15
When she came down again intent on her second cup of tea in the empty brown den a light had been switched on, driving the dark afternoon away. The crayon drawings behind the piano shone out on the walls of the dark square space under the gallery as she hesitated in the doorway. There was someone in the dim brightness of the room. She turned noiselessly towards her table.
“Come and have some more tea Miss Hens’n.”
Miriam went in with alacrity. The light was on in the octagonal brass framed lantern that hung from the skylight and shed a soft dim radiance through its old glass. Mrs. Orly still in her bonnet and fur-lined cape was sitting drinking tea in the little old cretonne chair. She raised a tired flushed face and smiled brightly at Miriam as she came down the room.
“I’m dying for another cup; I had to fly off and clear up Mr. Hancock’s things.”
“Mr. Hancock busy? Have some cake, it’s rather a nice one.” Mrs. Orly cut a stout little wedge.
Clearing away the newspaper Miriam took possession of Mr. Leyton’s chair.
Mr. Orly swung in shutting the door behind him and down the room peeling off his frock coat as he came.
“Tea darling?”
“Well m’love, since you’re so pressing.”
Mr. Orly switched on the lamp on the corner of the bench and subsided into his chair his huge bulk poised lightly and alertly, one vast leg across the other knee.
“’Scuse my shirt-sleeves Miss Hens’n. I say I’ve got a new song—like to try it presently or are ye too busy?”
Poised between the competing interests of many worlds Miriam basked in the friendly tones.
“Well I have got rather a fearful lot of things to do.”
“Come and try it now, d’ye mind?”
“Have your tea Ro, darling.”
“Right my love, right, right, always right—Hancock busy?”
“Yes; he has two more patients after this one.”
“Marvellous man.”
“Mr. Hancock never gets rushed or flurried does he? He’s always been the same ever since we’ve known him.”
“He’s very even and steady outwardly” said Miriam indifferently.
“You think it’s only outward?”
“Well I mean he’s really frightfully sensitive.”
“Just so; it’s his coolness carries him through, self-command, I wish I’d got it.”
“You’d miss other things boysie; you can’t have it both ways.”
“Right m’love—right. I don’t understand him. D’you think anyone does, Miss Hens’n—really—I mean. D’you understand him?”
“Well you see I haven’t known him very long——”
“No—but you come from the same district and know his relatives.”
“The same Berkshire valley and his cousins happened to be my people’s oldest friends.”
“Well don’t ye see, that makes all the difference—I say I heard a splendid one this afternoon. D’you think I could tell Miss Hens’n that one Nelly?—you’re not easily shocked, are you?”
“I’ve never been shocked in my life” said Miriam getting to her feet.
“Must ye go? Shall we just try this over?”
“Well if it isn’t too long.”
“Stop and have a bit of dinner with us can ye?”
Miriam made her excuse, pleading an engagement and sat down to the piano. The song was a modern ballad with an easy impressive accompaniment, following the air. The performance went off easily and well, Mr. Orly’s clear trained baritone ringing out persuasively into the large room. Weathering a second invitation to spend the evening she got away to her room.