The 'Mind the Paint' Girl Part 64

[_MAUD comes to the centre table with the ribbon and JIMMIE cuts off two lengths from the roll._

MAUD.

[_To JIMMIE._] Morning, Miss Jimmie!

JIMMIE.

[_To MAUD._] Morning!

LILY.

[_To MRS. UPJOHN._] Where's the mirror? Where's the mirror?

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Taking the mirror from the table and giving it to LILY._] 'Ere it is, dearie; 'ere it is. An' _I'm_ 'ere too.

LILY.

[_Viewing herself in the mirror and running her hand over her hair._]

Oh, how horrid I look! [_JIMMIE goes to LILY with the two lengths of ribbon and MAUD replaces the roll in the drawer._] Ring the bell.

[_JIMMIE hands LILY the garters, relieving her of the mirror, and MRS.

UPJOHN hastens to the fireplace and presses the bell-push continuously._] That'll do, Maud; _you_ hook it.

MAUD.

[_Going to the bedroom door._] Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! That's how I like to hear her talk. Ha, ha, ha, ha!

[_MAUD vanishes into the bedroom, closing the door, and LILY, having tied up her stockings, rises and comes to the settee._

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Still pressing the bell-push._] _Now_ I don't believe I've rung.

LILY.

[_At the uttermost tension._] Ah, stop it, mother; stop it! [_Sitting on the settee._] We're not calling the fire-brigade.

JIMMIE.

[_At the back of the settee, to LILY._] I'll wait in your bedroom till the men have been shown up, and sneak out that way. [_Bending over LILY._] Mind! If Nicko _is_ willing, after all, that you should make your choice----

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Advancing._] Yes, dearie, if 'e _is_ willing----

LILY.

[_Frantically._] I tell you I _have_ made it. I keep on telling you _I've chosen-- I've chosen-- I've chosen!_ [_Clenching her hands._]

If you torment me any more, either of you----!

[_MRS. UPJOHN and JIMMIE retreat precipitately to the bedroom door.

They open the door and then, standing in the doorway, listen intently._

JIMMIE.

[_Disappearing._] Ah----!

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Partially disappearing._] Ah--! [_Only her head visible, speaking to LILY in a hoa.r.s.e whisper._] Mother's _'ere_, dearie.

[_The head is withdrawn and the door softly closed. After a pause, GLADYS enters at the other door followed by JEYES and FARNCOMBE. The men are carrying their hats and canes. GLADYS retires, closing the door, and JEYES comes to LILY and shakes hands with her._

JEYES.

[_To LILY, gently._] How are you to-day, Lil? Very f.a.gged?

LILY.

[_Almost inaudibly._] I _am_ a little. [_JEYES turns from her, to lay his hat and cane upon the box-ottoman, and then FARNCOMBE, who has hung back, advances hesitatingly to the further side of the centre table and bows to LILY. She rises and, avoiding his eyes, gives him a limp hand across the table._] How d'ye do? [_To JEYES who, having got rid of his hat and cane, moves away from the ottoman._] Sit down, won't you? [_She resumes her seat upon the settee and JEYES, with a nod, sits in the arm-chair by the centre table. FARNCOMBE remains standing and again she addresses him without meeting his eyes._] And you?

[_FARNCOMBE, with another bow, sits upon the fauteuil-stool. There is a brief silence and then JEYES speaks._

JEYES.

Lil----

LILY.

Y-yes?

JEYES.

In the first place, Farncombe wants you distinctly to understand how it is he's committing this breach of his compact with you. [_To FARNCOMBE._] You promised----?

FARNCOMBE.

I promised never to attempt to come near Miss Parradell again, nor even to enter the theatre.

JEYES.

[_To LILY._] And if I'm any judge of a man, Lily, Farncombe would have kept his promise. He'd have kept it faithfully, but for _me_. I've brought him along-- insisted on it. [_Emphatically._] _I've brought him along._ See?

LILY.

W-w-why, Nicko?

JEYES.