“Do you think those two schooners you’re going to sell will bring—” she began, but again Miss Carter intervened.
“I saw the advertisement,” she said. “For sale ‘as is where is’—that’s a pretty high and mighty way to do business, I must say! Here they are—take ’em or leave ’em!”
“Well, you see—” Maude began again.
Miss Carter felt sure that the girl wanted to explain to her aunt exactly how schooners were sold.
“Oh, can’t she see?” she thought, almost in despair. “He doesn’t want to talk business! Oh, why can’t she just be young and—silly?”
In the end, for all her gallant efforts, she was defeated. Maude got the conversation where she wanted it, and she and Mr. Rhodes talked gravely about charters.
Miss Carter left them on the veranda, and went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. She wished that there were twice as many. She wished that there were enough dishes to keep her busy all night long, so that she needn’t go to bed and lie there in the dark.
She had failed—she knew it. Mr. Rhodes was very courteous and kindly to Maude, but nothing more. All her youth and loveliness were wasted on him. She was trying so desperately hard to please him, and she couldn’t!
“Oh, it’s so cruel!” cried Miss Carter to herself, alone in the kitchen. “Never mind, my dear little Maude! I’ll sell this house, dear, and we’ll go and live somewhere else, where there are more young people—more life for you. You mustn’t mind—you mustn’t care. Just forget all about him! He’s going away, and we’ll never think about him again—never!”
She heard Maude’s light footstep coming along the hall.