“Engaged!” she repeated. “That’s funny, and she so young. Is it Mr. Godfrey?”
I was stooping to button my boot, and did not answer her, while she forgot to put the question again, and clutching my arm, said in a whisper:
“Look, she is coming here; this way; right toward us.”
“Good-evening, Miss Armstrong,” Alice said. “I saw you standing here, and got our governess to take my place, while I came to ask if you know of any one who can do fluting nicely, and plain sewing as well. Adams is sick just when I need her most, and I thought you might know of some one.”
“I do,—I know,—auntie flutes and sews splendidly,” Gertie’s voice rang out clear and silvery as a bell, while Alice stared at her superciliously at first; then curiously; and turned to me with a questioning look in her haughty eyes.
I knew Miss Creighton would never forgive me if I introduced her formally to the protégée of one who did fluting and plain sewing, so I merely said:
“This is Gertie Westbrooke, my pupil, whose auntie lives at Vine Cottage, and will I dare say be glad of your work.”
Gertie bowed, but Alice’s head was high as ever, and as she had thrown off her hat she did look funny with that little ball of hair perched on the top of her head. But it was fashionable, and Alice led the fashions in Hampstead, and it was not for me to criticise, though I did mentally compare the two girls, as they stood there side by side, Gertie, with her wealth of auburn hair, on which the setting sunlight fell, her blue eyes opened wide and full of eager interest in the girl who was engaged, her simple gingham frock, her pretty frilled white apron and rather coarse shoes; the whole so different from the ruffled silk, old enough for a woman of twenty-five, the dainty boots of bronze, the profusion of jewelry, the elaborately arranged hair, the small, retroussé nose, and the half-shut sleepy eyes which stared so hard at Gertie, as if she were a new species of the animal kingdom never seen before.
“Yes, I heard Godfrey had some new tenants in his house,” Alice said; “and I am glad to know the woman can sew and flute. I wonder if she does it well? Did she do this?”
And she put out her hand to lift Gertie’s apron for inspection.