equally cool, but with a faint hint of amusement in it. “ What else could you expect from that type of female? They know nothing of a straightforward approach—it is all tricks and artifices and cunning. The hussy wanted access to this house—for some purpose of her own—and that was her means of achieving it. ”
“ You think so? ”
“ My dear Mordred, I am sure of it. ”
“ But the other girl—the pretty one—seemed quite a different kind; much more ladylike, and better bred altogether. ”
“ She ’ s sharper, that ’ s all; has picked up a bit more of what passes for polish. My advice to you, Mordred, is to bundle them both out of doors as soon as the wet one has got dry clothes on her back. Think what my uncle would say if he knew they were here! ”
Evidently the other shrugged, or grimaced, for the first voice spoke again.
“ Well, to be sure, he is not likely to know—but in the circumstances it will hardly do to allow two strange females to remain. Consider his disgust for the whole sex! ”
Delphie had heard enough to give her considerable food for thought. Acting with almost instinctive care, she retraced her steps across the wide hall, walking soundlessly on the dusty flagstones; she then returned toward the open door at a brisk pace, making as much noise as possible.
Now one of the voices was saying impatiently,
“ I wish Elaine would come. When I met her during that month in Bath I thought she consulted her own wishes more than anything else in the world, but I thought also that she had reasonable sense. This is no time for some flighty quirk! ”
“ She ’ ll come, Gareth, never doubt, ” the other said soothingly. “ Probably stopped to assemble a suitable wardrobe. What a combination of events, after all—! ”
There was a snort of laughter from the speaker addressed as Gareth; and then Delphie walked into the room, and the two men, who had been standing by the fireplace, turned, with a signal lack of enthusiasm, she thought, to greet her.
The room she had entered was a library, well furnished with leather-bound books, which lined three of the walls, and all of which looked to be of considerable antiquity. A fire burned under a black marble mantelpiece, a businesslike desk, covered with papers, occupied one corner , and a large table, leather-covered, gold-embossed, and badly in need of repair, stood in the middle of the room. A clutter of armchairs surrounded the fire, which Delphie approached with shivering gratitude. It was impossible to come very close to it, however, because of the aged dogs now huddled around the warmth.
“ May I have the honor of procuring you some refreshment, ma ’ am? ” said the man called Fitzjohn, after a short, awkward pause. “ What shall it be? I fear we are somewhat at sixes and sevens at present for we have illness in the house—Fidd has been called off—would you care for a glass of Madeira? I am afraid the household may not be supplied with tea, or any such ladies ’ drink. ”
Delphie replied equably that Madeira would do very well, and he went quickly away. She was left with the dark-haired man, who appeared to be taking calmly hostile stock of her. Delphie ’ s spirits always rose to such a challenge—she had bested enough antagonistic and recalcitrant pupils to be unmoved by dislike; she met his regard with an equally cool appraisement, and remarked, since he had not inquired,
“ My friend is going on well, thanks to the prompt and practical attention of your servants, for which I thank you; I am in hopes she may suffer no ill effects from her unfortunate mishap. ”
His eyes were very handsome, she thought (at least they would have been if they had held a pleasanter expression): almost black, and well set under level dark brows; his face was rather too long and thin, certainly, but his mouth, if it had not been folded into such an unaccommodating line, ought to have been redeemingly wide; and he had a good nose,
“ You think so? ”
“ My dear Mordred, I am sure of it. ”
“ But the other girl—the pretty one—seemed quite a different kind; much more ladylike, and better bred altogether. ”
“ She ’ s sharper, that ’ s all; has picked up a bit more of what passes for polish. My advice to you, Mordred, is to bundle them both out of doors as soon as the wet one has got dry clothes on her back. Think what my uncle would say if he knew they were here! ”
Evidently the other shrugged, or grimaced, for the first voice spoke again.
“ Well, to be sure, he is not likely to know—but in the circumstances it will hardly do to allow two strange females to remain. Consider his disgust for the whole sex! ”
Delphie had heard enough to give her considerable food for thought. Acting with almost instinctive care, she retraced her steps across the wide hall, walking soundlessly on the dusty flagstones; she then returned toward the open door at a brisk pace, making as much noise as possible.
Now one of the voices was saying impatiently,
“ I wish Elaine would come. When I met her during that month in Bath I thought she consulted her own wishes more than anything else in the world, but I thought also that she had reasonable sense. This is no time for some flighty quirk! ”
“ She ’ ll come, Gareth, never doubt, ” the other said soothingly. “ Probably stopped to assemble a suitable wardrobe. What a combination of events, after all—! ”
There was a snort of laughter from the speaker addressed as Gareth; and then Delphie walked into the room, and the two men, who had been standing by the fireplace, turned, with a signal lack of enthusiasm, she thought, to greet her.
The room she had entered was a library, well furnished with leather-bound books, which lined three of the walls, and all of which looked to be of considerable antiquity. A fire burned under a black marble mantelpiece, a businesslike desk, covered with papers, occupied one corner , and a large table, leather-covered, gold-embossed, and badly in need of repair, stood in the middle of the room. A clutter of armchairs surrounded the fire, which Delphie approached with shivering gratitude. It was impossible to come very close to it, however, because of the aged dogs now huddled around the warmth.
“ May I have the honor of procuring you some refreshment, ma ’ am? ” said the man called Fitzjohn, after a short, awkward pause. “ What shall it be? I fear we are somewhat at sixes and sevens at present for we have illness in the house—Fidd has been called off—would you care for a glass of Madeira? I am afraid the household may not be supplied with tea, or any such ladies ’ drink. ”
Delphie replied equably that Madeira would do very well, and he went quickly away. She was left with the dark-haired man, who appeared to be taking calmly hostile stock of her. Delphie ’ s spirits always rose to such a challenge—she had bested enough antagonistic and recalcitrant pupils to be unmoved by dislike; she met his regard with an equally cool appraisement, and remarked, since he had not inquired,
“ My friend is going on well, thanks to the prompt and practical attention of your servants, for which I thank you; I am in hopes she may suffer no ill effects from her unfortunate mishap. ”
His eyes were very handsome, she thought (at least they would have been if they had held a pleasanter expression): almost black, and well set under level dark brows; his face was rather too long and thin, certainly, but his mouth, if it had not been folded into such an unaccommodating line, ought to have been redeemingly wide; and he had a good nose,
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