Nettlepoint if there were any one else in our party, and when our hostess mentioned her son--there was a chance of his embarking but (wasn't it absurd?) he hadn't decided yet--she returned with extraordinary candour: "Oh dear, I do hope he'll go: that would be so lovely for Grace."Somehow the words made me think of poor Mr.Porterfield's tartan, especially as Jasper Nettlepoint strolled in again at that moment.
His mother at once challenged him: it was ten o'clock; had he by chance made up his great mind? Apparently he failed to hear her, being in the first place surprised at the strange ladies and then struck with the fact that one of them wasn't strange.The young man, after a slight hesitation, greeted Miss Mavis with a handshake and a "Oh good-evening, how do you do?" He didn't utter her name--which Icould see he must have forgotten; but she immediately pronounced his, availing herself of the American girl's discretion to "present" him to her mother.
"Well, you might have told me you knew him all this time!" that lady jovially cried.Then she had an equal confidence for Mrs.
Nettlepoint."It would have saved me a worry--an acquaintance already begun.""Ah my son's acquaintances!" our hostess murmured.
"Yes, and my daughter's too!" Mrs.Mavis gaily echoed."Mrs.Allen didn't tell us YOU were going," she continued to the young man.
"She'd have been clever if she had been able to!" Mrs.Nettlepoint sighed.
"Dear mother, I have my telegram," Jasper remarked, looking at Grace Mavis.
"I know you very little," the girl said, returning his observation.
"I've danced with you at some ball--for some sufferers by something or other.""I think it was an inundation or a big fire," she a little languidly smiled."But it was a long time ago--and I haven't seen you since.""I've been in far countries--to my loss.I should have said it was a big fire.""It was at the Horticultural Hall.I didn't remember your name,"said Grace Mavis.
"That's very unkind of you, when I recall vividly that you had a pink dress.""Oh I remember that dress--your strawberry tarletan: you looked lovely in it!" Mrs.Mavis broke out."You must get another just like it--on the other side.""Yes, your daughter looked charming in it," said Jasper Nettlepoint.
Then he added to the girl: "Yet you mentioned my name to your mother.""It came back to me--seeing you here.I had no idea this was your home.""Well, I confess it isn't, much.Oh there are some drinks!"--he approached the tray and its glasses.
"Indeed there are and quite delicious"--Mrs.Mavis largely wiped her mouth.
"Won't you have another then?--a pink one, like your daughter's gown.""With pleasure, sir.Oh do see them over," Mrs.Mavis continued, accepting from the young man's hand a third tumbler.
"My mother and that gentleman? Surely they can take care of themselves," he freely pleaded.
"Then my daughter--she has a claim as an old friend."But his mother had by this time interposed."Jasper, what does your telegram say?"He paid her no heed: he stood there with his glass in his hand, looking from Mrs.Mavis to Miss Grace.
"Ah leave her to me, madam; I'm quite competent," I said to Mrs.
Mavis.
Then the young man gave me his attention.The next minute he asked of the girl: "Do you mean you're going to Europe?""Yes, tomorrow.In the same ship as your mother.""That's what we've come here for, to see all about it," said Mrs.
Mavis.
"My son, take pity on me and tell me what light your telegram throws," Mrs.Nettlepoint went on.
"I will, dearest, when I've quenched my thirst." And he slowly drained his glass.
"Well, I declare you're worse than Gracie," Mrs.Mavis commented.
"She was first one thing and then the other--but only about up to three o'clock yesterday.""Excuse me--won't you take something?" Jasper inquired of Gracie; who however still declined, as if to make up for her mother's copious consommation.I found myself quite aware that the two ladies would do well to take leave, the question of Mrs.Nettlepoint's good will being so satisfactorily settled and the meeting of the morrow at the ship so near at hand and I went so far as to judge that their protracted stay, with their hostess visibly in a fidget, gave the last proof of their want of breeding.Miss Grace after all then was not such an improvement on her mother, for she easily might have taken the initiative of departure, in spite of Mrs.Mavis's evident "game" of making her own absorption of refreshment last as long as possible.I watched the girl with increasing interest; I couldn't help asking myself a question or two about her and even perceiving already (in a dim and general way) that rather marked embarrassment, or at least anxiety attended her.Wasn't it complicating that she should have needed, by remaining long enough, to assuage a certain suspense, to learn whether or no Jasper were going to sail? Hadn't something particular passed between them on the occasion or at the period to which we had caught their allusion, and didn't she really not know her mother was bringing her to HIS mother's, though she apparently had thought it well not to betray knowledge? Such things were symptomatic--though indeed one scarce knew of what--on the part of a young lady betrothed to that curious cross-barred phantom of a Mr.Porterfield.But I am bound to add that she gave me no further warrant for wonder than was conveyed in her all tacitly and covertly encouraging her mother to linger.Somehow I had a sense that SHE was conscious of the indecency of this.I got up myself to go, but Mrs.
