The Nonesuch

“I’m afraid I was uncivil,” she owned.

“No, no, merely quelling!” he assured her.

She could not help laughing, but she was aware of Mrs Mickleby’s eyes upon her, and said: “That was very bad! Excuse me—I must speak with Miss Chartley!”

She walked away immediately, and contrived to remain at a distance from him until the tea-tray was brought in. She was ably assisted by Mrs Mickleby, who kept him at her side, and maintained a flow of vivacious small-talk until Patience had been persuaded to sing. After that, Tiffany renewed her demand that they should play at Jackstraws, which enabled Miss Trent to retire into the back drawing-room, where she became busy, finding the straws, and settling the four youngest members of the party round the table. Sir Waldo made no attempt to follow her; but when she was obliged to return to the front drawing-room, to dispense tea, he came up to the table to receive his cup from her, and asked her quietly if he had offended her.

No, but people are saying that I have set my cap at you!

Unthinkable to utter such words! She said: “Offended me? No, indeed! How should you?”

“I don’t know. If I did, I should be begging you to forgive me.”

Her eyes smarted with sudden tears; she kept them lowered. “How absurd! To own the truth, I have the headache, and should perhaps be begging your pardon for being cross and stupid! This is Mr Chartley’s cup—would you be kind enough, Sir Waldo, to give it to him?”

He took it from her, but said, “If that’s the truth I am sincerely sorry for it, but I don’t think it is. What has happened to distress you?”

“Nothing! Sir Waldo, pray—!”

“How intolerable it is that I should be forced to meet you always in public!” he ejaculated under his breath. “I shall drive over tomorrow—and hope to find you, for once, alone!”

That made her look up. “I don’t think—I mean, it is not—that is, I cannot conceive, sir, why—”

“I wish for some private conversation with you, Miss Trent. Now, don’t freeze me with Indeed! as you froze poor Laurie, or tell me that you can’t conceive why I should hope to find you alone!”

She forced her lips to smile, but said with a good deal of constraint: “Very well—though it is true! But you must know, sir, that it would be quite improper for me—in my situation—to be receiving visitors!”

“Oh, yes! I know that. But mine won’t be a social call!” He saw the guarded look in her face, and his eyes twinkled. “I have a—a certain proposition to lay before you, ma’am! No, I shan’t tell you what it is tonight: I can see you would bite my nose off!”

Chapter 11

But when Sir Waldo called at Staples next day he entered upon a scene of disorder. He did not see Miss Trent at all, but he did see Mrs Underhill; and when she had explained why he should have found them all in an uproar, as she phrased it, he made no attempt to see Miss Trent. He had clearly chosen the wrong moment for declaring himself.

Miss Trent, withdrawing from the party as soon as she had poured out tea, had gone upstairs to find Charlotte looking flushed and heavy-eyed, and obviously suffering a good deal of pain. Her old nurse was ministering to her; and she made it plain that while Miss Trent was at liberty to instruct her nurseling, neither her advice nor her assistance was required when Miss Charlotte was feeling poorly. She had several infallible remedies for the toothache to hand; and although she was sure it was very obliging of Miss Trent to offer to sit up with Miss Charlotte there was not the least need for her to put herself out.

Correctly understanding this to mean that any attempt on her part to lend Nurse her aid would be regarded by that lady as a gross encroachment, Miss Trent retired, not unthankfully, to her own room, and to bed.

But not to sleep. She was tired, but her brain would not rest. The evening, which was fast assuming the proportions of a nightmare, had culminated in a brief exchange with the Nonesuch which provided her with much food for thought, and was open to more than one interpretation.