He waved gayly to her. “Come over, come over,” he called. “I can’t stop now, but come over just as soon as you can.”
CHAPTER XIX
The Model’s Pay
IT was not till lessons were well off her mind that Elizabeth asked her mother’s permission to go to the studio. “Don’t stay too long,” said her mother as she gave her leave.
“I will try not,” answered Elizabeth, “but I shall have such loads to talk about that I may forget. If I am a little wee, wee bit late for supper, shall you mind very much, mother?”
“Not if the bit is very wee. I think you’d better ask Mr. Kemp to take supper with us and then there will be no danger of your being detained.”
“That will be very nice,” agreed Elizabeth, “for what we don’t finish saying we can keep on with as we walk along. Please have waffles, mother; he does like them so much and it will celebrate his coming back.”
“I will see,” returned Mrs. Hollins, and Elizabeth was satisfied. She found Mr. Kemp busy in his studio, the door of which was opened wide to let in the soft June air. The room was in a state of confusion, sketches everywhere, and all sorts of odds and ends lying about.
“Hello, Elfie,” he cried, as she appeared in the doorway. “You are just in time to see my new sketches before I put them away. I have done a lot, haven’t I?”
Elizabeth looked around. “All these?” She gave a comprehensive wave of the hand. “You surely have been busy. I have been very busy, too. Oh, Mr. Titian, I have so much to tell you that I don’t know where to begin.”
“Then suppose you go and sit over there on the model stand while I am sorting over these things, and you can reel off all the yarns you like. Your obedient servant will listen with both ears.”