“No wonder madame” said the maid throwing her pink Greecian nightdress over her head nimbly, “with so many clever people about, for the Countess only has the first class cream at her boat parties.”
“Hurrah” cried Selia “what a funny pillow!” and lo the bed she jumped in was built to the wall like a real boat’s bed and her pillow was like a life-buoy but made in feathers with a white linen cover and frilled [137] ]with real lace. Scrogg then quickly fixed up a hammock across the little room, under the round window, and went to bed in it, and thus to the sound of the slapping waves mistress and maid snoozed while Mr. Withersq talked of his poetry to the company on deck, still all swigging champagne till the early hours.
Selia slept late next day for the fresh air made her drowsy and only peeped out of her bed in time to hear in the distance the loud end of Mr. Bross’s Sunday morning song and the applause after it. Scrogg then entered with a tray of rolls and coffee.
“The Countess asked me to tell you the song was a great success” she said with her usual curtsey, “it was in Yiddish this week.”
“Oh” said Selia rubbing her eyes up for the day, “how clever!” for she unluckily did not know where this was spoken. When she had just finished up her breakfast a thunderous [138] ]knock sounded on her door and Scrogg opened.
“Dear me” said this good servant, for who should stand there but Mr. Withersq in a grand navy bathing costume embroidered with anchors and wearing canvas boots. Selia modestly hid in her bed.
“None of that now” said he “all is al fresco here, so nip up. You will find a bathing costume under the pillow, and I give you five minutes.”
So with a good grin he withdrew leaving Selia to spring up and quickly dress in the dinky suit which as he had said she would find under the lifebuoy pillow. She shrank a little from the eyes of the men and also swanked a bit too because of the Countess who was in a pea-green suit, and the Earls sister in mauve and the nice little girl in orange, but Selia was all in black like Annette Kellermann.
“Hurrah” quoth she as she appeared and [139] ]they all cheered also for Selia was indeed a fine girl and Mr. Withersq patted his own back and jumped for joy to see her, knocking over a pot of flowers ornamenting the boat. The water below sparkled and looked a bit cold, the birds sang and the trees were nice and green.
“One two three” said the Countess and at three such a splash occurred as all the party threw themselves recklessly into the water, followed by Lipstick the dog. Selia felt happy to find them flesh and blood after all and Harold trod the water in glee. They all had a merry sport, and Selia raced the gentleman who had been in grey silk but now in striped drawers, ending by ducking him.