“Oh, it’s no use pretending! You weren’t shocked a bit! I believe”—she gave a little gasp at the audacity of the idea, but her courage did not fail—“I believe you have even—done it yourself. However did you manage to think of elastic? It’s a lovely idea!”
The pretty lady wrinkled her brows in a funny, apologetic fashion.
“It doesn’t follow because I did a thing that it is not foolish and rash. I am afraid I was known for my foolish tricks. I was one of a big family—such a lot of sisters that people used to call us ‘the houseful of girls,’ and I was the most mischievous of all. I don’t want to preach to you—it wouldn’t be fair, would it, when I have done far sillier things myself?—but next time you try the parcel trick, get it out of the way when old people come along. Don’t let them run the risk of a fall, like this poor old gentleman, or even have the trouble of stooping for nothing. Try to remember, won’t you? And,”—eyes and teeth flashed in an irresistible smile,—“try the elastic!”
Jill’s merry trill rang out again, and the pretty lady looked at her with smiling approval. The girl’s natural attractiveness was as conspicuous as ever, despite the disadvantageous circumstances, and it would have been a cold heart that did not warm towards her, as she stood with hands thrust deep into her pockets, fresh, wholesome, and bonnie, like a bit of summer in the midst of the grey London gloom.
The pretty lady had heard high praise of the skill of the new doctor who had come to live in the Square, and also of the personal character of himself and his wife, but at this moment it is to be feared that she felt little interested in them as individuals, but regarded them solely as the parents of their daughter.
“It is getting rather dusk for you to be out alone. I will walk with you to the corner. You are one of the doctor’s daughters, aren’t you? I have watched you and your sisters from my windows, and envied you for being together. I do so miss my own sisters. I have five—think of that!—and only one married besides myself. You can think what a lively time of it we used to have!”
But Jill was too busy thinking of something else to have any thought to spare for the lively times of the past.
“Are you married?” she inquired breathlessly. “Truly and really? You look much too young. We thought you were engaged, and had an invalid mother in the house. I suppose he is the husband?”
“Yes, he is the husband, sure enough, and we keep no invalids nor skeletons of any sort in the cupboards, only such a lot of big, empty rooms, waiting for girls to fill them. I do love girls. I can’t be happy without girls. We have been away constantly the last few months, but now that we are settled at home I must call on your mother, and ask if she will spare you to come and have tea with me sometimes. Would you like to come?”
“Rather!” replied Jill in expressive, schoolgirl fashion, and the pretty lady laughed again.