, ”an' a cake, besides the rolls you was hungry for, an' the groceries; but her gran'mother, bad luck to her, come this mornin' from the country, an' she's helpin' me _clean my kitchen_.”
”Phwat for 'd you let her into your kitchen?” demanded the elder McMurtry indignantly. ”I'm surprised at ye, Annie.”
”I didn't let her in, she walked right out and poked her nose into me cupboard without so much as sayin' by your leave. I think I'll be leavin' my place; I won't wait t' be trowed out by her.” Miss McMurtry's tone was bitter. ”They ain't much anyway. I'd rather go where there was more to do with.”
”Right you are, Annie, my girl, I've towld you that same many's the time. But if you're leavin' the night be sure--” The woman's voice dropped to a hissing whisper.
”I'll do it sure, and maybe--” The girl's black eyes gleamed wickedly as she caught the creak and rattle of the ascending elevator ”--I can do better than what you said in the end. It's safe enough with the likes o'
them. They're easy.”
At six o'clock in fluttered Elizabeth, a vision of elegant femininity in her soft furs and plumes and trailing skirts. Darling grandmamma was kissed and embraced quite in the latest fas.h.i.+on, and the two sat down cosily to visit while Annita set the table for dinner with stony composure.
”I've been here since noon,” said grandma, complacently, ”and I've been putting in my time helping your hired girl clean her cupboards.”
”What! Annita? You've been helping Annita?”
”Why, yes; I didn't have anything else to do, and the cupboards certainly did need cleaning. Seems to me, Lizzie, you keep a big stock of all sorts of groceries on hand for so small a family as yours.”
”Do we?” asked Elizabeth, yawning daintily. ”I'm sure I don't know what we have. Annita is perfectly competent to attend to everything in the kitchen, and I never interfere. She doesn't like it, and so why should I.”
”What are you paying for b.u.t.ter this winter?” grandma wanted to know, after a thoughtful pause.
”I'm sure I don't know, the usual price, I suppose. Sam attends to the bills. He looks them over every night when he comes home, and gives Annita the money to pay them with.”
”Hum!” commented grandma, surveying her granddaughter keenly over the top of her spectacles; ”that's a new way to keep house, seems to me.”
”It's a nice way, I know that,” laughed Elizabeth.
She had changed subtly from the shy, undeveloped girl who had left Innisfield less than a year ago into a luxuriance of bloom and beauty which astonished the older woman. There was an air of poise, of elegance, of a.s.sured dignity about her slender figure which fitted her as did her gown.
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