England -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Love stories; Social classes -- England -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
When he caught sight of Katherine standing just at the inside of the
stream of passengers, his whole stern face changed, and an illuminating
smile came over it, while he stretched out his hand cordially.
"Miss Bush! Are we to be fellow guests? You are coming to Blissington?
How delightful!"
Katherine made as though she did not see the hand, and with deference
and lowered lids, she said:
"Yes, I am going to Blissington, but Your Grace is under a
misapprehension which I must correct. I am Her Ladyship's typist and
secretary, and I am here now to give you a message, that you are to take
her Ladyship's own small coupé and not the motor which is waiting for
the bandboxes and me."
But with all her demureness, she could not prevent an irresistible and
humorous quiver from dimpling round her lips, and then she raised her
steady eyes and looked at him suddenly as she bowed and moved off
quickly, leaving him for the first time in his life completely
nonplussed! What was the meaning of this comedy? He felt rather angry.
What business had Gerard Strobridge to trick him so? But had he tricked
him? He recollected now that Miss Bush had not been mentioned by Gerard
at all one way or another. She was simply treated as any other guest,
and had come apparently with Gwendoline d'Estaire. That she was a
high-bred lady his own senses had told him, whether she were a typist or
no!--Highly bred and educated and exceptionally cultivated and refined.
She must certainly be the daughter of some friend of Sarah's who had met
with financial misfortune, poor charming girl! And he hurried after
her--but only got outside the station to see her disappear in a motor
already piled up inside with milliner's boxes. So, baffled and still
deeply interested, he entered the coupé awaiting him and was whirled
off. Seraphim would, of course, tell him all about it, and so he
dismissed the matter from his mind; but his first thought when he got
into the hall was to wonder if Katherine would be at tea. She was not.
Tea was a _tête-à-tête_ affair in his old friend's boudoir, where a
hundred thousand things of interest had to be discussed between them,
and no time or chance was given for reference to obscure secretaries.
After tea on her way down to receive the guests, who would continue to
arrive in relays until dressing time, Lady Garribardine went into the
schoolroom to see Katherine.
They spoke of business, and Katherine received orders, and took down
notes, and then she said:
"Your Ladyship will be amused to hear that I met the Duke at dinner at
Mr. Strobridge's. He did not know my position, and I am afraid at the
time I did not undeceive him. It was such a very great pleasure to me to
be taken for a lady and a guest just for once. Of course, I told him at
the station my real position, and he appeared much surprised."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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