CHAPTER IV
Sarah Lady Garribardine said to her nephew, Gerard Strobridge, who hadbeen lunching with her on that Saturday:
"You must go now, G. I am expecting a new secretary."
"How will you get on without Miss Arnott, Seraphim? I thought she wasirreplaceable."
"So she is--I am interviewing quite a new type--she has been amoneylender's shorthand typist."
Mr. Strobridge raised his eyebrows--and smiled his whimsical smile. HisAunt Sarah always was original.
"Then I'll leave you--Beatrice has at last made up her mind not to chuckthe Arberrys, so we motor down at three o'clock."
"Has Beatrice been unusually tiresome?"
"N-no--she has been writing odes all the morning."
"You ought never to have married, G.--You would not have if AliceSoutherwood had not become a widow--a man can't always face his obviousobligations."
Gerard Strobridge laughed.
"Then I shall kiss your hand and say farewell until next week--wisest ofaunts!"
He suited the action to the word, and left the room just as the butlerwas about to open the door and announce:
"Miss Bush, Your Ladyship."
He glanced quickly at Katherine--this was the young person who wouldtake the estimable Miss Arnott's place, he supposed. She was quiteordinary looking.--He went on down the stairs.
"Come and sit here in the light, please," Lady Garribardine said, asKatherine Bush came towards her.
It was a very well-arranged Katherine, in the best blue serge--and a newhat--not of Gladys' choosing. The mop of hair was twisted tightwithout the least pretension to express "the look,"--some grey suedegloves--bought in Paris by Lord Algy--were on the wonderful hands whichremained perfectly still in their owner's lap.
"How old are you?" asked Lady Garribardine by way of a beginning.
"I was twenty-two last September." There was not a trace of nervousnessin Katherine Bush's deep voice--indeed she felt none.
"And what does your family consist of--what is your status in life?"Lady Garribardine felt perhaps she ought to ascertain this before goingfurther.
"We are just middle class. My father was an auctioneer at Bindon's Greenwhere we live. He and my mother are both dead. I have a sister who is asaleswoman at Madame Ermantine's, the others are at home. My eldestbrother has taken father's place, the younger one is in a bank."
"And how long have you been at this business?"
"Since I was nineteen--before that I kept the accounts at a porkbutcher's."
"Indeed!----And what makes you think you would be capable of filling mysituation?"
"It is not very easy to be a competent moneylender's secretary and ashorthand writer."
"No--perhaps not."
"Mr. Livingston and Mr. Devereux will tell you that I did not make afailure of it."
"Really?"
Katherine was silent.
"_Really_," Lady Garribardine repeated again. "You mean that you thinkyou can pick up things quickly."
"Yes."
"It is certainly an advantage. I hoped to find something exceptionalwhen I advertised."
"Yes, I noticed that--and it was because your advertisement was unusualthat I applied for the post."
She rather wondered if she ought to have put in any "Ladyships"; sheremembered Hanson, Lord Algy's valet, was very prodigal of such marks ofrespect--that is what had deterred her. Liv and Dev often used them,too--to new and prosperously connected clients--but she did not wish tobe subservient more than was necessary. She would watch and listen--asshe had watched about the oysters.
"Can you read aloud?"
Lady Garribardine was fixing her with her flashing brown eyes, whichcontrasted so unfavourably with the bronze-gold wig she wore so bravely.
"I have never tried. If I did it wrong the first time and you correctedme, I expect I wouldn't do it twice."
"That is something--and your voice is refined--you did not acquire thatat the--er--pork butcher's?"
"No, I acquired it by listening to members of the upper classes who cameto borrow money--I had a cockney twang like my sisters, I daresay, inthe beginning."
"That shows you can learn things."
"Yes, it is only stupid people who can't."
"You are not stupid, then?"
"No, but Mr. Livingston or Mr. Devereux can tell you; either will speakfor me."
Lady Garribardine was amused; she digressed a little from hercross-examination.
"You found Jews agreeable to work with?"
"Very. You know where you are with them. They do not pretend, and theyare very generous."
"In-deed!"
"Yes--people have a preconceived notion of Jews, I find--quite faulty asa rule--they know what to pay for--they are far less fools than otherraces. I respect them."
"That is most interesting."
Katherine was silent again.
"Why did you leave them?"--after a pause in which Lady Garribardine waspitilessly scrutinising her possible secretary.
"Because I had learned all that I could there, and I wanted a newvista----"
"And you think you would find it with me?"
"With any lady in your world--you can learn things wherever you go, ifyou wish to."
"Very true. And how about French--you speak that?"
Katherine Bush reddened a little. A memory came to her of the profoundshock that the French of Paris had been to her ear.
"I can write it quite correctly--but I have discovered that mypronunciation is ridiculous." She confessed it quite frankly.
"How did that happen?"
"I taught it to myself--mostly--and then I heard it spoken--and I knewmine would sound wrong."
"Do you think you could overcome that?"
"Yes, if I were in France long enough."
"Have you travelled?"
"No--not really. I have been to Paris for a holiday once--I have onlylearnt about places."
"And English literature?"
"It is the thing I care most for--I have read a great many books. I readusually until about one in the morning."
"Have you a good temper? You are not uppish, eh?"
"I suppose it depends--I know that when you take money to do a thing youhave got to do it, and put up with orders and manners that you would notstand for one second if you were the person paying."
"That is quite a good definition of respectful service."
"It is common sense."
"You appear to have some of that."
Again silence.
"I have not a good temper!" Lady Garribardine laughed--she was greatlydiverted.
"I guessed not."
"How?"
"I had to read characters quickly at Livingston and Devereux's----"
"You are observant?"
"I think so----"
"Can you play the piano?"
"I could once, and I had a queer gift for reading the notes--but I havenever practised since we had a gramophone--I grew to loathe music."
"That is hopeful----"
Then Her Ladyship got up and went to her writing-table, terriblylittered with all sorts of papers. She dived among a conglomeratemass--and picked up two letters.
"Would you oblige me by answering these, Miss--er--Bush? I could thenbetter judge of your capabilities."
Katherine took them; on one envelope was written in a spidery hand inpencil, "Refuse gracefully;" upon the other, "Get out as best can."
She looked for a portion of the blotting pad which was clear enough touse, then she sat down and selected a pen, while she glanced up with hersteady wise eyes.
"Has Your Ladyship any particular paper for this sort of thing?" Herewas a suitable moment for the use of the honorific she felt.
"Yes, that white paper with the coronet in plain black and the address."
Lady Garribardine sat down by the fire and stared into it. She had notbeen so interested in a specimen of humanity for years.
Katherine Bush read the letters throug
h carefully and the first one asecond time, then she began to write:
To the Secretary of the League for Discouraging Polygamy among the Mohammedans of India:
_Dear Sir_,
I am asked by Sarah Lady Garribardine, to tell you that while sympathising deeply with the admirable object of your League, she thinks the field over which it must obviously be spread is too vast for a small contribution to be of much avail, and therefore, while thanking you for your interesting papers upon the subject, she is sorry that she is unable to forward you any more substantial help.
I am, dear sir, Yours faithfully, KATHERINE BUSH (Secretary).
The other letter ran:
To the Matron of the Nonconformist Detention and Penitential Hostel for Lost Women:
_Madam_,
I beg to inform you that Sarah Lady Garribardine is leaving town shortly and therefore cannot avail herself of the pleasure and honour of visiting your useful institution. She desires me to express to you her thanks for your invitation.
I remain, madame, Yours faithfully, K. BUSH (Sec.).
She looked carefully to see what style of address was necessary andwrote out the envelope--and when all was ready she rose and took them tothe young-old lady by the fire.
She stood quite still while they were perused, and then smiled inwardlywhen Lady Garribardine gave a cynical chuckle.
"I think you will do very well, Miss Bush! Please find some stamps, andput them in that basket to be posted--and--er--you can ring the bell--Ishall expect you--bag and baggage--on Wednesday next."
This was abrupt, but Katherine Bush felt it was what it should be.
"You do not require the testimony of Mr. Livingston or Mr. Devereux?"
"No--I can judge for myself--er--Good morning."
The bell had been answered almost instantly and so, bowing, KatherineBush followed the servant down the stairs, and soon found herself in thestreet, a strange sense of content in her heart.
She knew the West End very well--and walked briskly along Hill Streetand so on past Dorchester House--into the Park. All the leaves were offthe trees. The November day was beautifully fine and bright and movementwas a pleasure.
So the first part of her new game was won at all events.
She reviewed the whole set of impressions she had taken. Firstly, thatthe house was a fine one--it had "the look," if houses could be said toshow this quality. That is, it was beautifully kept and filled with whatshe guessed from study at the Wallace Collection must be rare and costlyfurniture. There were some things she thought ugly--but "the look" wasoften ugly, she knew by experience--from Gladys' verbose descriptions toEthel and Matilda.
Apart from "the look" it had an air of distinction. It was the abode ofdenizens of Lord Algy's world--that was evident. The man she had met onthe threshold of the morning room door was certainly of his class--andrather nice-looking.
As for her future employer, she was a new specimen to her. Katherinemeant what the French call a _type_, but she did not know thisexpression.
"She is certainly over sixty," she said to herself. "She is a dark womannaturally, and her hair ought to be grey. The whole thing is spoilt bythat silly golden wig--curled tight like Royalty's. She would have quitea nice figure for her age if she were not all pushed up by thoseold-fashioned corsets. Why had she such big ears and such red hands forso great a lady? Her rings were buried in fat. The circulation wasevidently wrong somewhere. As for her voice--it was one of _the_ voices!The female counterpart of the echoes from over the glass screen--and themanner was quite as casual.
"Just as insolent as I shall be when I hold the same sort of place. Shewas born to it--I shall have acquired it--we both when we are dead willbe said to have well filled our situations."
Thus mused Katherine Bush on a November day in Hyde Park--and turningout of Albert Gate suddenly she almost walked into the arms of LordAlgy.