Chapter XV.The New Governess.
"Wish me luck, Dodger!"
"So I do, Florence. Are you goin' to begin teachin' this mornin'?"
"Yes; and I hope to produce a favorable impression. It is veryimportant to me to please Mrs. Leighton and my future pupil."
"I'm sure you'll suit. How nice you look!"
Florence smiled, and looked pleased. She had taken pains with herdress and personal appearance, and, being luckily well provided withhandsome dresses, had no difficulty in making herself presentable. Asshe stepped out of the shabby doorway upon the sidewalk no onesupposed her to be a tenant, but she was generally thought to be avisitor, perhaps the agent of some charitable association.
"Perhaps all will not judge me as favorably as you do, Dodger," saidFlorence, with a laugh.
"If you have the headache any day, Florence, I'll take your place."
"You would look rather young for a tutor, Dodger, and I am afraid youwould not be dignified. Good-morning! I shall be back to dinner."
"I am glad to find you punctual, Miss Linden," said Mrs. Leighton, asFlorence was ushered into her presence. "This is your pupil, mydaughter, Carrie."
Florence smiled and extended her hand.
"I hope we will like each other," she said.
The little girl eyed her with approval. This beautiful young lady wasa pleasant surprise to her, for, never having had a governess, sheexpected to meet a stiff, elderly lady, of stern aspect. She readilygave her hand to Florence, and looked relieved.
"Carrie," said Mrs. Leighton, "you may show Miss Linden the way to theschoolroom."
"All right, mamma," and the little girl led the way upstairs to a backroom on the third floor.
"So this is to be our schoolroom, is it, Carrie?" said Florence. "Itis a very pleasant room."
"Yes; but I should have preferred the front chamber. Mamma thoughtthat I might be looking into the street too much. Here there is only aback yard, and nothing to look at."
"Your mamma seems very judicious," said Florence, smiling. "Are youfond of study?"
"Well, I ain't exactly fond, but I will do my best."
"That is all that can be expected."
"Do you know, Miss Linden, you don't look at all like I expected."
"Am I to be glad or sorry for that?"
"I thought you would be an old maid, stiff and starched, like MayRobinson's governess."
"I am not married, Carrie, so perhaps you may regard me as an oldmaid."
"You'll never be an old maid," said Carrie, confidently. "You are tooyoung and pretty."
"Thank you, Carrie," said Florence, with a little blush. "You saythat, I hope, because you are going to like me."
"I like you already," said the little girl, impulsively. "I've got acousin that will like you, too."
"A young girl?"
"No; of course not. He is a young man. His name is Percy de Brabazon.It is a funny name, isn't it? You see, his father was a Frenchman."
Florence was glad that she already knew from Percy's own mouth of therelationship, as it saved her from showing a degree of surprise thatmight have betrayed her acquaintance with the young man.
"What makes you think your cousin would like me, Carrie?"
"Because he always likes pretty girls. He is a masher."
"That's slang, Carrie. I am sure your mamma wouldn't approve yourusing such a word."
"Don't tell her. It just slipped out. But about Percy--he wants verymuch to be married."
Florence was not surprised to hear this, for she had the best reasonfor knowing it to be true.
"Is he a handsome young man?" she asked, demurely.
"He's funny looking. He's awful good-natured, but he isn't the sort ofyoung man I would like," concluded Carrie, with amusing positiveness.
"I hope you don't let your mind run on such things. You are quite tooyoung."
"Oh, I don't think much about it. But Percy is a dude. He spends asight for clothes. He always looks as if he had just come out of abandbox."
"Is he in any business?"
"No; he has an independent fortune, so mamma says. He was in Europelast year."
"I think, Carrie, we must give up talking and attend to business. Ishould have checked you before, but I thought a little conversationwould help us to get acquainted. Now show me your books, and I willassign your lessons."
"Don't give me too long lessons, please, Miss Linden."
"I will take care not to task you beyond your strength. I don't wantmy pupil to grow sick on my hands."
"I hope you won't be too strict. When May Robinson makes two mistakesher governess makes her learn her lessons over again."
"I will promise not to be too strict. Now let me see your books."
The rest of the forenoon was devoted to study.
Florence was not only an excellent scholar, but she had the art ofimparting knowledge, and, what is very important, she was able in afew luminous words to explain difficulties and make clear what seemedto her pupil obscure.
So the time slipped quickly and pleasantly away, and it was noonbefore either she or her pupil realized it.
"It can't be twelve," said Carrie, surprised.
"Yes, it is. We must defer further study till to-morrow."
"Why, it is a great deal pleasanter than going to school, Miss Linden.I dreaded studying at home, but now I like it."
"I hope you will continue to, Carrie. I can say that the time haspassed away pleasantly for me."
As Florence prepared to resume her street dress, Carrie said:
"Oh, I forgot! Mamma asked me to invite you to stay to lunch with me.I take lunch as soon as school is out, at twelve o'clock, so I won'tdetain you long."
"Thank you, Carrie; I will stay with pleasure."
"I am glad of that, for I don't like to sit down to the table alone.Mamma is never here at this time. She goes out shopping or makingcalls, so poor I have to sit down to the table alone. It will be everso much pleasure to have you with me."
Florence was by no means sorry to accept the invitation.
The meals she got at home were by no means luxurious, and the mannerof serving them was by no means what she enjoyed.
Mrs. O'Keefe, though a good friend and a kindhearted woman, was not amodel housekeeper, and Florence had been made fastidious by her earlytraining. Lunch was, of course, a plain meal, but what was furnishedwas of the best quality, and the table service was such as might beexpected in a luxurious home.
Just as Florence was rising from the table, Mrs. Leighton entered theroom in street dress.
"I am glad you remained to lunch, Miss Linden," she said. "You will becompany for my little girl, who is very sociable. Carrie, I hope youwere a good girl, and gave Miss Linden no trouble."
"Ask Miss Linden, mamma," said Carrie, confidently.
"Indeed, she did very well," said Florence. "I foresee that we shallget along admirably."
"I am glad to hear that. She is apt to be indolent."
"I won't be with Miss Linden, mamma. She makes the studies sointeresting."
After Florence left the house, Carrie pronounced an eulogium upon herwhich led Mrs. Leighton to congratulate herself upon having secured agoverness who had produced so favorable an impression on her littlegirl.
"Was you kept after school, Florence?" asked Dodger, as she enteredher humble home. "I am afraid you'll find your dinner cold."
"Never mind, Dodger. I am to take dinner--or lunch, rather--at thehouse where I am teaching; so hereafter Mrs. O'Keefe need not wait forme."
"And how do you like your place?"
"It is everything that is pleasant. You wished me good luck, Dodger,and your wish has been granted."
"I was lucky, too, Florence. I've made a dollar and a quarter thismornin'."
"Not by selling papers, surely?"
"Not all. A gentleman gave me fifty cents for takin' his valise to theLong Branch boat."
"It seems we are both getting rich," said Florence, smiling.