Through stained glass
Page 36
CHAPTER XXXVI
DURING the next few days Leighton saw little of his son and nothing ofFolly, but he learned quite casually that the lady was occupying anapartment overlooking Hyde Park. From that it was easy for him to guessher address, and one morning, without saying anything to Lewis of hisplans, he presented himself at Folly's door. A trim maid opened to hisring.
"Is Mlle. Delaires in, my dear?" asked Leighton.
The maid stiffened, and peered intently at Leighton, who stood at easein the half-dusk of the hall. When she had quite made out his trim,well-dressed figure, she decided not to be as haughty as she had atfirst intended.
"Miss Delaires," she said, without quite unbending, however, "is not into callers at half after ten; she's in her bath."
"I am fortunate," remarked Leighton, coolly. "Will you take her mycard?" He weighted it with a sovereign.
"Oh, sir," said the maid, "it's not fair for me to take it. She won't beseeing you. I can promise."
"Where shall I wait?" asked Leighton, stepping past her.
"This way, sir."
He was shown into a small, but dainty, sitting-room. The door beyond wasajar, and before the maid closed it he caught a glimpse of a largebedroom still in disarray. In the better light the maid glanced at hisface and then at his card.
"What kin are you to Mr. Lewis Leighton, please, sir?" she asked.
"I have every reason to believe that I'm his father," said Leighton,smiling.
"I should say you had, sir," answered the maid, with a laugh, "if looksis a guaranty. But even so she won't see you, I'm afraid."
"I don't mind much if she doesn't," said Leighton. "Just to have hadthis chat with you makes it a charming morning."
In saying that Miss Delaires was in her bath, the maid had committed ananachronism. Folly was not in her bath. She had been in her bath over anhour ago; now she was in her bandages.
Folly's bath-room was not as large as her bedroom, but it was largerthan anything since Rome. To the casual glance, its tiled floor andwalls and its numerous immaculate fittings, nickel-trimmed andglass-covered, gave the impression of a luxurious private-clinictheater. Standing well away from one wall was, in fact, a glassoperating-table of the latest and choicest design. A more leisurelyinspection of the room, however, showed this operating-table to be theonly item--if a large-boned Swedish masseuse be omitted--directlyreminiscent of a surgery. All the other glittering appliances, includingan enormous porcelain tub, were subtly allied to the cult of healthyflesh.
At the moment when the maid entered with Leighton's card, Folly wasvirtually indistinguishable. She could only be guessed at in themummy-like form extended, but not stretched, if you please, on theoperating-table. Her face, all but a central oval, was held in a thinmask of kidskin, and her whole body, from neck to peeping pink toes, waswrapped closely in bandages soaked with cold cream. The bath-tub wasstill half-full of tepid water, from which rose faint exhalations of thelatest attar, so delicate that they attained deception, and made onelook around instinctively for flowers.
Folly's big brown eyes seemed to be closed, but in reality they werefixed on a little clock in plain, white porcelain, to match the room,which stood on a glass shelf high on the wall in front of her. "I'm surethat old clock has stopped," she cried petulantly to the masseuse. "Tellme if it's ticking."
"Ut's ticking," said the _masseuse_, patiently. Then she added, asthough she were reciting: "Be mindful. Youth is a fund that can be savedup like pennies. The tenure of youth and beauty is determined by theamount and the quality--"
"Of relaxation," chanted Folly, breaking in. "It is not enough that thebody be relaxed; wrinkles come from the mind. Relax your mind even asyou relax your fingers and your toes. Tra-la-la, la-la!" Folly wriggledthe free tips of her pink toes. She felt the maid come in. "What do youwant, Marie?"
"Nothing, Miss," said the maid; "only I think something must ofhappened."
"Nothing, only something's happened," mimicked Folly. "Well, what'shappened?"
"It's Mr. Lewis's governor, Miss, please. He's here, and he says he justmust see you."
"So you let him in, did you? At half-past ten in the morning? How muchdid he give you?"
"Oh, nothing at all, Miss." Marie paused. "He's that charming he didn'thave to give me anything."
"H--m--m!" said Folly. "Well, go ask him what he wants."
"He won't say, Miss. He's that troubled he just keeps his eyes on thefloor, an' says as he has something private he must tell you. PerhapsMr. Lewis has broke his leg. I'm sure I don't know."
"Come on, Buggins," said Miss Delaires to the masseuse. "Don't you hear?There's a gentleman waiting to see me."
Buggins shook her head.
"The hour ut is not finish," she said calmly. "Five minutes yet." Andfor five long minutes Folly had to wait. Then the _masseuse_ wentswiftly into action. Off came the mask and the long, moist bandages. Asthe bandages uncoiled, Marie rolled them up tightly and placed them, oneafter the other, on the glass shelves of a metal sterilizer. Bugginsrolled up her white sleeves, and entered forthwith on the major rite.
First she massaged Folly's full, round neck; then her swift, deepfingers, passed down one arm and felt out every muscle, every joint, tothe tips of Folly's fingers. Back up the arm again, across the bosom,and down the other arm. Back to the neck once more, and then down andaround the body to the very last joint of Folly's very last and verylittle toe.
Folly let go a great sigh, sprang from the table, and stood erect, youngand alive in every fiber, in the center of the blue and white bath-rug.The film of cold cream was quite gone. But the _masseuse_ was not yetcontent. She caught up a soft, scented towel and passed it deftly overarms, body, and legs, not forgetting the last little toe. When shefinished, she was on her knees. She looked up and nodded to Folly'sinquiring glance.
Folly gave a little laugh of pure delight, and stretched. She held herdoubled fists high above her head. Her whole body glowed in an even,unblemished pink. Verily, it seemed to breathe; it breathed with thebreath of flowers. And no wonder!
When she had finished stretching, Marie was holding ready a gown ofsilk,--dark blue, with a foam of lace at the throat and on the broadhalf-sleeves,--and Buggins had placed lamb's-wool slippers just beforeher feet. But Folly was too full of animal to be even so softlyimprisoned just yet. With a chuckle of mischief, she gave them each aquick push and darted across the room and out by the door.
Maid and masseuse followed her into the bedroom with protesting cries.The bedroom had been put in order. Only the bed itself, dressed merelyin a fresh white sheet and pillows, looked a little naked, for thebedclothes proper had been carried out to air. In the center of the bedwas Folly, curled up like a kitten. Her hair had tumbled down into twothick, loose braids. She submitted now to the gown, and wrapped herselfcarefully in it. Propped high against the pillows, a braid of brown hairfalling forward over each shoulder, and her bare arms lying still at hersides, she looked very demure indeed and very sweet.
"Bring tea, Marie," she said softly, "and show in Daddy Leighton."