A Star Looks Down Part 6

Would you like me to go?

' "My dear good girl, of course not.

My study is at the back of the hall--out of bounds to the children, but consider yourself invited to make use of it whenever you wish--only don't touch my desk.

' She smiled widely.

"Is it a mess?

Doctors seem to like them that way.

I was going up to bed, actually.

The children have been splendid--and how good they are at their English, even Alberdina.

' She made her way to the door.

"I rather think they wake early in the morning and I want to be ready for them.

' He had taken up a position before the empty fireplace, his eyes on her face.

"T've some messages from Mar tina about the children, could you not sit down for a minute while I pa.s.s them on?

' "Yes, of course.

' She perched on the edge of a large chair and folded her hands in her lap.

"I hope Mevrouw Thor becke is getting on well?

' "Excellently.

' He pressed the old-fas.h.i.+oned bell by the fireplace and took a chair opposite hers.

"T've been to a very dull dinner party, do you mind if I have some coffee and something to eat?

' He broke off as Mrs Silver came into the room.

They were obviously on the best of terms, for she clucked at him in a motherly fas.h.i.+on and burst at once into speech.

"There, Profess or, didn't I know it--you were given a bad dinner and now you're famished," and when he admitted that this was so: "You just sit there and I'll bring you some coffee and sandwiches.

I daresay Miss Partridge could drink another cup and keep you company.

' "Of course," he said, before Beth could get her mouth open; Mrs Silver had gone by the time she managed: "I had coffee after dinner, thank you.

' "You would prefer something else?

' His voice was blandly charming.

"No, thanks.

' She spoke firmly and wondered how it was that ten minutes later she was sitting there with a cup of coffee in her hand, and moreover, eating a sandwich.

She was still there an hour later; she had forgotten that her companion was someone who, in the ordinary way, she would have addressed as sir, taken his word for law in theatre, and if she had encountered him outside their working sphere, wished him a sedate time of day and nothing more; she only knew that she was content to sit in his company, listening to his mild nothings and replying in kind.

The handsome ormolu clock on the mantelpiece chiming the hour recalled her to the astonis.h.i.+ng fact that it was midnight.

"Heavens, I never meant to stay as long as this," she exclaimed, aware of regret as she jumped to her feet and made for the door.

The profess or had got to his feet too and with his hand on the door she stopped short.

"The messages," she exclaimed again, 'you had some messages for me.

' He opened the door.

"I am ashamed to say that I have forgotten every one of them--they couldn't have been of much importance, could they?

Your room is comfortable?

You have everything you want?

' She told him yes, feeling a little uneasy about the messages, but there seemed nothing she could do about them now, so she wished him a good night and went to her room, where later, and still very wide awake, she thought about the evening, telling herself at the same time that it was only because she had been feeling lonely that she had found his company so very pleasant.

CHAPTER THREE.

beth took the children to Hyde Park in the morning and now that they had got used to her, a little of their natural high spirits were apparent; they screamed and laughed and ran races and fell over like any other child, and Beth, with no one much around to see, ran races too, her hair tumbling loose from her topknot and her cheeks flushed a healthy pink.

And because it was such a lovely day, they walked home instead of taking the bus, with a good deal of stopping on the way to look at anything interesting which caught the eye of anyone in the party.

They arrived on the doorstep in a happy chattering bunch and Beth rang the bell.

It was the profess or who opened the door to them and was instantly a.s.sailed by all four children, each telling their own version of the morning's amus.e.m.e.nts, interlarded with loud declarations of hunger.

He suffered them with good-natured patience, giving his opinion on anything he was asked, and behaving, Beth was glad to see, just as an uncle should, and when he looked over their heads to ask her if she had enjoyed herself too, she answered happily enough.

"Oh, rather--it was super.

' "Beth's hair fell down," piped Alberdina.

"She ran races too, but she never won.

' "She's a girl," said Dirk kindly, and the profess or smiled faintly.

"I daresay that after a morning with this lot, Miss Partridge, you feel worn out.

A gla.s.s of sherry before lunch, perhaps?

' She accepted, adding the proviso that it would have to be in a few minutes' time.

"T'll just get them upstairs and tidied--and me too," she told him.

"Would five minutes do?

' "Admirably--I shall be in the sitting room.

' The children, she was quick to see, as once more neat as a new pin she sat sipping her sherry, were as good as gold; not only did they like their uncle very much, they had a healthy respect for him too.

They sat quietly, Alberdina on her uncle's knee, the others in a row on one of the sofas, and although they took part in the conversation, they didn't make nuisances of themselves.

Nanny must have been a paragon; Beth wondered uneasily if she had ever run races with the children in Hyde Park.

They were half-way through lunch when the profess or mentioned in his placid way that he had wondered, as it was such a pleasant afternoon, if the children would like to go for a drive in the car.

"With tea, of course," he finished amidst an excited outcry from his small relations.

"And Miss Partridge?

' he wanted to know.

"Do you care to come with us?

Sat.u.r.day afternoon, you know.

' Beth hesitated; it would be delightful to accept, on the other hand was he just being polite?

She glanced quickly at the faces round her; the children at least looked pleased with the idea, and when she peeped at the profess or, there was nothing in his face to suggest that he minded one way or the other.

"Well--' she said slowly, and was drowned by the children's demands that she should go with them.

"If you want to," she said a little shyly.

"We shall be delighted to have your company, Miss Partridge.

Shall we say half past two, then?

' The children were brushed and combed and b.u.t.toned into their coats much too soon, which gave her a little time to attend to her own person.

She would have to wear the suit, for she had nothing else which would do, but at least she could do her hair again and do the best she could with her face.

Wholly dissatisfied with the result, she went downstairs, the children strung out behind her, and found the profess or sitting on the wall table in the hall, smoking his pipe.

When he saw them he got up and went to the kitchen door and sent a subdued shout to Mrs Silver that they would be out for tea and he would be out for dinner as well, before marshalling his party out of the front door and into the car.

They went to Hampton Court gardens, where they explored every aspect of the grounds before forming two groups and entering the maze.

Beth, with Dirk and Marineka, was a little nervous of getting lost, so that it was with real relief that she found herself at the centre, although she wasn't at all sure how she had managed it.

The profess or, whom she strongly suspected already knew the way, was already there with Alberdina and Hubert, and after that getting out again, following each other in single file, was an easy matter.

They had tea in Richmond, the sort of tea children expected when they were taken out; hot b.u.t.tered toast and sandwiches and plates of cakes.

It was a merry meal with a good deal of laughing and talking, but at length the children could eat no more.

"Home," the profess or p.r.o.nounced firmly.

"T've a date this evening, and one mustn't keep the ladies waiting.

' "Is it your girl-friend, Oom Alexander?

' asked Marineka, and Beth found herself listening anxiously for the answer.

"Well, not the girl-friend, poppet, but she will do very nicely for this evening.

' "Is she pretty?

' "Oh, very.

' he sounded absentminded as he paid the bill.

"Pretty clothes?

' persisted his niece.

"Fabulous--and something different every time I see her.

' He looked across to Beth and smiled a little.

"Ready?

Shall we get this lot home?

' The children were tired; they ate their suppers after a rowdy game of Happy Families and were got without difficulty to their beds.

Beth, a little battered after supervising four baths and coaxing each of them to close their eyes and go to sleep, was quite tired herself.

She wandered to her room and tidied herself, then, after a peep at her charges, went downstairs.

She should be feeling on top of the world she told herself a little peevishly, living in super comfort in a wonderful house with absolutely nothing to do but keep an eye on the children, and yet here she was feeling sorry for herself because the evening stretched before her with nothing to do but eat Mrs Silver's delicious dinner and read or watch TV.

She went into the sitting room and sat down with a magazine; it was still too early for dinner and there were plenty of Harpers and Vogues lying around.