“I want to ask you a great favor, Mr. Martin,” said the girl. She looked full up at him as she spoke.
Martin thought that he had never in his life seen such melting and lovely blue eyes before. “She bowls me over,” he kept saying to himself. “I hate the aristocrats, but somehow she bowls me over.”—“Anything in my power, miss,” he said aloud, and he made a low bow, pressing his hand to his chest.
“I think,” said Aneta—“indeed, I am sure—to judge from 173 your most flourishing shop—that you are a good business man.”
“Well, now, there’s no doubt on that point, Miss—Miss Lysle.”
“But you would like to extend your custom?” said Aneta.
“Business is always business to me,” replied Martin.
“Well, the fact is, it lies in my power to induce my aunt, Lady Lysle, to get her groceries from you. She has a large establishment and sees a great deal of company. She gets them now at the Army and Navy Stores, but I haven’t the slightest doubt that she would not object to have them from you.”
“You are exceedingly good, Miss Lysle, and I am sure anything that her ladyship ordered should have my very best attention; in fact, I should make it my business to get in specially good things for her. If I might let you into a business secret, miss, the people round here don’t want the very best things; they don’t, so to speak, appreciate them.”
“I quite understand that,” said Aneta. “Of course Lady Lysle would require the very best.”
“She should have the best, miss; I’d be proud of her custom. Things should be punctually delivered; just an order overnight, and my cart would convey them to her ladyship’s door at an early hour on the following day.”