Wayne followed the clergyman through the unfamiliar apparatus of
the school kitchen to the farther end of the room. The young women
indicated were evidently enjoying themselves and as the two men
approached one of them laughed happily--a laugh of quality that drew
Wayne’s attention to her. He stopped suddenly, seeing that she was
beyond question the girl he had met in the art gallery; there was no
mistaking that head of hers! Her back was toward the door, and she
had not heard the men approach. Her laugh rang out again--it was
like a flash of water down a hillside, or any other bright and happy
thing. She turned, towel and cup in hand, as the minister greeted her
companion and introduced Wayne.
“This is Mr. Craighill, looking for a model cooking school, and he knew
where to come!”
“Oh, Miss Morley, this is my friend, Mr. Craighill. He’s been watching
our show upstairs. I haven’t dared ask how he liked it, but he’s a
judge of coffee and he drank all of yours!”
Paddock’s joy in his work shone in his face; he was immensely pleased
that Wayne had given him the evening. One of the dish-washers drew
him away to meet a newcomer, and Wayne and Miss Morley regarded each
other gravely. Her arms were bared to the elbows; she held a half-dried
cup in her hands; a blue check apron covered her gown. There was no
question of recognition; both remembered their former meeting. Wayne
spoke at once.
“This is different from the art gallery. I was sorry about that. You
were quite right--not to want to know me. I have thought about that
afternoon a good deal.”
“I have thought about it too,” said the girl, “and I have been sorry I
spoke to you as I did. I had no right to assume that you did not mean
to be kind. I shouldn’t have stopped to talk to you that afternoon if
I had not been so full of the picture that I really didn’t think about
myself--or you. The portrait seemed somehow to make it right enough
in the first place--it all seemed impersonal. But I didn’t like your
wanting to take my sketch.”
“You didn’t like it,” said Wayne, “because I am who I am. And you
were right. I have thought of it since and you were quite right. I am
glad to have this chance of telling you so. I saw you in my sister’s
house that same afternoon and I asked her who you were and she would
not tell me--you see I am a very bad man,” he concluded, and bowed
slightly, looking down at her hands that were long and fine, but
labour-roughened, as he had seen that first day.
“I didn’t know you were interested in this sort of work,” she said,
so obviously wishing to be kind that he smiled as their eyes met. Her
crown of dark hair, her fair skin, her splendid blue eyes with their
mystical gray shadows struck him anew.
“I can’t allow you to be deceived about me. I was never here before or
in any such place. I have heard of such things, and haven’t approved of
them. I came out to-night because Mr. Paddock is an old friend.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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