A Great Success | Page 9

couldn't dream, ma'am, of goin' in
different to the others!"
"You silly creature!" said Doris, springing up. "Look here--I'll lend you
my spare blouse. You can turn it in at the neck, and wear my white
scarf. You'll be as smart as any of them!"
And half laughing, half compassionate, she pulled her blouse out of the
box, adjusted the white scarf to it herself, and sent the bewildered Jane

about her business, after having shown her first how to unpack her
mistress's modest belongings, and strictly charged her to return half an
hour before dinner. "Of course I shall dress myself,--but you may as
well have a lesson."
The girl went, and Doris was left stormily wondering why she had been
such a fool as to bring her. Then her sense of humour conquered, and
her brow cleared. She went to the open window and stood looking over
the park beyond. Sunset lay broad and rich over the wide stretches of
grass, and on the splendid oaks lifting their dazzling leaf to the purest
of skies. The roses in the garden sent up their scent, there was a
plashing of water from an invisible fountain, and the deer beyond the
fence wandered in and out of the broad bands of shadow drawn across
the park. Doris's young feet fidgeted under her. She longed to be out
exploring the woods and the lake. Why was she immured in this stupid
room, to which Lady Dunstable had conducted her with a chill
politeness which had said plainly enough "Here you are--and here you
stay!--till dinner!"
"If I could only find a back-staircase," she thought, "I would soon be
enjoying myself! Arthur, lucky wretch, said something about playing
golf. No!--there he is!"
And sure enough, on the farthest edge of the lawn going towards the
park, she saw two figures walking--Lady Dunstable and Arthur! "Deep
in talk of course--having the best of times--while I am shut up
here--half-past six!--on a glorious evening!" The reflection, however,
was, on the whole, good-humoured. She did not feel, as yet, either
jealous or tragic. Some day, she supposed, if it was to be her lot to visit
country houses, she would get used to their ways. For Arthur, of course,
it was useful--perhaps necessary--to be put through his paces by a
woman like Lady Dunstable. "And he can hold his own. But for me? I
contribute nothing. I don't belong to them--they don't want me--and
what use have I for them?"
Her meditations, however, were here interrupted by a knock. On her
saying "Come in"--the door opened cautiously to admit the face of the
substantial lady, Miss Field, to whom Doris had been introduced at the

tea-table.
"Are you resting?" said Miss Field, "or only 'interned'?"
"Oh, please come in!" cried Doris. "I never was less tired in my life."
Miss Field entered, and took the armchair that Doris offered her,
fronting the open window and the summer scene. Her face would have
suited the Muse of Mirth, if any Muse is ever forty years of age. The
small, up-turned nose and full red lips were always smiling; so were the
eyes; and the fair skin and still golden hair, the plump figure and gay
dress of flower-sprigged muslin, were all in keeping with the part.
"You have never seen my cousin before?" she inquired.
"Lady Dunstable? Is she your cousin?"
Miss Field nodded. "My first cousin. And I spend a great part of the
year here, helping in different ways. Rachel can't do without me now,
so I'm able to keep her in order. Don't ever be shy with her! Don't ever
let her think she frightens you!--those are the two indispensable rules
here."
"I'm afraid I should break them," said Doris, slowly. "She does frighten
me--horribly!"
"Ah, well, you didn't show it--that's the chief thing. You know she's a
much more human creature than she seems."
"Is she?" Doris's eyes pursued the two distant figures in the park.
"You'd think, for instance, that Lord Dunstable was just a cipher? Not
at all. He's the real authority here, and when he puts his foot down
Rachel always gives in. But of course she's stood in the way of his
career."
Doris shrank a little from these indiscretions. But she could not keep
her curiosity out of her eyes, and Miss Field smilingly answered it.

"She's absorbed him so! You see he watches her all the time. She's like
an endless play to him. He really doesn't care for anything else--he
doesn't want anything else. Of course they're very rich. But he might
have done something in politics, if she hadn't been so much more
important than he. And then, naturally, she's made enemies--powerful
enemies. Her friends come here of course--her old cronies--the people
who can put up with