CHAPTER XII
EARLY MORNING
"You've no idea, Jimpsy," Georgiana said, when she and James Stuart hadassured themselves that they were able to suit their steps to each otherand were moving smoothly down the floor, "how glad I am to be with someone I know, for a bit."
"Only some one? Not particularly me?"
"Yes, particularly you. My brain needs a little rest."
"There's a compliment for an old friend! But I didn't suppose dancingtired the brain. It's my feet that have bothered me. I've walked allover Jeannette's little toes, but she's perfectly game and won't admitit."
"I thought you and she were getting on beautifully together."
"So we were. I couldn't see how you and Channing got on together,because you went off and hid somewhere. That's not fair with a perfectlynew acquaintance."
"Didn't you and Jeannette go off and hide somewhere?"
"We're not new acquaintances."
"Oh, indeed! How old ones are you?"
"A month is a long time compared with one short evening. I never knew,George, you were such a terrific charmer. You've had them all nailedto-night; and as for Channing--well---- Only I suppose he's a shark atthe game himself. He shows it. Better look out."
"What an excellent opportunity a dance is for old friends to give eachother good advice." Georgiana smiled up into his eyes.
He closed his own for an instant. "Don't do that; it dazzles me."
"Nonsense. You're learning the game yourself. Jeannette's been teachingyou. We're all finding each other out to-night. I had no idea she couldsparkle so."
"You're the sparkler. She simply glows with a steady light."
"Well, I like that!"
"You like everything to-night. You remind me of a peach--on fire."
"Jimps!" Georgiana's soft laughter assailed his ear. "I believe we'reboth a bit crazy with this sudden leap into dissipation--suchdissipation! Just remember where we'll be to-morrow night."
"I don't want to--except that I'll be with you. We'll talk it all overby your fire, eh?"
"Of course. There'll be that much left, anyhow. Is this over? Thank you,Jimps, for the best dance I've had to-night."
"No use trying it on me," he murmured as he released her. "What's theuse of capturing what you've already got?"
By and by it was all over and Georgiana was mounting the stairs withJeannette, smiling back at certain faces in the disordered spaces below,where flowers lay about the floors and a group of young fellows,belonging to Rosalie's house party, were making merry before they brokeranks.
In Jeannette's room by a blazing fire the girls held brief session,sitting with unbound hair and swinging slippered feet, and cheeks stillflushed with the night's gayety.
"Jimps and I were imagining ourselves sitting by the fire in our oldliving-room to-morrow night," said Georgiana softly, staring into theflame with eyes which reflected little points of light. "It will seemlike a dream then, but we shall talk it all over, and remember what funwe had, and how lovely everybody was to us--and how beautiful you werein that blue-and-silver frock."
"You dear thing, you ought to have such times often and often!" criedJeannette. "But--O Georgiana, you have times I envy you! While you aredreaming of our flowers and music I shall be dreaming of the dear oldhouse, and the jolly evenings you gave me there, and envying you--oh,envying you----"
"Envying me! Are you crazy, child, or are you just----"
"Just speaking the truth. You can't think how many times I shall thinkof you sitting there with your three splendid men----"
"Jean! What are you talking about?"
"About Uncle David, and Jimps, and Mr. Jefferson----"
"But they're not mine," protested Georgiana, laughing. "Except FatherDavy."
"Not--Jimps?"
"Oh, of course he's my friend, my very good friend. And Mr. Jefferson'sonly a 'boarder,'"--she made a little grimace at the word. "You speak asif I had them all about me all the time."
"But you do evenings, don't you?"
"They were there much more while you were visiting me than they will benow. Jimps has heaps of arrears to make up; he let lots of work go whileyou were there, you must know, my dear. As for Mr. Jefferson--he maynever come down any more, now that Jimps won't be going up to beg him tomake a fourth for your entertainment. So don't imagine me holding courtwith those three retainers. It will mostly be just Father Davy and Iwith a volume of Dumas or Kipling. Isn't it odd how my pale littlefather loves the red blood of literature?"
"Just the same----" but Jeannette did not finish that. She began afresh:"And oh! how I shall miss you, George--as Jimps calls you. Somehow Imust have you before long for a real visit here, or wherever I may befor the summer."
"Thank you, Jean; but I can never get away."
"I'll arrange it somehow. That makes me think--Miles Channing wasdreadfully disappointed that you were going in the morning. I've nodoubt he will manage to see you off somehow. I think it's too bad of youto insist on going before luncheon. Think how little sleep you'll have."
She gave Georgiana a penetrating look as she said it, but saw only apair of beautiful bare arms thrown up over a mass of dark locks, as hercousin, with a clever imitation of a half-smothered yawn, answeredmerrily: "Then we must go to bed this minute or I shall never havestrength of mind to get up. And I can't leave Father Davy to the tendermercies of Mrs. Perkins longer than I can help. She'll give himeverything that is bad for him, in spite of the best intentions."
It was a wide-awake Georgiana, nevertheless, who, fully dressed for thedrive, leaned over Jeannette's bed at ten o'clock that morning andkissed a warm velvet cheek, murmuring: "Don't wake up, Jean. We're justoff after breakfast. I'll write soon. You've been a perfect darling, andI'm more grateful than I can tell you."
"Oh, I'm dead to the world, I'm so tired!" moaned the girl in the bed."I always have to pay up so for dancing all night. But you,"--she liftedlanguid eyelids to see her cousin's smiling freshness of face and air ofvigour--"why, you look as though you had had twelve hours' sleep--and acold plunge!"
"I've had the cold plunge," admitted Georgiana, laughing. "And I'm 'fitas a fiddle,' as Jimps says. He sent his good-bye to you and told me totell you he'll never forget you--never!"
"Tell him I'll not let him forget me--or you, either. Oh, how I hate tohave you go, both of you!"
Through a silent, sleeping house Georgiana and Stuart stole, the onlymember of the family up to see them off being Mr. Thomas Croftonhimself, the oldest person under the great rooftree.
"My dear, you must come again, you must come often," he urged, holdingGeorgiana's hand and patting it with a paternal air. He was a handsomeman in the early sixties, with graying hair and tired eyes. "You havedone a great deal for our Jean; she looks much stronger than when shewent to your home. But neither she nor Rosalie can enter the race withyou for splendid health. That comes from your country life, I suppose.I envy you, I envy you, my dear."
"Come and see us, Uncle Thomas--do. Father Davy would be so happy; youknow he's such an invalid. But his mind and heart are as young as ever."
"I will come; I will drive down some day, thank you, Georgiana. I shouldlike to see David again. Mr. Stuart, come again, come again. Good-bye;sorry your aunt was too much done up to see you off this morning, mydear. Good-bye."
As the two emerged from the door a tall figure sprang up the steps."What luck! I was passing and I suspected you were just getting off.Good morning! Can you possibly be the girl I saw dancing seven hoursago?"
"I don't wonder you ask, Mr. Channing," laughed Georgiana. "Eveningfrocks and traveling clothes are quite different affairs."
"Ah, but the traveling clothes are even the nicer of the two, when theirwearer looks----" Channing glanced at Stuart standing by. "Confound you,sir!" said he, with a genial grin, shaking hands. "Since you're going todrive all the way home with Miss Warne can't you give me the chance tosay something pleasant to her?"
"You can't make it too strong to suit me," o
bserved Stuart--and remainedwithin hearing.
"Saturday, then, if I may," said Channing, looking as far intoGeorgiana's eyes as he could see, which was not very far. She wore aclose little veil, which interfered with her eyelashes, and clearly shecould not lift her glance very high.
Then they were off, with Channing waving farewell, his hat high in air.A hand at another window also waved, and Georgiana knew Jeannette hadseen this last encounter.
"Well, for sixteen hours' work," remarked James Stuart grimly, as thecar gathered headway and the house was left behind, "I should say youhad done some fairly deadly execution. Saturday, eh? Why does he delayso long? Isn't to-morrow Friday--and a day sooner?"