Nan gasped with dismay! Here was a situation, to be treated as a schoolgirl whose education required finishing! She could hear Gervase’s derisive laughter, the amused chuckle with which he would say, “Silly girl, serve you right!” Across the room Cynthia and Betty were sniggering, and biting their lips. This was indeed a travesty of what she had expected. The blood flamed in her cheeks, but she answered steadily enough—
“Oh no, I was not thinking of anything for myself. It occurred to me that it might be dull in those ‘Homes’ on holiday afternoons, especially for ladies who are strangers in London, and I hoped it might make a little change for them to come out to tea. It would certainly be a pleasure to me to receive them.”
“Indeed!” said Miss Beveridge coldly.
The momentary animation which had flickered in her face at the thought of the possibility of classes died away, leaving her looking even more bleached and hopeless than before. She pressed her thin lips together, looked at the clock, and inquired suddenly—
“Can you tell me the nearest way from here to Maida Vale?”
It was a direct intimation of departure, and Nan accepted it as such, giving the desired information, without protest, it is true, but in a manner absolutely devoid of offence. It was raining heavily by this time, and she would fain have offered to whistle for a hansom, but she felt that such a proceeding would have been interpreted as an additional offence. When the visitor rose, however, she insisted upon accompanying her downstairs, where in the privacy of the vestibule she allowed herself the luxury of a farewell appeal.
“I am so sorry that it has been a failure! You are vexed with me for having brought you here for nothing, and on such a terrible afternoon too, but I meant well! I’m young, and foolish, and don’t know how to do things properly, but I couldn’t bear to keep everything to myself, and I could think of no better way. You’ll forgive me, won’t you? I’m so sorry you’ve been bored!”
Miss Beveridge looked at her swiftly, and as she looked her thin features twitched beneath her veil, and two little patches of colour showed themselves on her cheeks.
“There is nothing to forgive,” she said hurriedly. “Nothing on your side, at least. I was taken by surprise and did not quite understand. If you will allow me I will come again another time.”
“Will you—will you really? Oh, it would make me so happy!” cried Nan rapturously. “Thank you so much! Next Saturday, perhaps? I shall look forward to it all the week.”