Read Online The Black Benedicts by Anita Charles - Free Book Online
Authors: Anita Charles
Ads: Link
Mallory was about to knock and await permission to enter, but Serena unhesitatingly thrust open the door, quite sure of her welcome, and stood beaming upon the threshold of the long, flower-filled, softly-lighted room.
Mallory had a confused impression of sleek heads of men and black dinner-jacketed forms, and dresses which repeated all the tints in the rainbow, seen through a haze of cigarette smoke, which was curling upwards to the Adam ceiling. One pair of eyes, enormous and green as a cat ’ s, and bla ckl y l ashed, gazed languidly across at her from the depths of the most comfortable armchair in the room, and their owner had her feet on a footstool, and it was about her that all others seemed to be gathered, like courtiers paying homage before the occupant of a throne.
“ Why, Serena! ” exclaimed this green-eyed beauty, in a voice that was as languid as her looks—and that she was beautiful no one could ever dispute, for hers was a beauty of colouring as well as perfection of feature, her complexion flawless as a paper-white rose, her lips red and inviting, her hair a coronet of silken black braids wound about her shapely head. And the dress she was wearing must have cost far more than even a popular ballerina could afford. “ Come here, child I Come and see what we ’ ve got for you! ”
There was a basket on the rug in front of the glowing electric fire, and Serena made straight for it, holding her breath when out from it emerged a pure white Siamese kitten, whose ears and tail had not yet acquired that delicate chocolate hue which would distinguish them later on. Its eyes were as blue as cornflowers, however, and Serena picked it up, crooned over it delightedly. “ Oh, how perfect, ” she cried. “ How perfect! ” She looked up at Mallory, and her eyes were sparkling.
“ Hold it, Miss Gower, ” she invited, thrusting the kitten at her. “ It ’ s as soft as silk. ”
Mallory took it from her gently, and the little creature, terrified by so many strange humans collected around it, nestled against her as if seeking protection, and unexpectedly loud purrs filled the room.
“ Why, it likes you, ” Serena cried, as if amazed. “ It likes you even better than it does me! Look, Uncle Raife, the kitten really likes Miss Gower! ”
“ The kitten has probably got good taste, ” Raife Benedict observed, tossing away his cigarette in order to lean forward and tweak one of the soft white ears. “ And Siamese kittens especially are reputed to have good sense as well. ”
His eyes, without any sign of humour in them, seemed to be looking curiously at Mallory.
Sonia Martingale ’ s voice, also as soft as silk, but with a note like ice behind .the unruffled laziness of it, remarked with apparent casualness:
“ I am not at all fond of cats, Siamese or otherwise. I much prefer dogs. ”
And she, too, was looking at Mallory, but there was no friendliness at all in her gaze.
Her host looked down at her, an odd smile curving his lips.
“ Poor Sonia, ” he said teasingly, bending over her caressingly to pat her hands. “ Didn ’ t the kitten purr loudly enough for you? Never mind! ”
“ I don ’ t mind, ” Sonia assured him, looking up into his dark face with a brilliant smile. “ My own dog comes into my room in the morning and gives me the most tremendous morning greeting, licking me all over the face. So why do I have to bother about any other animal? ”
“ You don ’ t have to bother about anything or anyone—they bother about you! ” Raife assured her, leaning negligently against the white marble fireplace and carelessly lighting another cigarette. “ And if you ask me, you possess an extraordinarily sensible dog ! ” There was a look on his face as he studied his most beautiful guest which Mallory found it a little difficult to understand, for altogether there was a little flicker of something like tenderness in his eyes as they watched her, there was undoubted amusement behind the
Mallory had a confused impression of sleek heads of men and black dinner-jacketed forms, and dresses which repeated all the tints in the rainbow, seen through a haze of cigarette smoke, which was curling upwards to the Adam ceiling. One pair of eyes, enormous and green as a cat ’ s, and bla ckl y l ashed, gazed languidly across at her from the depths of the most comfortable armchair in the room, and their owner had her feet on a footstool, and it was about her that all others seemed to be gathered, like courtiers paying homage before the occupant of a throne.
“ Why, Serena! ” exclaimed this green-eyed beauty, in a voice that was as languid as her looks—and that she was beautiful no one could ever dispute, for hers was a beauty of colouring as well as perfection of feature, her complexion flawless as a paper-white rose, her lips red and inviting, her hair a coronet of silken black braids wound about her shapely head. And the dress she was wearing must have cost far more than even a popular ballerina could afford. “ Come here, child I Come and see what we ’ ve got for you! ”
There was a basket on the rug in front of the glowing electric fire, and Serena made straight for it, holding her breath when out from it emerged a pure white Siamese kitten, whose ears and tail had not yet acquired that delicate chocolate hue which would distinguish them later on. Its eyes were as blue as cornflowers, however, and Serena picked it up, crooned over it delightedly. “ Oh, how perfect, ” she cried. “ How perfect! ” She looked up at Mallory, and her eyes were sparkling.
“ Hold it, Miss Gower, ” she invited, thrusting the kitten at her. “ It ’ s as soft as silk. ”
Mallory took it from her gently, and the little creature, terrified by so many strange humans collected around it, nestled against her as if seeking protection, and unexpectedly loud purrs filled the room.
“ Why, it likes you, ” Serena cried, as if amazed. “ It likes you even better than it does me! Look, Uncle Raife, the kitten really likes Miss Gower! ”
“ The kitten has probably got good taste, ” Raife Benedict observed, tossing away his cigarette in order to lean forward and tweak one of the soft white ears. “ And Siamese kittens especially are reputed to have good sense as well. ”
His eyes, without any sign of humour in them, seemed to be looking curiously at Mallory.
Sonia Martingale ’ s voice, also as soft as silk, but with a note like ice behind .the unruffled laziness of it, remarked with apparent casualness:
“ I am not at all fond of cats, Siamese or otherwise. I much prefer dogs. ”
And she, too, was looking at Mallory, but there was no friendliness at all in her gaze.
Her host looked down at her, an odd smile curving his lips.
“ Poor Sonia, ” he said teasingly, bending over her caressingly to pat her hands. “ Didn ’ t the kitten purr loudly enough for you? Never mind! ”
“ I don ’ t mind, ” Sonia assured him, looking up into his dark face with a brilliant smile. “ My own dog comes into my room in the morning and gives me the most tremendous morning greeting, licking me all over the face. So why do I have to bother about any other animal? ”
“ You don ’ t have to bother about anything or anyone—they bother about you! ” Raife assured her, leaning negligently against the white marble fireplace and carelessly lighting another cigarette. “ And if you ask me, you possess an extraordinarily sensible dog ! ” There was a look on his face as he studied his most beautiful guest which Mallory found it a little difficult to understand, for altogether there was a little flicker of something like tenderness in his eyes as they watched her, there was undoubted amusement behind the
Similar Books
