CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
ANOTHER ACCIDENT!
Dinner was served unusually early that evening, and was an embarrassingordeal from which Peggy was thankful to escape.
On her way upstairs, however, Rosalind called her back with an eagerpetition.
"Oh, Peggy! would you mind awwanging some flowers? A big hamper hasjust awwived from town, and the servants are all so dweadfully busy. Imust get dwessed in time to help mother to weceive, but it wouldn'tmatter if you were a few minutes late. Thanks so much! Awfullyobliged."
She gave her thanks before an assent had been spoken, and trippedsmilingly away, while Peggy went back to the big room to find a greattray full of hothouse treasures waiting to be arranged, and no availingvases in which to place them. The flowers, however, were so beautiful,and the fronds of maidenhair so green and graceful, that the work was apleasure; she enjoyed discovering unlikely places in which to groupthem, and lingered so long over her arrangements that the suddenstriking of the clock sent her flying upstairs in a panic ofconsternation. Another quarter of an hour and the vicarage party wouldarrive, for they had been bidden a little in advance of the rest, sothat Robert might help his mother and sister in receiving their guests.Peggy tore off dress and apron, and made all the speed she could, butshe was still standing in dressing-jacket and frilled white petticoat,brushing out her long waves of hair when the door opened and Esther andMellicent entered. They had begged to be shown to Miss Saville's room,and came rustling in, smiling and beaming, with woollen caps over theirheads, snow-shoes on their feet, and fleecy shawls swathed round andround their figures, and fastened with a hairpin on the left shoulder,in secure and elegant fashion. Peggy stood, brush in hand, staring atthem and shaking with laughter.
"He! he! he! I hope you are warm enough! Esther looks like a sausage,and Mellicent looks like a dumpling. Come here, and I'll unwind you.You look as if you could not move an inch, hand or foot."
"It was mother," Mellicent explained. "She was so afraid we would catchcold. Oh, Peggy, you are not half dressed. You will be late! Whateverhave you been doing? Have you had a nice day? Did you enjoy it? Whatdid you have for dinner?"
Peggy waved her brush towards the door in dramatic warning.
"Rosalind's room!" she whispered. "Don't yell, my love, unless you wishevery word to be overheard. This is her dressing-room, which she lentto me for the occasion, so there's only a door between us.--There, now,you are free. Oh, dear me, how you have squashed your sash! You reallymust remember to lift it up when you sit down. You had better standwith your back to the fire, to take out the creases."
Mellicent's face clouded for a moment, but brightened again as shecaught sight of her reflection in the swing glass. Crumples or nocrumples, there was no denying that blue was a becoming colour. Theplump, rosy cheeks dimpled with satisfaction, and the flaxen head wastwisted to and fro to survey herself in every possible position.
"Is my hair right at the back? How does the bow look? I haven't burst,have I? I thought I heard something crack in the cab. Do you think Iwill do?"
"Put on your slippers, and I'll tell you. Anyone would look a fright inevening dress and snow-shoes."
Peggy's answer was given with a severity which sent Mellicent waddlingacross the room to turn out the contents of the bag which lay on thecouch, but the next moment came a squeal of consternation, and there shestood in the attitude of a tragedy queen, with staring eyes, partedlips, and two shabby black slippers grasped in either hand.
"M-m-m-my old ones!" she gasped in horror-stricken accents."B-b-b-brought them by mistake!" It was some moments before hercompanions fully grasped the situation, for the new slippers had beenblack too, and of much the same make as those now exhibited. MrsAsplin had had many yearnings over white shoes and stockings, all silkand satin, and tinkling diamond buckles like those which had beendisplayed in Peggy's dress-box. Why should not her darlings have daintypossessions like other girls? It went to her heart to think what animprovement these two articles would make in the simple costumes; thenshe remembered her husband's delicate health, his exhaustion at the endof the day, and the painful effort with which he nerved himself to freshexertions, and felt a bigger pang at the thought of wasting money sohardly earned. As her custom was on such occasions, she put the wholematter before the girls, talking to them as friends, and asking theirhelp in her decision.
"You see, darlings," she said, "I want to do my very best for you, andif it would be a real disappointment not to have these things, I'llmanage it somehow, for once in a way. But it's a question whether youwould have another chance of wearing them, and it seems a great deal ofmoney to spend for just one evening, when poor dear father--"
"Oh, mother, no, don't think of it! Black ones will do perfectly well.What can it matter what sort of shoes and stockings we wear? It won'tmake the least difference in our enjoyment," said Esther the sensible;but Mellicent was by no means of this opinion.
"I don't know about that! I love white legs!" she sighed dolefully."All my life long it has been my ambition to have white legs. Silk oneswith little bits of lace let in down the front, like Peggy's. They'reso beautiful! It doesn't seem a bit like a party to wear blackstockings; only of course I know I must, for I'd hate to waste father'smoney. When I grow up I shall marry a rich man, and have everything Iwant. It's disgusting to be poor... Will they be nice black slippers,mother, with buckles on them?"
"Yes, dearie. Beauties! Great big buckles!" said Mrs Asplin lovingly;and a few days later a box had come down from London, and the slippershad been chosen out of a selection of "leading novelties"; worn withcare and reverence the previous evening, "to take off the stiffness,"and then after all--oh, the awfulness of it!--had been replaced by anold pair, in the bustle of departure.
The three girls stared at one another in consternation. Here was acatastrophe to happen just at the last moment, when everyone was sohappy and well satisfied! The dismay on the chubby face was so pitifulthat neither of Mellicent's companions could find it in her heart tospeak a word of reproof. They rather set to work to propose differentways out of the difficulty.
"Get hold of Max, and coax him to go back for them!"
"He wouldn't; it's no use. It's raining like anything, and it wouldtake him an hour to go there and come back."
"Ask Lady Darcy to send one of the servants--"
"No use, my dear. They are scampering up and down like mice, andhaven't a moment to spare from their own work."
"See if Rosalind would lend me a pair!"
"Silly goose! Look at your foot. It is three times the size of hers.You will just have to wear them, I'm afraid. Give them to me, and letme see what can be done." Peggy took the slippers in her hands andstudied them critically. They were certainly not new, but then theywere by no means old; just respectable, middle-aged creatures, slightlyrubbed on the heel and white at the toes, but with many a day of goodhard wear still before them.
"Oh, come," she said reassuringly, "they are not so bad, Mellicent!With a little polish they would look quite presentable. I'll tap at thedoor and ask Rosalind if she has some that she can lend us. She is sureto have it. There are about fifty thousand bottles on her table."
Peggy crossed the room as she spoke, tapped on the panel, and receivedan immediate answer in a high complacent treble.
"Coming! Coming! I'm weady;" then the door flew open; a tiny pink silkshoe stepped daintily over the mat, and Rosalind stood before them inall the glory of a new Parisian dress. Three separate gasps ofadmiration greeted her appearance, and she stood smiling and dimplingwhile the girls took in the fascinating details--the satin frock ofpalest imaginable pink, the white chiffon over-dress which fell fromshoulder to hem in graceful freedom, sprinkled over with exquisiterose--leaves--it was all wonderful--fantastic--as far removed fromPeggy's muslin as from the homely crepon of the vicar's daughters.
"Rosalind! what a perfect _angel_ you look!" gasped Mellicent, her owndilemma forgot
ten in her wholehearted admiration; but the next momentmemory came back, and her expression changed to one of pitiful appeal."But, oh, have you got any boot-polish? The most awful thing hashappened. I've brought my old shoes by mistake! Look! I don't knowwhat on earth I shall do, if you can't give me something to black thetoes." She held out the shoes as she spoke, and Rosalind gave a shrillscream of laughter.
"Oh! oh! Those things! How fwightfully funny! what a fwightful joke!You will look like Cinderwella, when she wan away, and the glassslippers changed back to her dweadful old clogs. It is too scweaminglyfunny, I do declare!"
"Oh, never mind what you declare! Can you lend us some boot-polish--that's the question!" cried Peggy sharply. She knew Mellicent's horrorof ridicule, and felt indignant with the girl who could stand by, securein her own beauty and elegance, and have no sympathy for the misfortuneof a friend. "If you have a bottle of peerless gloss, or any of thoseshiny things with a sponge fastened on the cork, I can make them lookquite respectable, and no one will have any cause to laugh."
"Ha, ha, ha!" trilled Rosalind once more, "Peggy is cwoss! I never knewsuch a girl for flying into tantwums at a moment's notice! Yes, ofcourse I'll lend you the polish. There is some in this littlecupboard--there! I won't touch it, in case it soils my gloves. Shall Icall Marie to put it on for you?"
"Thank you, there's no need--I can do it! I would rather do it myself!"
"Oh--oh, isn't she cwoss! You will bweak the cork if you scwew it aboutlike that, and then you'll never be able to get it out. Why don't youpull it pwoperly?"
"I know how to pull out a cork, thank you; I've done it before!"
Peggy shot an angry glance at her hostess, and set to work again withdoubled energy. Now that Rosalind had laughed at her inability, itwould be misery to fail; but the bottle had evidently lain aside forsome time, and a stiff black crust had formed round the cork which madeit difficult to move. Peggy pulled and tugged, while Rosalind stoodwatching, laughing her aggravating, patronising little laugh, anddropping a word of instruction from time to time. And then, quitesuddenly, a dreadful thing happened. In the flash of an eye--so quicklyand unexpectedly, that, looking back upon it, it seemed like a nightmarewhich could not possibly have taken place in real life--the cork jerkedout in Peggy's hand, in response to a savage tug, and with it out flewan inky jet, which rose straight up in the air, separated into amultitude of tiny drops, and descended in a flood--oh, the horror ofthat moment!--over Rosalind's face, neck, and dress.
One moment a fairy princess, a goddess of summer, the next a figure offun with black spots scattered thickly over cheeks and nose, a bigsplash on the white shoulder, and inky daubs dotted here and therebetween the rose-leaves. What a transformation! What a spectacle ofhorror! Peggy stood transfixed; Mellicent screamed in terror; andEsther ran forward, handkerchief in hand, only to be waved aside withangry vehemence. Rosalind's face was convulsed with anger; she stampedher foot and spoke at the pitch of her voice, as if she had no controlover her feelings.
"Oh, oh, oh! You wicked girl! you hateful, detestable girl! You did iton purpose, because you were in a temper! You have been in a temper allthe afternoon! You have spoiled my dress! I was weady to godownstairs. It is eight o'clock. In a few minutes everyone will behere, and oh, what shall I do--what shall I do! Whatever will mothersay when she sees me?"
As if to give a practical answer to this inquiry, there came a sound ofhasty footsteps in the corridor, the door flew open, and Lady Darcyrushed in, followed by the French maid.
"My darling, what is it? I heard your voice. Has something happened?Oh-h!" She stopped short, paralysed with consternation, while the maidwrung her hands in despair. "Rosalind, what _have_ you done toyourself?"
"Nothing, nothing! It was Peggy Saville; she splashed me with herhorrid boot-polish--I gave it to her for her shoes. It is on my face,my neck, in my mouth--"
"I was pulling the cork. It came out with a jerk. I didn't know; Ididn't see!--"
Lady Darcy's face stiffened with an expression of icy displeasure.
"It is too annoying! Your dress spoiled at the last moment!Inexcusable carelessness! What is to be done, Marie? I am in despair!"
The Frenchwoman shrugged her shoulders with an indignant glance inPeggy's direction.
"There is nothing to do. Put on another dress--that is all.Mademoiselle must change as quick as she can. If I sponge the spots, Ispoil the whole thing at once."
"But you could cut them out, couldn't you?" cried Peggy, the picture ofwoe, yet miserably eager to make what amends she could. "You could cutout the spots with sharp scissors, and the holes would not show, for thechiffon is so full and loose. I--I think I could do it, if you wouldlet me try!"
Mistress and maid exchanged a sharp, mutual glance, and the Frenchwomannodded slowly.
"Yes, it is true; I could rearrange the folds. It will take some time,but still it can be done. It is the best plan."
"Go then, Rosalind, go with Marie; there is not a moment to spare, andfor pity's sake don't cry! Your eyes will be red, and at any moment nowthe people may begin to arrive. I wanted you to be with me to receiveyour guests. It will be most awkward being without you, but there is nohelp for it, I suppose. The whole thing is too annoying for words!"
Lady Darcy swept out of the room, and the three girls were once moreleft alone; but how changed were their feelings in those few shortmoments! There was not the shadow of a smile between them; they lookedmore as if they were about to attend a funeral than a scene offestivity, and for several moments no one had the heart to speak. Peggystill held the fatal cork in her hand, and went through the work ofpolishing Mellicent's slippers with an air of the profoundest dejection.When they were finished she handed them over in dreary silence, and wasrecommencing the brushing of her hair, when something in the expressionof the chubby face arrested her attention. Her eyes flashed; she facedround with a frown and a quick, "Well, what is it? What are youthinking now?"
"I--I wondered," whispered Mellicent breathlessly, "if you did do it onpurpose! Did you _mean_ to spoil her dress, and make her change it?"
Peggy's hands dropped to her side, her back straightened until she stoodstiff and straight as a poker. Every atom of expression seemed to dieout of her face. Her voice had a deadly quiet in its intonation.
"What do you think about it yourself?"
"I--I thought perhaps you did! She teased you, and you were so cross.You seemed to be standing so very near her, and you are jealous of her--and she looked so lovely! I thought perhaps you did..."
"Mellicent Asplin," said Peggy quietly, and her voice was like the eastwind that blows from an icy-covered mountain,--"Mellicent Asplin, myname is Saville, and in my family we don't condescend to mean anddishonourable tricks. I may not like Rosalind, but I would have givenall I have in the world sooner than this should have happened. I wastrying to do you a service, but you forget that. You forget manythings! I have been jealous of Rosalind, because when she arrived youand your sister forgot that I was alone and far-away from everyonebelonging to me, and were so much engrossed with her that you left mealone to amuse myself as best I might. You were pleased enough to haveme when no one else was there, but you left me the moment someoneappeared who was richer and grander than I. I wouldn't have treated_you_ like that, if our positions had been reversed. If I dislikeRosalind, it is your fault as much as hers; more than hers, for it wasyou who made me dread her coming!"
Peggy stopped, trembling and breathless. There was a moment's silencein the room, and then Esther spoke in a slow, meditative fashion.
"It is quite true!" she said. "We _have_ left you alone, Peggy; but itis not quite so bad as you think. Really and truly we like you far thebest, but--but Rosalind is such a change to us! Everything about her isso beautiful and so different, that she has always seemed the greatexcitement of our lives. I don't know that I'm exactly fond of her, butI want to see her, and talk to her, and hear her speak, and she is
onlyhere for a short time in the year. It was because we looked upon you asreally one of ourselves that we seemed to neglect you; but it was wrong,all the same. As for your spoiling her dress on purpose, it'sridiculous to think of it. How could you say such a thing, Mellicent,when Peggy was trying to help you, too? How _could_ you be so mean andhorrid?"
"Oh, well, I'm sure I wish I were dead!" wailed Mellicent promptly."Nothing but fusses and bothers, and just when I thought I was going tobe so happy! If I'd had white shoes, this would never have happened.Always the same thing! When you look forward to a treat, everything isas piggy and nasty as it can be! Wish I'd never come! Wish I'd stayedat home, and let the horrid old party go to Jericho! Rosalind's crying,Peggy's cross, you are preaching! This is a nice way to enjoy yourself,I must say!"
Nothing is more hopeless than to reason with a placid person who haslapsed into a fit of ill-temper. The two elder girls realised this, andremained perfectly silent while Mellicent continued to wish for death,to lament the general misery of life, and the bad fortune which attendedthe wearers of black slippers. So incessant was the stream of herrepinings, that it seemed as if it might have gone on for ever, had nota servant entered at last, with the information that the guests werebeginning to arrive, and that Lady Darcy would be glad to see the youngladies without delay. Esther was anxious to wait and help Peggy withher toilet, but that young lady was still on her dignity, and by nomeans anxious to descend to a scene of gaiety for which she had littleheart. She refused the offer, therefore, in Mariquita fashion, and thesisters walked dejectedly along the brightly-lit corridors, Mellicentstill continuing her melancholy wail, and Esther reflecting sadly thatall was vanity, and devoutly wishing herself back in the peacefulatmosphere of the vicarage.
About Peggy Saville Page 21
