Beyond The Blue Mountains - Plaidy Jean - Страница 55

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“You are very good to me.” Carolan told Darrell.

“But is not all this very expensive?”

“It may be,” answered Darrell. ‘but a visit from a daughter can be a most special occasion. I shall tell you now, I am planning a visit to the playhouse, and then of course we must all go to Ranelagh … or do Vauxhall Gardens appeal to you more?”

Carolan put her arms round his neck and kissed him. which made him flush with pleasure. He. who was undemonstrative himself, loved such gestures in his wife and daughter.

Jonathan Crew came to the shop often. He would sit in the parlour and talk to Kitty and Carolan. A most interesting man, he was, and how well he knew London! There was no place one could mention without his knowing a good deal about it; and in his quiet, unimpassioned way, he was a vivid talker.

“Has it struck you,” said Kitty one day, ‘that Mr. Crew has a good deal of leisure?”

“It had not until you mentioned it,” replied Carolan.

“Mamma, why do you look so full of wisdom?”

“For this reason, my dear. The hours of a clerk are very long. Does a clerk get so much leisure for visiting ladies?”

“He has explained; he comes here when sent out on some commission.”

“Ah!” laughed Kitty.

“I was not born yesterday!”

“Oh, Mamma, why must you see intrigue in the most ordinary things!”

“Intrigue? I? My dear, I would have you know that I am a few years older than you are. I have lived; why, I could tell you … but no matter. It is an extraordinary thing to me, if not to you. that Mr. Crew has so much time on his hands. Has he the air of a clerk, think you? Those eyes of his do they look as if they have stared at rows of figures? Does he look as if he has spent long hours on an office stool?”

“The elbows of his coat were very shiny, I noticed!”

“La! What a baby it is! What could be easier, for one with means at his command, than to acquire the shiny-elbowed coat of a clerk! I have a theory; suppose he came here to explore these parts. He might be a most important person! You laugh. Carolan. but do you or do you not know more of the world than I?”

“I do not dream, as you do, Mamma.”

“Stuff and nonsense! It might well be that he belongs to the quality and poses as poor Mr. Jonathan Crew in order that he might make our acquaintance.”

“Why ever should he do that, Mamma?”

“Kitty patted her hair.

“Because, my child, he may be tired of sycophants; he may want friends for his own sake. My dear, you are not without attractions.”

Carolan laughed, but Kitty only smiled. She had her own private thoughts on the matter, and these she would not admit to anyone.

Carolan was in the parlour one day when the shop door bell rang. It was morning; her mother was still a-bed, and Darrell had gone out for an hour or so, he said. Millie was working in the kitchen.

Carolan went into the shop. A man was standing there. He had his back towards her. and, as she approached with a bright “Good morning’, he turned and she was looking into a pair of blue eyes that twinkled merrily. She had seen them before, and they must have made a vast impression on her, for she recognized them at once as belonging to the man who had stolen her handkerchief.

“Good morning,” he said, and she knew that he recognized her. for a look of embarrassment passed quickly over his face. He added quickly: “I came to see Mr. Grey.”

She answered: “He is out; I will attend to you. What is it?”

Now the embarrassment had left him; he was mischievous, amused.

“That is very kind of you.”

“Not kind at all. I am here to serve my father’s customers. What is it you want?”

His eyes went round the shop and fell on some oddments of jewellery lying in a tray.

“A ring,” he said.

“A ring for a lady…”

He moved towards the tray, but she was before him. She put her hands over the tray and faced him squarely.

“Please touch nothing! I might tell you that I recognize you. You stole a handkerchief of mine some days back.”

He laughed. He had good white teeth, and though his face was far from handsome, it was attractive.

“You think that extremely funny, I gather,” said Carolan coldly.

“I find it extremely gratifying that you should know me again.”

“I should have thought it would be merely embarrassing … for a thief I’ “Will you believe me,” he said, ‘if I tell you that that was my one and only lapse?”

“No!”

“But you are cruel!”

“I hope I am not a fool.”

“Do I look like a common thief?”

“I do not know how a common thief should look. I only know you are one.”

“You are brutal…”

“Do you think an honest man would be tempted to steal a girl’s handkerchief just because it was a pleasant and dainty affair?”

“He might because she was a pleasant and dainty affair!”

She flushed angrily.

“Sir! You are offensive.”

“My manners are rough, but my heart is soft,” he said.

“I assure you the theft of the handkerchief was my only lapse.”

“Then you had better return it.”

He looked sad.

“No!” she cried.

“You have doubtless disposed of it to a fellow criminal! I should be obliged if you will leave this shop, but not before you have turned out your pockets to show me that you are taking none of my father’s goods with you.”

“What a spitfire you are! But a fine daughter to your father, I’ll be bound.”

“I shall very certainly not allow him to be robbed under my nose.”

“And it is such a charming nose!”

Turn out your pockets, sir!”

“And if I say no, what then, lady?” He stretched out his arm. Feel those muscles; feel those biceps! I’ll warrant you have nothing like it.”

“Do not dare to touch me.”

“Certainly I would not presume to touch your ladyship.”

“Then turn out your pockets.”

“Before you make me ?”

“I am not joking. I warn you that sooner or later you will end up in Newgate.”

“Ah, who can be sure that that evil fate does not await him!”

“An honest man can. Now. pray. sir. turn out your pockets and be gone.”

He thrust his hands into his pockets. He began laying out the contents on a small table: a clasp knife, a leather purse, a bandanna handkerchief. As he did so he looked at her puckishly, as though consumed with some private mirth which, try as he might, he could not repress.

“You say that an honest man need not fear the dark shadow of Newgate.” he said.

“Never be too sure of that! Newgate is an octopus; it stretches out ugly tentacles to catch the unwary.”

To catch the dishonest,” she said.

“Hurry.”

“I would like to talk of that one lapse.”

“But I am not interested.”

“It is a mistake not to be interested in your fellow men.”

“It is a mistake to listen to the tales of robbers.”

“You are harsh. Sad that such harshness should exist behind that lovely face of yours!”

“Do not think that your absurd flattery moves me in the least.”

“Flattery? It is not flattery. Come, do you ever use your mirror?”

She began to laugh suddenly.

“You are amused?”

“Enormously. You speak the language of thieves: those very words were said to me by a cheat in an inn parlour just before she relieved me of my purse.”

“A purse is a purse. A handkerchief is a very different matter.”

“I see no difference.”

“Would you believe me if I told you I have preserved that handkerchief, that I look at it often and think of you?”

“No,” said Carolan.

“Pray take up your things and be gone.”

The next time we meet I shall convince you.”

There will be no next time.”

“Do not be sure of that.”

“I am absolutely sure.”

“It is never wise to be sure of anything in this world. How old are you?”

“A most impertinent question which I shall certainly not answer.”

“Not yet seventeen, I’ll warrant. Do you know how old I am?” She looked at his face now, for there was in him an irrepressible charm which, in spite of distrust, she could not ignore. She saw that his face was as brown as a berry, and wrinkled, but not with age; his teeth were good; and his smile and his merry eyes made a pleasant thing of his rather ugly face.

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