Part 31 (1/2)
”Oh, don't!” she said, her voice weak frohter burst forth uncontrollable
”Yes,” he said, delighted with hio and bury himself!” ”I suppose you don't like Mr Wrissell?”
”Well--” he temporized
”I didn't at first,” she said ”I hated hi hientleman You knoas Lord Woldo's heir And when Lord Woldo married me it was a bit of a blow for him! But he took it like a lamb
He never turned a hair, and he was more polite than any of them
I daresay you know Lord Woldo saw h--he has a place near there, ye know Mr Wrissell had ht fads, and I do believe he asked me to marry him just to annoy Mr Wrissell He used to say to me, my husband did, that he'd married me in too much of a hurry, and that it was too bad on Mr Wrissell And then he laughed, and I laughed too 'After all,' he used to say, ht happen to any member of the House of Lords--and it does happen to a lot of 'e as beautiful as you, Blanche,' he used to say 'And you stick up for yourself, Blanche,' he used to say 'I'll stand by you,' he said He was a straight 'un, my husband was They left an--I ot worse Only I must say even then Mr Wrissell never turned a hair Everybody seerateful to theht to think myself very lucky Me--a peeress of the reale? I was Blanche Wilot a show in London--and Blanche Wilmot I shall ever be--peeress or no peeress! It was no joke being Lord Woldo's wife, I can tell you, and it's still less of a joke being Lord Woldo'sabout a china vase all the time on a slippery floor! Am I any happier now than I was before I married? Well, I _am_! There's more worry in one way, but there's less in another And of course I've got Bobbie!
But it isn't all beer and skittles, and I let 'em know it, too I can't do what I like! And I' on the stage and showing ets used to it One gets to need it Soe again--Oh--oh--!”
She sneezed; then took breath
”Shall I put soested
”Perhaps I'd better ring,” she hesitated
”No, I'll do it”
He put coal on the fire
”And if you'd feel easier with that flannel round your head, please do put it on again”
”Well,” she said, ”I will My ht like red flannel for a cold”
With an actress's skill she arranged the flannel, and fro--and she knew it Her complexion had suffered in ten years of the road, but its extreht:
”All the _really_ pretty girls co on,” she said ”I alas a rare rambler What do you want me to do?”
”Exert your influence,” he replied ”Don't you think it's rather hard on Rose Euclid--treating her like this? Of course people say all sorts of things about Rose Euclid--”
”I won't hear a word against Rose Euclid,” cried Lady Woldo ”Whenever she was on tour, if she knew any of us were resting in the tohere she was she'd send us seats AndAnd then she's the life and soul of the Theatrical Ladies' Guild”
”And isn't that your husband's signature?” he de the precious option
”Of course it is”
He did not show her the covering letter
”And I've no doubt my husband _wanted_ a theatre built there, and he wanted to do Rose Euclid a good turn And I'm quite positive certain sure that he didn't want any of Mr Wrissell's rigmaroles on his land
He wasn't that sort, o to law about it,” she finished
”Yes,” said Edward Henry, protestingly ”And a pretty penny it would costI lost, after all? You never know There's ato law,”
”What is it?”