第28章

She was so happy to think I should come to Baden; but she would n't approve of the life I 've been leading the last four days.

That 's no way to acquire ease of manner--sitting all day in a small parlor with two persons of one's own sex!

Of course Mrs. Vivian's influence--that 's the great thing.

Mamma said it was like the odor of a flower. But you don't want to keep smelling a flower all day, even the sweetest; that 's the shortest way to get a headache. Apropos of flowers, do you happen to have heard whether Captain Lovelock is alive or dead? Do I call him a flower? No; I call him a flower-pot.

He always has some fine young plant in his button-hole. He has n't been near me these ten years--I never heard of anything so rude!"

Captain Lovelock came on the morrow, Bernard finding him in Mrs. Vivian's little sitting-room on paying a second visit.

On this occasion the two other ladies were at home and Bernard was not exclusively indebted to Miss Evers for entertainment.

It was to this source of hospitality, however, that Lovelock mainly appealed, following the young girl out upon the little balcony that was suspended above the confectioner's window.

Mrs. Vivian sat writing at one of the windows of the sitting-room, and Bernard addressed his conversation to Angela.

"Wright requested me to keep an eye on you," he said; "but you seem very much inclined to keep out of my jurisdiction."

"I supposed you had gone away," she answered--"now that your friend is gone."

"By no means. Gordon is a charming fellow, but he is by no means the only attraction of Baden. Besides, I have promised him to look after you--to take care of you."

The girl looked at him a moment in silence--a little askance.

"I thought you had probably undertaken something of that sort," she presently said.

"It was of course a very natural request for Gordon to make."

Angela got up and turned away; she wandered about the room and went and stood at one of the windows. Bernard found the movement abrupt and not particularly gracious; but the young man was not easy to snub.

He followed her, and they stood at the second window--the long window that opened upon the balcony. Miss Evers and Captain Lovelock were leaning on the railing, looking into the street and apparently amusing themselves highly with what they saw.

"I am not sure it was a natural request for him to make," said Angela.

"What could have been more so--devoted as he is to you?"

She hesitated a moment; then with a little laugh--"He ought to have locked us up and said nothing about it."

"It 's not so easy to lock you up," said Bernard. "I know Wright has great influence with you, but you are after all independent beings."

"I am not an independent being. If my mother and Mr. Wright were to agree together to put me out of harm's way they could easily manage it."

"You seem to have been trying something of that sort," said Bernard.

"You have been so terribly invisible."

"It was because I thought you had designs upon us; that you were watching for us--to take care of us."

"You contradict yourself! You said just now that you believed I had left Baden."

"That was an artificial--a conventional speech. Is n't a lady always supposed to say something of that sort to a visitor by way of pretending to have noticed that she has not seen him?"

"You know I would never have left Baden without coming to bid you good-bye," said Bernard.

The girl made no rejoinder; she stood looking out at the little sunny, slanting, rough-paved German street.

"Are you taking care of us now?" she asked in a moment.

"Has the operation begun? Have you heard the news, mamma?" she went on. "Do you know that Mr. Wright has made us over to Mr. Longueville, to be kept till called for?

Suppose Mr. Wright should never call for us!"

Mrs. Vivian left her writing-table and came toward Bernard, smiling at him and pressing her hands together.

"There is no fear of that, I think," she said.

"I am sure I am very glad we have a gentleman near us.

I think you will be a very good care-taker, Mr. Longueville, and I recommend my daughter to put great faith in your judgment."

And Mrs. Vivian gave him an intense--a pleading, almost affecting--little smile.