The score of "The Song of Songs" was kept in the linen-press, being a handy place for the family to rescue this priceless treasure in case of a fire breaking out when papa chanced to be away.
Lilly looked round for the bunch of keys, but mamma had taken it with her to the kitchen.
"I'll go and ask for the key," she said.
"No, no," he exclaimed hastily, and a slight shudder passed through him.
Lilly had often noticed that he shuddered when the conversation had anything to do with mamma.
"I'll run over to the saddler's myself."
Lilly was horrified at the idea of her famous parent going on his own errands to a common little shop.
"Let me," she cried, reaching out her hand for the bag, with the intention of saving him the trouble. He pushed her away.
"You are getting too old for that sort of thing now, little girl," he said. His eyes rested with satisfaction on her tall, girlish figure, already developing the soft rounded curves of womanhood. "You are quite a signora."
He patted her cheek, and fidgeted a moment with the lock of the linen-press, his lips compressed into a bitter line; then, with a half-alarmed, half-sneering glance towards the kitchen Lilly knew that glance too he went quickly out of the room went never to return.