"He will be here presently," he said, but he said it with an air of restraint; and Kate, leaning forward with that radiant smile of hers, began telling Eeny some story of their life at sea that made her forget Mr. Richards.
They adjourned to the drawing-room after dinner. A long, low, sumptuous apartment, very stately and very grand, and decorated with exquisite taste.
"What a beautiful room!" Kate said. "We had nothing half so quaint and old as this at home, papa?"
There was a grand piano near one of the tall windows, with a music-rack beside it, and the young lady went over and opened it, and ran her fingers with a masterly touch over the keys.
"That's right, Kate," said her father; "give us some music. How do you like your piano?"
"Like is not the word, papa. It is superb!"
The white hands sparkled over the polished ivory keys, and the room was filled with melody. Eeny stood by the piano with a rapt face. Captain Danton sat in an arm-chair and listened with half-closed eyes, and Grace sat down in a corner, and drew from her pocket her crochet.
"Oh, Kate, how beautifully you play?" Eeny cried ecstatically, when the flying hands paused, "I never heard anything like that. What was it?"
"Only a German waltz, you little enthusiast! Don't you play?"
"A little. Rose plays too, polkas and waltzes; but bah! not like that."