A City Schoolgirl and Her Friends

  CHAPTER VII.

  KIND-HEARTED LONDONERS.

  'Oh Stella, it's a mist, a blacky-yellow mist--I mean a fog! How horrid!What shall I do here all by myself while you are in the City? And howwill you get there? I shall be so frightened all the morning, thinkingyou are lost. Can't I come with you? I will sit quite quietly in yourroom while you are writing, and perhaps I could help you!' cried Vava onthe second Saturday morning, when she woke up to find London quite darkand enveloped in a yellow fog.

  'I can't take you with me, Vava; it would never do. That is not my room;it is Messrs Baines & Jones's room. If I brought you there to help me itwould look as if I had too much to do, which is not true,' repliedStella.

  'Then let me stop with Mrs. Ryan. I will do my lessons, and sew thathorrid piece of needlework I have to get done by next sewing-lesson.Don't leave me in this poky little place by myself,' pleaded Vava.

  As a matter of fact, Stella hated these Saturdays, when she had to go tothe City alone, because Vava had no school that day, and to-day she wasreally nervous of the fog. So she said doubtfully, 'If you promise tostop quietly in Mrs. Ryan's room, and not go out of it on any excuseuntil I come to fetch you, I will take you, though it is ratherextravagant, for we shall have to go by omnibus.'

  'Never mind, it will be my Saturday's treat,' said Vava; and the two setout for the City.

  Mrs. Ryan held up her hands at sight of them. 'There's brave youngladies! Not one of the young ladies of Philips's downstairs have comeyet, and three of them that live some way off have sent telephonemessages to say it's too thick their way, and they want to be excused.'

  'I want to be excused for bringing Vava. She would not be left alone,and was sure you would not mind her sitting quietly in your room doingher lessons. I hope you will not mind?' said Stella.

  'Mind! Why, I'm only too glad of a bit of company, and Miss Vava's aswelcome as the sunshine would be, for it's what she reminds me of!'cried Mrs. Ryan heartily.

  Mr. James looked up in surprise at sight of Stella. 'Miss Wharton! I didnot expect you to-day; it is one of the worst fogs we have had foryears. I wonder you found your way, as you are not used to London!' heexclaimed.

  'The omnibus took me all the way,' said Stella gravely, and opened hernote-book to take down her instructions; and Mr. James, who very seldomventured to make even a remark like that, turned to business; but whenhis secretary had gone, and the darkness became thicker still, he lookeduneasily out of the window, and then rang for the housekeeper.

  'Mrs. Ryan, the fog is getting worse; I don't think that Miss Whartonought to go home alone,' he began, looking disturbed.

  'She's not alone, sir, begging your pardon; her little sister is here inmy room,' observed the housekeeper.

  The young man looked relieved. 'That's a good thing; she has really gotmore sense than the elder one in some ways. But how on earth are they toget back? I'd offer to take them in my car, only she'd fly down mythroat,' he said with an aggrieved air.

  'And begging your pardon again, sir, I think the more of Miss Whartonfor her proper pride; but if I might make so bold as to suggest it, youmight send the motor back for them,' suggested Mrs. Ryan.

  'By all means; they're welcome to it as much as they like. I'll tell youwhat, Mrs. Ryan, they'll have to stop till it comes back. Suppose yougive them lunch? I'll have it sent in, and you will tell them it's thecustom of the firm. I'd like to give that little girl some pleasure; I'msure her life's dull enough. I hear her sister won't let her makefriends with the girls at school, and they don't know a soul else inLondon, for she told Miss Upjohn so,' said Mr. James, who talked to Mrs.Ryan very freely, as she was an old servant of the family.

  Mrs. Ryan was only too pleased to do anything for the Misses Wharton, towhom she had taken a great fancy, and promised to see to the lunch.

  Vava sat and learnt her lessons very conscientiously while Mrs. Ryanwent about her duties. After a while Mr. James, who had a message togive the housekeeper, and probably found time hang heavy on his handsthis morning--for it was not a day for callers--came to thehousekeeper's room.

  'Well, and what have you got to say about our English climate?' was hisgreeting.

  Vava put down her English grammar with relief. 'Nothing good,' she said,laughing and shaking her head.

  'It's like swallowing nasty-tasting flannel, isn't it?' he agreed.

  'Yes, and it's getting worse; it was bad enough getting here, and how onearth we are going to get back nobody knows,' said Vava, as she lookedout of the window at the fog, which got thicker and thicker, and wasenough to frighten any country-bred girl, though Vava would not own it.

  'Then I must be "nobody," because I know,' he said.

  Vava looked up in surprise, and then guessing that he meant to take themhome, a kindness she knew Stella would not accept, she said, 'We shallgo in a bus, thank you, and I'm not as afraid as you think, for I'veoften been out in a mist at home, and they are more dangerous than this,for they come on suddenly, and you can't see a thing.'

  'Mrs. Ryan does not approve of the bus; besides, they do not seem to berunning. So she suggests your going in my car, which will come back foryou after it has taken me home. Will you tell your sister it's the onlything to do?' asked Mr. James.

  It did not strike Vava that the junior partner might have given his ownmessage to his secretary, and agreed to deliver it; and, as Mrs. Ryanbacked her up, Stella gave way.

  'Baines & Jones are a very good firm to work for, and they look aftertheir people well. After all, why shouldn't they? They're rich enough,and it's good policy, for they get well served; so you may eat thislunch quite comfortably, for they say you are the best lady they've hadfor a long time; you know French so well, and you write first-ratebusiness letters. So you've earned your lunch for that, if you hadn'tearned it by coming through such an awful fog to-day,' explained Mrs.Ryan, as she served lunch for the two sisters.

  Mrs. Ryan would not exactly say, as her master told her, that it was thecustom to give lunch; in fact, at sight of the menu she was told to getshe was half-afraid Miss Wharton would refuse it, for chicken andcherry-tart with cream, followed by coffee and dessert, was rather agrand lunch to send in for a City clerk.

  But Stella in her ignorance supposed it was usual; City dinners alwayswere rich, like the givers, she knew.

  'Isn't this lovely? I wish it would often be a fog; this is better thangoing to a stuffy restaurant,' announced Vava; and Mrs. Ryan determinedto tell the kind-hearted giver of the pleasure his lunch had given.

  But there was more pleasure to come. In about an hour the motor cameback for them, and they started off very slowly. After a quarter of anhour they came to a stop, owing to a block at one of the bridges overthe Thames.

  'It's funny it should be so thick here; it's lovely a few miles out,'said the chauffeur, turning to address his passengers.

  'How I wish we were a few miles out too, then!' cried Vava impulsively.

  The two girls did not see a half-amused look that came into the staidand respectable man's eyes as he replied, 'Well, miss, I have to take arun down to Brighton, and if you would let me turn off south over thisbridge I could take you there almost as soon as I could take you home atthe rate we're going, and perhaps by the time we got back it would befine again?'

  Put like this, it sounded almost a favour to the chauffeur to let himget his business over first; though, perhaps, if they had had time tothink, Stella at least would have bethought her that Brighton wasslightly out of the way from the City to Westminster!

  But Vava's cry of 'Oh do, Stella, do! I should so like to see the seaagain,' settled it.

  'There's plenty of rugs there, miss,' said the man, as he turned overthe bridge with the same amused smile, and, as he had said, soon broughtthem into a better atmosphere, and finally to Brighton, where the sunwas shining.

  'If you'll let me know what time you wish to go back, miss, I'll meetyou wherever you like,' said the chauffeur, touching his hat.

  'As soon as your busines
s is done, of course,' said Stella.

  'Oh well'--here the man coughed--'yes, of course. Well, my businesswon't take long; but I haven't to get back for anything to-day, and mymaster said I could stop a bit. But, of course, if you are in ahurry'----he replied.

  Stella looked doubtful, and consulted her watch. It was half-past three;they had another hour and a half of daylight, and it was very nice bythe sea.

  'There's no hurry at all, Stella; there's lots to see and dohere.--You'll want to have some dinner, won't you?' Vava added, turningto the man.

  'I'd be glad to see some friends I've got down here, and they'll lookafter me. Would seven o'clock suit you, young ladies?'

  Again Stella agreed; but a feeling, which she could not define, that shewas being managed somehow came over her. But she forgot it in thepleasure of the brisk walk by the sea, the visit to the aquarium, and,finally, listening to the band on the pier.

  'Stella, I've come to the conclusion that we are wrong about Londonpeople,' announced Vava, as they sat in a sheltered corner listening tothe music.

  'How, Vava?' asked her sister.

  'Nursie always used to say they were hard and selfish and suspicious,and I find that they are very kind. First there were the MontagueJoneses, and now there's Mrs. Ryan and your Mr. Jones and thischauffeur, all being as kind as can be,' explained Vava.

  'He's not my Mr. Jones,' said Stella sharply, taking up the offensivewords. Then she continued, 'Yes, they are kind; but I do not much likeaccepting kindnesses we cannot return.'

  'But we do return it by enjoying ourselves and thanking them, and youheard Mrs. Ryan say that the firm wanted to reward your good work, or,at least, that was what she meant, and you do work hard, and do overtimetoo sometimes; and I am going to knit a Shetland shawl for Mrs. Ryan, sothat will be doing her a kindness in return,' declared Vava.

  Stella sighed. 'I wish I were like you, able to enjoy everything, Vava,'she said half-sadly. To the proud, reserved girl, her present life wasintolerable.

  'Oh don't, Stella! Fancy, if you were like me, really! We should getinto all sorts of muddles; besides, people would not be so kind to us!'she added shrewdly.

  Stella refrained from asking her what she meant; for she knew too, and,funnily enough, resented the attention which her beauty brought her.However, Vava's words did good; and Stella, whatever she might say, didenjoy the trip. And she thanked the chauffeur so prettily that the manwas quite captivated.

  'I am sure, miss, it's been a pleasure, and I only hope I shall have thesame pleasure again;' and he would have said more, but on the whole hethought it wiser not to do so.

  'This has been the nicest day we have spent since we came to London,'Vava assured the man, smiling and nodding at him as he respectfully tookhis leave.

  Stella looked very grave as she put her latch-key into the front-door oftheir lodgings. 'I am not sure that it is a wise thing to take thesetreats; it only seems to make you dissatisfied with the outings that Ican afford.'

  'Indeed it does not, only I liked seeing the sea, and I do love rushingthrough the country in a motor; but I enjoyed the Tower very much, and Ishall enjoy the Houses of Parliament next Saturday all the more forhaving had a change in between. Besides, it was delightful to get out ofthat awful fog; we could not have done anything to-day if we had stayedin London except sit in this little room with the gas lit. It was kindof Mr. James.'

  'Yes,' agreed Stella; but she did not think it necessary to tell Vavathat she was not going to accept such kindnesses in future, however muchMrs. Ryan might say it was 'the custom of the firm.'