“At once, if you please,” repeated Mr Lorimer. And Nurse went.
Ruth listened to this with her breath held, almost frightened at her own success. Not only was the kitchen cat to be admitted, but it was to be brought by the very hands of Nurse herself. It was wonderful—almost too wonderful to be true.
And now it seemed that her father wished to know how the kitchen cat had become her best friend. He was very much interested in it, and she thought his face looked quite different while he listened to her to what it looked when he was reading his papers downstairs. Finding that he asked sensible questions, and did not once say anything about “fancies”, she was encouraged to tell him more and more, and at last leant her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. It would be all right now. She had found someone at last who understood.
The entrance of the kitchen cat shortly afterwards was neither dignified nor comfortable, for it appeared dangling at the end of Nurse’s outstretched arm, held by the neck as far as possible from her own person. When it was first put down it was terrified at its new surroundings, and it was a little painful to find that it wanted to rush downstairs again at once, in spite of Ruth’s fondest caresses. It was Mr Lorimer who came to her help, and succeeded at last in soothing its fears and coaxing it to drink some milk, after which it settled down placidly with her in the big chair and began its usual song of contentment. She examined it carefully with a grave face, and then looked apologetically at her father.
“It doesn’t look its best” she said. “Its paws are white really, but I think it’s been in the coal-hole.”
This seemed very likely, for not only its paws but the smart ribbon Ruth had tied round its neck was grimy and black.
“It’s not exactually pretty,” she continued, “but it’s a very nice cat. You can’t think how well it knows me—generally.”
Mr Lorimer studied the long lean form of the cat curiously through his eye-glass.
“You wouldn’t like a white Persian kitten better for a pet—or a nice little dog, now?” he asked doubtfully.