Part 15 (1/2)

”When you've watered your plant and kept it in the suns.h.i.+ne you don't have to make it bloom. It will do that of itself.”

”But all these young men?--and this young Wappinger--?”

”I should let them alone.”

”Not young Wappinger!”

”What harm is he doing? I admit that the present situation has its foolish aspects from your point of view and mine; but I can think of things a great deal worse. At least you know there is nothing clandestine going on; and young people who have the virtue of being open have the very first quality of all. If you let them alone--or leave them to sympathetic management--you will probably find that they will outgrow the whole thing, as children outgrow an inordinate love of sweets.”

There was a brief pause, during which he stood looking down at her, a smile something like that of amus.e.m.e.nt hovering about his lips.

”So that, in your judgment,” he began again, ”the whole thing resolves itself into a matter of discretion. But now--if you'll pardon me for asking anything so blunt--how am I to know that you would be discreet?”

For an instant she lifted her eyes to his, as if begging to be spared the reply.

”If it's not a fair question--” he began.

”It _is_ a fair question,” she admitted; ”only it's one I find difficult to answer. If it wasn't important--urgently important--that I should obtain work, I should prefer not to answer it at all. I must tell you that I haven't always been discreet. I've had to learn discretion--by bitter lessons.”

”I'm not asking about the past,” he broke in, hastily, ”but about the future.”

”About the future one cannot say; one can only try.”

”Then suppose we try it?”

His own words took him by surprise, for he had meant to be more cautious; but now that they were uttered he was ready to stand by them.

Once more, as it seemed to him, he could detect the light of relief steal into her expression, but she made no response.

”Suppose we try it?” he said again.

”It's for you to decide,” she answered, quietly. ”My position places me entirely at the disposal of any one who is willing to employ me.”

”So that this is better than nothing,” he said, in some disappointment at her lack of enthusiasm.

”I shouldn't put it in that way,” she smiled; ”but then I shouldn't put it in any way, until I saw whether or not I gave you satisfaction. You must remember you're engaging an untried person; and, as I've told you, I have nothing in the way of recommendations.”

”We will a.s.sume that you don't need them.”

”It's a good deal to a.s.sume; but since you're good enough to do it, I can't help being grateful. Is there any particular time when you would like me to begin?”

”Perhaps,” he suggested, drawing up a small chair and seating himself nearer her, ”it would be best to settle the business part of our arrangement first. You must tell me frankly if there is anything in what I propose that you don't find satisfactory.”

”I'm sure there won't be,” Diane murmured, faintly, with a feeling akin to shame that any one should be offering to pay for such feeble services as hers. She was thankful that the winter dusk, creeping into the room, hid the surging of the hot color in her face, as Derek talked of sums of money and dates of payment. She did her best to pretend to give him her attention, but she gathered nothing from what he said. If she had any coherent thought at all, it was of the greatness, the force, the authority, of one who could control her future, and dictate her acts, and prescribe her duties, with something like the power of a G.o.d. In times past she would have tried to weave her spell around this strong man, in sheer wantonness of conquest, as Vivian threw her enchantments over Merlin; now she was conscious only of a strange willingness to submit to him, to take his yoke, and bow down under it, serving him as master.

She was glad when he ended, leaving her free to rise and say his arrangements suited her exactly. She had promised to join Miss Lucilla van Tromp and Mrs. Eveleth at tea, and perhaps he would come with her.

”No, I'll run away now,” he said, accompanying her to the door, ”if you'll be good enough to make my excuses to Lucilla. But one word more!

You asked me when you had better begin. I should say as soon as you can.