Part 46 (1/2)

Patricia did not take part in the general babel, beyond pointing out, when Gustave was coming under discussion, that it was he who had gone to the top of the house to call her. She looked meaningly at Mr.

Bolton and Mr. Sefton, who had the grace to appear a little ashamed of themselves.

When Patricia returned in the evening, she found Lady Tanagra awaiting her in the lounge, literally bombarded with different accounts of what had happened--all narrated in the best ”eye-witness” manner of the alarmist press. Following the precept of Charles Lamb, Galvin House had apparently striven to correct the bad impression made through lateness in beginning work by leaving early.

It was obvious that Lady Tanagra had made herself extremely popular.

Everyone was striving to gain her ear for his or her story of personal experiences.

”Ah, here you are!” cried Lady Tanagra as Patricia entered. ”I hear you behaved like a heroine last night.”

Mrs. Craske-Morton nodded her head with conviction.

”Mrs. Morton was the real heroine,” said Patricia. ”She was splendid!”

Mrs. Craske-Morton flushed. To be praised before so distinguished a caller was almost embarra.s.sing, especially as no one had felt it necessary to comment upon her share in the evening's excitement.

”Come up with me while I take off my things,” said Patricia, as she moved towards the door. She saw that any private talk between herself and Lady Tanagra would be impossible in the lounge with Galvin House in its present state of ferment.

In Patricia's room Lady Tanagra subsided into a chair with a sigh. ”I feel as if I were a celebrity arriving at New York,” she laughed.

”They're rather excited,” smiled Patricia, ”but then we live such a humdrum life here--the expression is Mrs. Mosscrop-Smythe's--and much should be forgiven them. A book could be written on the boarding-house mind, I think. It moves in a vicious circle. If someone would only break out and give the poor dears something to talk about.”

”Didn't you do that?” enquired Lady Tanagra slily.

Patricia smiled wearily. ”I take second place now to the raid. Think of living here for the next few weeks. They will think raid, read raid, talk raid and dream raid.” She shuddered. ”Thank heavens I'm off to-morrow.”

”Off to-morrow?” Lady Tanagra raised her eyes in interrogation.

”Yes, to Eastbourne for a fortnight's holiday as provided for in the arrangement existing between one Patricia Brent and Arthur Bonsor, Esquire, M.P. It's part of the wages of the sin of secretarys.h.i.+p.”

Patricia sighed.

”I hope you'll enjoy----”

”Please don't be conventional,” interrupted Patricia. ”I shall not enjoy it in the least. Within twenty-four hours I shall long to be back again. I shall get up in the morning and I shall go to bed at night. In between I shall walk a bit, read a bit, get my nose red (thank heavens it doesn't peel) and become bored to extinction. One thing I won't do, that is wear openwork frocks. The sun shall not print cheap insertion kisses upon Patricia Brent.”

”You're quite sure that it is a holiday,” Lady Tanagra looked up quizzically at Patricia as she stood gazing out of the window.

”A holiday!” repeated Patricia, looking round.

”It sounded just a little depressing,” said Lady Tanagra.

”It will be exactly what it sounds,” Patricia retorted; ”only depressing is not quite the right word, it's too polite. You don't know what it is to be lonely, Tanagra, and live at Galvin House, and try to haul or push a politician into a rising posture. It reminds me of Carlyle on the Dutch.” There was a note of fierce protest in her voice. ”You have all the things that I want, and I wonder I don't scratch your face and tear your hair out. We are all primitive in our instincts really.” Then she laughed. ”Well! I had to cry out to someone, and I shall feel better. It's rather a beastly world for some of us, you know; but I suppose I ought to be spanked for being ungrateful.”

”Do you know why I've come?” enquired Lady Tanagra, thinking it wise to change the subject.

Patricia shook her head. ”A more conceited person might have suggested that it was to see me,” she said demurely.

”To apologise for Peter,” said Lady Tanagra. ”He disobeyed orders and I am very angry with him.”

Patricia flushed at the memory of their good-night. For a few seconds she stood silent, looking out of the window.