CHAPTER XVII.
NEARER AND NEARER.
Florence had lived without letters for some time, but now they seemed topour in. The next morning, as she was preparing her extremely frugalbreakfast, consisting of bread without butter and a little weak tea, sheheard the postman climbing all the way up to her attic floor. His doubleknock sounded on her door, and a letter was dropped in. She took it up:it was from her mother. She opened it languidly. Mrs. Aylmer wrote insome distress:--
"MY DARLING CHILD--
"The queerest thing has happened. I cannot possibly account for it. I have been robbed of five pounds. I was on the sands yesterday talking to a very pleasant jolly fat little man, who interested me by telling me that he knew London, and that he considered I had done extremely wrong in allowing you to go there without a chaperon. He described the dangers to which young girls were subjected in such terrible and fearful language that I very nearly screamed.
"I thanked him for his advice, and told him that I would write to you immediately and ask you to come home. My darling, it would be better for us both to starve at home than for you to run the risks which he has hinted at.
"But to come to the real object of this letter. I am five pounds short, my dear Florry--I had five pounds in my pocket, two of which I had received unexpectedly, and three from my very, very tiny income. Sukey and I were going to have quite a little turn-out--a nice tea-party; but fortunately, most fortunately, Providence prevented my ordering the buns and cakes, or sending out the invitations, and when I came in my money was gone. Of course it was not the little man, so do not point your suspicions at him. Somebody robbed the widow. Oh, what a judgment will yet fall upon that head!
"Dear Flo, I know you have something by you--how large a sum you have never confided to your poor mother. Will you lend me five pounds, darling, and send it at once? Quarter-day is coming on, and I have several things to meet. Do not hesitate, my love: it shall be returned to you when I get my next allowance.
"I will write to you later on with regard to your coming back to Dawlish. In the meantime think of your poor mother's distress, and do your utmost for her."
Florence let the letter drop from her hands. She sat before her frugalboard, and slowly and listlessly raised her cup of tea to her lips.
"I seem to be pushed gradually nearer and nearer the edge," she said toherself. "What possessed mother to lose that money? Of course the manwas a thief. Mother is so silly, and she really gets worse as she growsolder. Dear little Mummy, I love her with all my heart; but her want ofcommon-sense does try me sometimes."
The day was going to be a particularly hot one. There was a mist allover the horizon, and the breeze was moving languidly.
Florence had her window wide open, and was wondering how she could livethrough the day. To-day was Saturday. To-morrow she would have apleasant time. She looked forward to meeting Maurice Trevor more thanshe dared to admit to herself. She wondered what sort of woman hismother was.
"At any rate," she said to herself, "he is nice. I like him, and I amsure he likes me, and we shall enjoy ourselves on Hampstead Heath. Itwon't be so hot there; it will be a little bit of the country. I mustsend mother the five pounds, and I suppose I need not decide about thatawful manuscript till Monday."
These thoughts had scarcely come into her head before there came a knockat her door. Florence went to open it, and Edith Franks, very neatlydressed, and looking business-like and purposeful, with bright eyes anda clear colour in her cheeks, stood on the threshold.
"How do you do?" she said. "I am just off to my work. I am about to havea very hard day, but I thought I would refresh myself with a sight ofyou. May I come in?"
"Please do," said Florence, but she did not look altogether happy as shegave the invitation. Her bed was unmade, her dressing things were lyingabout, her breakfast was just the sort which she did not wish thekeen-eyed medical student to see. There was no help for it, however.Edith Franks had come up for the purpose of spying into the nakedness ofthe land, and spy she did. She looked quickly round her in that darting,bird-like manner which characterised all her movements. She saw theuntidy room, she noticed the humble, insufficient meal.
Edith Franks had the kindest heart in the world; but she was sometimes alittle, just a very little destitute of tact.
"My dear," she said, "may I sit down? Your stairs really take one'sbreath away. I know now what I specially came for. Tom has promised tocall for me this morning."
"Who is Tom?" asked Florence.
"Don't you know? What a short memory you have! I told you somethingabout him last night--my clever journalist brother. He is on the staffof the _Daily Tidings_, and the new six-penny magazine that people talkso much about, the _Argonaut_. He has a splendid post, and has greatinfluence. If you will entrust that precious manuscript to me, I willlet Tom see it. He is the best of judges. If he says it is worthanything, your fortune is made. If, on the other hand--"
"Oh, but he won't like it, and I think I would rather not," saidFlorence. She turned very pale as she spoke. Edith gave her anotherglance.
"Let me have it," she said. "Tom's seeing it means nothing. I will gethim to run his eye over it while we are at lunch together. Here, get itfor me; there's a good girl."
Florence rose. Her feet seemed weighted with lead. She unlocked herdrawer, took out the manuscript, and nearly flung it at Edith's head.She restrained herself, however, and stood with it in her hand lookingas undecided as a girl could look.
"You tempt me mightily," she said; "why do you tempt me?"
"To get money for what is such splendid work," said Miss Franks, with agay laugh. "I am glad I tempt you, for you want money, you poor, proud,queer girl. I like you--I like you much, but you must just let me helpyou over this crisis. Give it to me, my dear."
She nearly snatched the manuscript from Florence, and thrust it into asmall leather bag which she wore at her side.
"Tom shall tell you what he thinks of it, and now ta! ta!"