by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER V.
MAURICE TREVOR.
Florence's head ached sufficiently badly to make her inclined tofollow Kitty's advice. The girls had just finished their tea whenMrs. Aylmer, with flushed cheeks, and wearing her very bestturned-for-the-twentieth-time dress, entered the little room where theywere seated.
"Well, well, girls," she said: "well, well, where do you think I havebeen?"
"I know, Mummy," said Florence.
"You know!" replied Mrs. Aylmer. "Who told you?"
"Sukey."
"I begged of her not; but really that woman can keep nothing to herself,and she is always agog to be first in the field. Your aunt is going tosend me a trunk full of old clothes. I dare say some of them may be madeto fit you, Flo."
"I do not think so, mother," answered Florence.
"Where is the use of being proud? She's a very fine figure of a womanstill. She wears wonderfully, and she has a most charming secretary: asort of companion, a delightful girl. She and I walked down togetheralmost to this door. She is in your shoes, my poor Florence; but she isreally a _very_ nice girl."
"I have seen her to-day, mother; I know who she is," said Florencegravely; "her name is Bertha Keys."
"Bertha Keys," replied Mrs. Aylmer; "Bertha Keys?"
"You know who Bertha Keys is, mother. She is the girl, the pupilteacher, who behaved so badly at Cherry Court School six years ago."
"Oh, we won't mention that affair; it is dead and buried; we are notgoing to dig it out of its grave," replied Mrs. Aylmer.
Florence did not reply. She looked full at her mother.
"Bertha has been saying something to her," she thought; "she has beentrying to influence her. Those were almost Bertha's own words." She gotup hastily.
"The fact is, mother, I do not care to talk of it," she said; "the wholething has upset me very much."
"Well, darling, I cannot think that it is your affair. It is bitterlydisappointing that you should have lost your Aunt Susan's patronage. Howproud I should be of you now if you were really her adopted daughter."
"Why, no, mother, you would not see me; you forget that part."
"To be sure, how stupid I am!" said Mrs. Aylmer. "Well, your aunt wasmost agreeable to-day: not so stingy either. We had quite a nice littletea; and that young man I told you of, Mr. Trevor, he came in. He is acharming person, my dear; quite fascinating. I was much taken with him.I longed to ask him to call, but I saw that Susan would allow noliberties. He chatted to me all the time, and was so agreeable. I amquite delighted with him."
"We are going for a walk now, mother," said Florence.
"Well, dear, do; you both look pale. I want you to get nice andsunburnt, and to have a right good time. Yes, I am quite pleased with myvisit. There is no use in quarrelling with your relations, and Susan,the moment she looked at my poor turned skirt--it is shiny, is it not,Miss Sharston?--she spoke about that trunk of clothes which is to arrivenext week. She turned to the charming Miss Keys, and asked her tocollect them."
"And you stood it, mother; you really stood it," said Florence, thecolour coming and going on her face.
"My dear, good girl, beggars cannot be choosers. I have been absolutelyat my wits' ends for clothes since Susan has been so thoughtless. I notonly stood it, but on the way home I gave Miss Keys a hint as to thesort of things I wanted. I told her to try and smuggle into the trunkone of your aunt's rich black silks. She said she thought she couldmanage it, as she has at least four or five at the present moment, andnever can tell herself how many she has. I told Miss Keys to let it befour in the future, and send the fifth on to me, and she laughed. She isa very clever, agreeable girl, and said she thought it could be done. Iam made. I'll astonish the neighbours this winter."
"Come out, Kitty," said poor Florence, turning to her companion. Shefelt that, fond as she was of the little Mummy, she could not endure anymore of her society for the present.
The moment the girls had departed, Mrs. Aylmer, who was standing ontiptoe near the window to watch them as they went slowly away in thedirection of the beach, turned abruptly, went to the door of the littlesitting-room, and locked it. She then put her hand into her pocket.
"Is it true? Have I the evidence of my own senses?" she thought. "Inever met a nicer girl than Miss Keys. Of course, she did wrong yearsago: but so, for that matter, did my own poor Florence. She really canbe made of great use. That black silk will be invaluable, and...." Herethe widow, from the depths of her pocket, brought out four sovereigns."She says she can give me more by-and-by, and I am to influenceFlorence. Of course I will. Do I envy the poor child her post? By nomeans. As Florence cannot occupy it, as well she as another. That she issetting her cap at that handsome Mr. Trevor there is no doubt; butperhaps Florence can win him over her head. We will see about that.Anyhow, I am not going to injure the poor, dear girl, and I shall tellFlorence so."
Mrs. Aylmer felt far too excited to sit down. From the depths of povertyshe suddenly felt herself raised almost to a pinnacle of wealth, as sheestimated it.
Four golden sovereigns and the faithful promise of one of Susan's bestsilk dresses. "There will be lots of odds and ends besides," thought thelittle widow. "I am made! I am made! Now, if I only could! if I onlycould!"
As she considered the possibility of a very definite line of action, shestill continued to stand by the tiny window of the sitting room, andfrom this vantage-point she saw a young man in a grey tweed suitstrolling slowly in the direction of the sea-beach.
"Mr. Trevor!" she said to herself; "Mr. Maurice Trevor, asgentlemanly-looking a young fellow as I have seen for many a day. Hereminds me of poor dear Florence's father. He had just that downrightsort of air, and he was fond of sticking his hands into his pocketstoo--yes, and he used to whistle, as I see that young fellow iswhistling. I am always told that whistling is a good sign: it shows agenerous disposition. If I am not greatly mistaken, that young manMaurice Trevor is generous and open-handed; he'll suit me. Now, if Icould only introduce them! Florence and Kitty Sharston are on thebeach--Mr. Trevor is going down to the beach. I'll go and take a walk.It is a fine evening, and it will do me good."
No sooner had this thought come to Mrs. Aylmer than she bustled into thekitchen.
"Well, ma'am," said Sukey, in a cross voice, "have you washed up thetea-things yet? We're in a rare mull this afternoon with those two youngladies in the house, and I can't do more than I said I would do. Youpromised that the tea-things should be your care, ma'am; and are theywashed up? That's what I want to know."
"Oh, my dear good Sukey, don't worry about the tea-things now," saidMrs. Aylmer. "I am in no end of a flurry. A beautiful new black silkdress is promised to me, Sukey, and I am made in other ways too. Youwash them up, and I'll give you threepence; I will--I promise you."
"You can't afford it, ma'am. What's the good of promising what youhaven't got?" said the obdurate Sukey.
"I will; I declare I will, and I'll bring in something nice and tastyfor supper. You wash the tea-things, there's a good soul!"
Mrs. Aylmer scarcely waited for Sukey's very indignant reply. The nextmoment she was out of the house.
She could walk quickly enough when she chose, and she knew every yard ofthe ground. Soon she was on the beach. Mr. Trevor was walking slowly infront of her. He was smoking a cigarette, his straw hat was pushedslightly forward over his blue eyes, his hands were still in hispockets, he was looking straight ahead of him, and as he slowlysauntered forward he was thinking. His thoughts were evidently not quiteto his taste, for he frowned now and then, and looked over the wideexpanse of sands, and occasionally he stood quite still. Thus Mrs.Aylmer found it easy to catch him up. She did so with a little patteringrun which was one of her characteristics.
"Good evening, Mr. Trevor," she said, in her cheerful tone.
He started when she spoke to him, turned to look at her, and then tookoff his hat.
"Good evening," he said; "I did not recognise you at first."
"No wonder, as you only sa
w me for the first time to-day. I am taking astroll; it is very pleasant here in the evenings, is it not?"
"Very pleasant! It is a charming place," said Trevor.
Mrs. Aylmer considered for a moment whether she should proceed on herwalk alone, or whether she should try to induce the young man toaccompany her.
"I am looking for my girls," she said; "they went down on the beachhalf an hour ago. Did you happen to see them, Mr. Trevor, as you werewalking?"
"I have only just come out. I have not seen anyone," was his answer.
"Are you quite sure? I _know_ they were going on the sands, my twogirls, my daughter and her friend. I should like to introduce you to mydaughter, Mr. Trevor."
"I should be pleased to know her," he answered, still speaking in thatvague sort of way which showed that he was thinking of something else.
Mrs. Aylmer held both her hands before her eyes. Thus shaded from theevening sun, she was able to look long and steadily across the beach.
"I do declare I believe those two are the very girls we are lookingfor," she cried; "if you will come with me now (and I don't suppose youhave anything special to do) I'll introduce you."
Trevor had, of course, no excuse to make. He was not interested in Mrs.Aylmer's daughter, nor in Mrs. Aylmer herself, but as well walk with heras alone. So the two stepped briskly across the sands.
"It was the greatest possible pleasure to me to meet you to-day,"continued the little widow; "I am so glad that my poor sister-in-law hasa bright young fellow like you to look thoroughly after her affairs."
"But I don't look after them," he said; "Mrs. Aylmer has been extremelygood to me, but the person who manages her business affairs is that veryclever young lady, Miss Keys."
"Oh, what a genius she is!" said Mrs. Aylmer; "a wonderful girl, quitecharming."
"Do you think so?" answered Trevor. He looked at the little widow, andthe faintest dawn of an amused smile stole into his eyes.
"Do I think so? I am immensely taken with her," said Mrs. Aylmer. "Sheis, I know, the greatest comfort to my dear sister-in-law. Howsplendidly Susan wears, and how considerate she is! I don't know what Ishould do without her. Mr. Trevor, I will say it, you are a very luckyperson to be such a favourite."
"Mrs. Aylmer has done a great deal for me," said the young man; "she hasafter a fashion adopted me."
"And you are very glad, are you not?"
"Yes, I am glad," he replied. "Is that your daughter?" he continued, asif he wished to turn the conversation.
"That is my dear daughter Florence." Mrs. Aylmer spoke excitedly.
Florence and Kitty Sharston were seated on the edge of a rock. Kitty waspoking with her parasol at some sea-anemones which were clinging to therock just under the water. Florence was gazing with a frown between herdark brows at her mother and the man who was by her mother's side. Ifshe could have fled, she would, but Mrs. Aylmer, who knew Florence'sways to perfection, now raised her voice to a shrill scream.
"Stay where you are, Florence; I am coming to sit with you, so is Mr.Trevor; don't stir until we come up."
Poor Florence's blush was so vivid that it was well it was too far offto be noticed. There was nothing for it, however, but to obey. Mrs.Aylmer came up in high good humour, and made the necessaryintroductions.
