The Man and the Moment | Page 7

reseated herself with a
grown-up air in the big armchair.

"Oh! well, he was just--horrid--that was all," and then abruptly turning
the conversation, "It is a nice place you have here, and it does feel
lovely doing something wrong like this--having tea with you, I mean.
You know, I have never spoken to a young man before. The Nuns
always told us they were dreadful creatures--but you don't look so
bad--" and she examined her host critically.
Michael accepted the implied appreciation.
"What is Mr. Greenbank, then?"
The silver laugh rang out again, while she jumped up and peeped from
the window into the courtyard.
"Samuel--he's only a thing! Oh! Uncle and Aunt would be so angry if
they could see me here! And I expect they are all in a fine fuss now to
know what has happened to me! They never saw me go through the
door, and I hope they think that I've committed suicide out of one of the
windows. Look!" and she danced excitedly, "there is Uncle talking to
the commissionaire. Oh, what fun!"
Mr. Arranstoun peeped, too--and saw a spare, elderly American of grim
appearance in anxious confab with Alexander Armstrong.
The whole situation struck him as delightful, and he laughed gaily,
while he suggested: "You are perhaps rather a difficult charge?"
Miss Delburg resented this at once.
"What an idea! How would you like to marry Mr. Greenbank, or stay
with Aunt Jemima for four years!"
"Well, you see, I can't contemplate it, as I am not a girl!"
Again those white teeth showed, and the violet eyes were suffused with
laughter.
"No! Of course not. How silly I am--but I mean, how would you care to
be forced to do something you did not like?"

Michael thought of his own fate.
"By Jove! I should hate it!"
"Well--you can understand me!"
Then the door opened, and the butler and footman brought in the tea,
eyeing their master's guest furtively, while they maintained that
superbly aloof manner of well-bred English servants. The pause their
entrance caused gave Mr. Arranstoun time to think, and an idea
gradually began to unfold itself in his brain--and unconsciously he took
out, and then replaced in his breast pocket, a mauve, closely-written
letter, while a frown of deep cogitation crept over his face.
Miss Delburg, for her part, was only thrilled with the sight of the very
agreeable tea, and after waiting a moment to see what her preoccupied
host would do when the servants left the room, hunger forced her to fall
to the temptation of a particularly appetizing chocolate cake, which she
surreptitiously seized, and began munching with the frank joy of a
child.
"I do love them!" she sighed, "and we never were allowed them, only
once a month after Moravia Cloudwater got that awful toothache, and
had to have a big grinder pulled out."
Michael was paying no attention to her; he had walked rapidly up and
down the room once or twice, much to her astonishment.
At last he spoke.
"I have an idea--but first let me give you some tea--No--do help
yourself," then he paused awkwardly, and she at once proceeded to fill
her cup.
Binko had condescended to emerge from his basket under the table.
Tea-time was an hour when he allowed himself to take an interest in
human beings.

"Oh! you darling!" the girl cried, putting down her cup. "You fat,
lovely, wrinkly darling!"
"He is a nice dog," his master admitted; his voice was actually
nervous--and he pulled Binko to him by his solid, fleshy paws, while he
sat down in his chair again.
Miss Delburg had got back into her seat, where she munched a cake
and continued her tea. The chair was so deep and long that her little bits
of feet did not nearly reach the ground, but dangled there.
"Mayn't I pour you out some, too?" she asked, getting forward again. "I
do love to pour out--and do you take sugar--? I like lumps and lumps of
it."
"Oh--er--yes," Michael agreed absently, and then he went on with the
determined air of a person getting something off his chest. "I hardly
know how to say what I am thinking of, it sounds so strange. Listen--I
also must marry someone--anyone--to avert a fate I don't want--What
do you say to marrying me?"
The teapot came down into the tray with a bump, while the round,
childish eyes grew like saucers with astonishment.
"Oh!"
"I dare say it does surprise you--" Michael then hastened to add. "I
mean, we should only go through the ceremony, of course, and you
could get your money and I my freedom."
The girl clasped her hands round her knees.
"And I should never have to see you again?" in a glad voice of
comprehension.