Feo was amazed at the perfection of what was, of course, an imitation of
herself. Breezy’s niece was a very dark horse, it seemed.
“But where the deuce did you pick him up?” she asked, continuing the
game.
“Oh, my dear, I’ve known him for years. He was an old pal of the man I
married in my teens and was always hanging about the place. I call him
the White Knight because he has such a charming way of rescuing women in
distress. If you’re keen about getting to know him, I’ll work it for
you, with all the pleasure in life.”
Back went that black head with hair like a young Hawaiian. Oh, but this
was immense. A lady’s maid and a bedside jester, rolled into one. And
how inimitably the girl had caught her intonation and manner of
expression. A born actress, that was what she was.
“Don’t bother about me. What are you going to do with him? That’s what I
want to know.”
Lola shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, I dunno,” she said, with a lifelike
Feo drawl. “What can I do with him? Only trail him round.”
“Marry him, of course. That man’s a catch, you fool. Stacks of money,
three show places in the country, a title as old as Rufus, and only one
hand to hit you with.”
“But I’m not marrying,” said Lola.
And that was too much for Feo. She threw the clothes back and kicked up
her heels like a schoolgirl. But before she could congratulate her
lady’s maid on a delightful bit of acting and an egregious piece of
impertinence that was worth all the Sundays in London to watch, the
telephone bell rang and brought her back to facts.
“Just see who that is, will you? And before you say I’m here, find out
who it is.”
“Yes, my lady,” said Lola. The little game was over. It hadn’t lasted
long. But if it had put her ladyship into a generous mood——
It was Mrs. Winchfield, calling up from Aylesbury.
“Oh, well,” said Feo, with the remembrance of great dullness. “Give me
the ’phone and get my bath ready. And tell them to let me have lots of
breakfast in half an hour, here. I could eat a horse.”
“Very good, my lady.”
And when Lola returned, having carried out her orders and still tingling
with the triumph of having proved her courage and her wit, she found
Lady Feo lying in the middle of the room, on her back, doing exercises.
“All the dullards have left the Winchfields’,” she said. “There’s to be
a pucca man there this afternoon, one I’ve had my eye on for weeks.
Quick’s the word, Lola. Get me dressed and into the car. This is Sunday
and I’m in London. It’s perfectly absurd. I shall stay the night, of
course, and I shan’t want you till to-morrow at six. What’ll you do?
Lunch at the Carlton?”
“I shall go home, my lady.” But the twinkle returned.
“Oh, yes, of course. I spoilt your holiday, didn’t I? By the way, does
your mother know that you’re in society now?”
And Lola replied, “The bath is ready, my lady.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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