Coquette

dissolved underdisaster. As she made her way up the long workroom to her place thegirls all craned their necks to look at Miss Summers, and one ortwo--the kinder ones--rose to see if they could do anything to comforther. But it was to Sally that Miss Summers turned, and within an inch ofSally's cheeks that she shook her tear-stained face. At first she couldnot speak; but grimaced like a child, as if her cold nose was smarting.Sally was first to hear the news; but all of them had known it from thefirst glimpse of Miss Summers in tears.

  "She's gone," cried Miss Summers, "Poor soul, she's gone. And what willhappen to us I don't know."

  "_We'll_ be all right," Sally murmured, with singular confidence. Ashock had slightly discomposed her, but it was not a shock of sorrow forthe death of Madame Gala. Rather was it a passing thrill of dismay ather own responsibility, which her reassuring speech had been intended toremove.

  "She's dead.... Madam's dead...." ran through the workroom. One girlhurried to tell Miss Rapson and the workers in her department, who camecrowding immediately into the room, agog with excitement. They allgathered together in a body, and then in detached groups, talking fast.

  "I s'pose we'll all have a day off for the funeral," somebody said witha giggle.

  "Oo, yes. Sure to. And have to wear mourning," added another girl, moresolemnly and hopefully.

  Sally stood, as if by right, with Miss Summers and Miss Rapson. She wasdefinitely a principal figure in the scene. Just as the other girlsbegan to notice this, and murmuringly to comment upon it as a piece ofcharacteristic impudence, Miss Summers had a quick return of memory.Gesticulating with helpless impatience, she said:

  "Oh, Sally; I'd quite forgotten. Mr. Bertram _is_ ill. And the nursesaid he was asking to see you. Yes, asking to see ... Miss Minto."

  Asking to see Sally Minto! There was a thrill among the girls that waseven greater than the one which they had felt at the news of Madam'sdeath. Gaga asking to see Sally Minto! Whew! Everything became electric.Rose Anstey coloured deeply, and turned upon her heel. Sally knew theywere all staring at her, like fish in an aquarium. With somethingapproaching dignity she ignored them and directly addressed MissSummers.

  "Did you mean he wanted me to go at once?" she asked.

  "Yes, child. Yes. At once. Better run along now...." Miss Summers wasdistracted, tearful, inclined to kiss Sally, and altogether withoutknowledge of what she was doing or what she ought to do. "Wait.... Tellhim--perhaps I ought to write a letter? Oh, dear! I don't know...." Shepressed her fingers to her temples. "No, tell him how sorry we all are.Say if he wants _me_.... Run along, run along!"

  "Yes, Miss Summers."

  In a very leisurely manner, Sally rolled up her pinafore and put herwork away. Then she washed and dressed herself to go out. She walkedback through the workroom like a queen, sedately bidding Miss Summers"good-afternoon" and smiling a cool farewell to the girls. The buzz oftheir amazed whispering followed her into the waiting-room. She felttheir eyes like stings in her back. On the way downstairs the memory ofthe scene and an understanding of the girls' feelings made her laugh.Well, that was that; and she was face to face with her problem in itsentirety. Unconsciously, Sally walked more erect.

  xii

  Sally never went back to the workroom. She hurried from it to the oldhouse in Kensington in which the Merricks had lived for years; and asshe saw the house, so black with dust, and the steps that led up to theheavy front door, even Sally's heart quailed. She hesitated for severalminutes before going up the steps, and loitered there, a little figurein a grey dress, trim and _chic_, but not at all the girl to takecontrol of such a mansion and of the difficulties which lay within. Shecould not tell what a mass of custom the house indicated; but herinstinct was enough to make her feel extraordinarily small,extraordinarily untrained and incapable. It had been very well for herto suppose that everything could be seized and controlled at a glance.The reality was too solid for a longer dream. Thoughtless,over-confident as her fantasy had been, she had the sense which a childhas when a running man comes threateningly near--of a great shape, ofunexpected size and dangerousness, looming out of the focussed picture,and setting all previous conceptions at nought. Here was this gianthouse, and Madam lying dead in it, and servants who would resent herappearance, and Gaga; and Sally was such a little girl in the face of adefinite trial. She was a little girl, and she would never be able todeal with what lay ahead. It was a long, devastating spasm of doubt,like a trembling of the earth. The house towered above her, huge andgloomy; and other houses, equally oppressive, continued from theMerricks' house, with basements and railings and great black fronts andlace curtains, until the road turned and its end was unseen. And Sally,who had lived all her life in small flats and single rooms, was shaken.Her heart sank. She entered the house. Her head was high, from pride;but her qualms were intense. An atmosphere of solemn melancholy madeeverybody speak in low tones. She had difficulty in remaining calm.

  All the rooms were large rooms, filled with large furniture and oldpictures and prints. Madam had made her home for comfort; and the tastewhich had marked her other work was here subdued. An old clock tickedsteadily; and if there were no ancient horrors at least the house withindid not belie its serious front. Sally was like a little doll, shrinkingunder the weight of such solid comfort, and not yet able to appraise itin terms of possession and disposal. She was still shy and timid.Wherever, upon this first entrance, she looked round for encouragement,she found none. During that first evening she was so miserable that shecould have run away. She was like a child that goes for the first timeto school, and feels bereft of every familiar support and association.

  But in the morning Sally found everything better. She saw Gaga'sdoctor, and she talked to the three servants. She telephoned to MissSummers and asked her to come to the house in the afternoon. She wroteto Mrs. Perce and to Toby. She nursed Gaga and refused to see the deadbody of his mother. Every minute which she spent in the house increasedher familiarity with it; and her youth and smallness captivated thethree middle-aged servants, who were glad to have somebody there whomthey could advise. Sally had long been able to behave as somebody otherthan a workgirl, and the servants were so well-behaved that they did notmake any attempt to be too much at ease with her. Sally, moreover,looked down with all the contempt of her class upon women who worked indomestic service--SKIVVIES! She was drawlingly refined with them, butnot grotesquely so, and they respected her.

  First in importance among the things which Sally had to seem to arrangewas the funeral. She handed all the details to the undertaker. Thisshowed her to be a general. From the first she followed the onlypossible plan--to give _carte blanche_ to those who had to deal withmatters of urgency. Gaga was all the time ill. His mother's death had sobroken down his strength and his self-control that Sally often found himweak with crying; a pathetic figure, in bed, woebegone and feeble. Hisdelight at seeing her was so violent that he had covered her hands withkisses before he fell back exhausted upon his pillow. He constantlycalled for her. The servants noticed with clucked tongues how feverishwas his devotion; but they also recognised Sally's patience. Sally wasangelic to Gaga. She tended him so protectively that one might havethought her loving. And in the rest of her free time she tried hard tolearn about the house. Mistakes she made, of course, and many of them;but she was still shrewd, and if she was often superficial and hasty,at least she was alert.

  Miss Summers Sally found invaluable. Once Miss Summers had overcome hersurprise at the new order and once she had found that Sally was the oldSally, who relied upon her, she rose to every call. Her kindness and hergeneralship were unfailing. She it was who kept the business moving at atrying time. In her hands orders were filled with the expectedpromptitude and the customary excellence. She obsequiously interviewedthose who came to be fitted; and her knowledge of the business enabledher to satisfy these customers and make them understand that in spite ofthe extraordinary conditions they could still rely upon properattention. She was unsparing of her time and her devotion. She had atlast a satisf
actory mission.

  And all this Sally recognised. While Gaga claimed her attention, andhousehold affairs worried her, she did not trouble very much about thebusiness. Miss Summers would come in the evening to Kensington, tell herthe news, and give advice upon other matters. The two had long talks atnight. Sally suddenly knew how valuable a friend she had in MissSummers. She knew the value of an unselfish readiness to serve; and sheherself was generous enough and, in a sense, imaginative enough not toexploit Miss Summers. There was a good understanding between them. AndSally, as she looked round at the mahogany furniture in this old house,and saw the dull carpets and engravings which Madam had gatheredtogether in other days for the suitable adornment of her rooms, couldthink of no better repayment than a gift of some of the things whichMiss Summers might prize, and