miss billie married-第10章

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Billy　laughed；　and　gave　his　ear　a　playful

tweak。



‘‘All　right；　but　I'm　not　going　to　do　it；　you

knowspoil　your　career；　sir。　　You　just　wait；''

she　continued　dramatically。　　‘‘The　minute　your

arm　gets　so　you　can　paint；　I　myself　shall　conduct

you　to　your　studio；　thrust　the　brushes　into　your

hand；　fill　your　palette　with　all　the　colors　of　the

rainbow；　and　order　you　to　paint；　my　lord；　paint！　

Butuntil　then　I'm　going　to　have　you　all　I

like；''　she　finished；　with　a　complete　change　of

manner；　nestling　into　the　ready　curve　of　his　good

left　arm。



‘‘You　witch！''　laughed　the　man；　fondly。　

‘‘Why；　Billy；　you　couldn't　hinder　me。　　You'll　_be_

my　inspiration；　dear；　instead　of　slaying　it。　　You'll

see。　　_This_　time　Marguerite　Winthrop's　portrait

is　going　to　be　a　success。''



Billy　turned　quickly。



‘‘Then　you　arethat　is；　you　haven'tI

mean；　you're　going　topaint　it？''



‘‘I　just　am；''　avowed　the　artist。　　‘‘And　this

time　it'll　be　a　success；　too；　with　you　to　help。''



Billy　drew　in　her　breath　tremulously。



‘‘I　didn't　know　but　you'd　already　started　it；''

she　faltered。



He　shook　his　head。



‘‘No。　　After　the　other　one　failed；　and　Mr。

Winthrop　asked　me　to　try　again；　I　couldn't　_then_。　

I　was　so　troubled　over　you。　　That's　the　time　you

did　hinder　me；''　he　smiled。　　‘‘Then　came　your

note　breaking　the　engagement。　　Of　course　I　knew

too　much　to　attempt　a　thing　like　that　portrait

then。　　But　now_now_！''　　The　pause　and　the

emphasis　were　eloquent。



‘‘Of　course；　_now_；''　nodded　Billy；　brightly；　but

a　little　feverishly。　　‘‘And　when　do　you　begin？''



‘‘Not　till　January。　　Miss　Winthrop　won't　be

back　till　then。　　I　saw　J。　G。　last　week；　and　I　told

him　I'd　accept　his　offer　to　try　again。''



‘‘What　did　he　say？''



‘‘He　gave　my　left　hand　a　big　grip　and　said：

‘Good！and　you'll　win　out　this　time。'　''



‘‘Of　course　you　will；''　nodded　Billy；　again；

though　still　a　little　feverishly。　　‘‘And　this　time

I　sha'n't　mind　a　bit　if　you　do　stay　to　luncheon；

and　break　engagements　with　me；　sir；''　she　went

on；　tilting　her　chin　archly；　‘‘for　I　shall　know　it's

the　portrait　and　not　the　sitter　that's　really

keeping　you。　　Oh；　you'll　see　what　a　fine　artist's　wife

I'll　make！''



‘‘The　very　best；''　declared　Bertram　so　ardently

that　Billy　blushed；　and　shook　her　head　in　reproof。



‘‘Nonsense！　　I　wasn't　fishing。　　I　didn't　mean　it

that　way；''　she　protested。　　Then；　as　he　tried　to

catch　her；　she　laughed　and　danced　teasingly　out

of　his　reach。



Because　Bertram　could　not　paint；　therefore；

Billy　had　him　quite　to　herself　these　October　days；

nor　did　she　hesitate　to　appropriate　him。　　Neither；

on　his　part；　was　Bertram　loath　to　be　appropriated。　

Like　two　lovers　they　read　and　walked　and　talked

together；　and　like　two　children；　sometimes；　they

romped　through　the　stately　old　rooms　with

Spunkie；　or　with　Tommy　Dunn；　who　was　a　frequent

guest。　　Spunkie；　be　it　known；　was　renewing

her　kittenhood；　so　potent　was　the　influence　of

the　dangling　strings　and　rolling　balls　that　she

encountered　everywhere；　and　Tommy　Dunn；　with

Billy's　help；　was　learning　that　not　even　a　pair

of　crutches　need　keep　a　lonely　little　lad　from　a

frolic。　　Even　William；　roused　from　his　after…

dinner　doze　by　peals　of　laughter；　was　sometimes

inveigled　into　activities　that　left　him　breathless；

but　curiously　aglow。　　While　Pete；　polishing　silver

in　the　dining…room　down…stairs；　smiled　indulgently

at　the　merry　clatter　aboveand　forgot

the　teasing　pain　in　his　side。



But　it　was　not　all　nonsense　with　Billy；　nor　gay

laughter。　　More　often　it　was　a　tender　glow　in　the

eyes；　a　softness　in　the　voice；　a　radiant　something

like　an　aura　of　joy　all　about　her；　that　told　how

happy　indeed　were　these　days　for　her。　　There

was　proof　by　word　of　mouth；　toolong　talks

with　Bertram　in　the　dancing　firelight　when　they

laid　dear　plans　for　the　future；　and　when　she　tried

so　hard　to　make　her　husband　understand　what　a

good；　good　wife　she　intended　to　be；　and　how　she

meant　never　to　let　anything　come　between　them。



It　was　so　earnest　and　serious　a　Billy　by　this

time　that　Bertram　would　turn　startled；　dismayed

eyes　on　his　young　wife；　whereupon；　with　a　very

Billy…like　change　of　mood；　she　would　give　him

one　of　her　rare　caresses；　and　perhaps　sigh：



‘‘Gooseyit's　only　because　I'm　so　happy；

happy；　happy！　　Why；　Bertram；　if　it　weren't　for

that　Overflow　Annex　I　believe　II　just　couldn't

live！



It　was　Bertram　who　sighed　then；　and　who

prayed　fervently　in　his　heart　that　never　might　he

see　a　real　shadow　cloud　that　dear　face。



Thus　far；　certainly；　the　cares　of　matrimony

had　rested　anything　but　heavily　upon　the　shapely

young　shoulders　of　the　new　wife。　　Domestic　affairs

at　the　Strata　moved　like　a　piece　of　well…oiled

machinery。　　Dong　Ling；　to　be　sure；　was　not　there；

but　in　his　place　reigned　Pete's　grandniece；　a　fresh…

faced；　capable　young　woman　who　（Bertram

declared）　cooked　like　an　angel　and　minded　her　own

business　like　a　man。　　Pete；　as　of　yore；　had　full

charge　of　the　house；　and　a　casual　eye　would　see

few　changes。　　Even　the　brothers　themselves　saw

few；　for　that　matter。



True；　at　the　very　first；　Billy　had　donned　a

ruffled　apron　and　a　bewitching　dust…cap；　and　had

traversed　the　house　from　cellar　to　garret　with　a

prettily　important　air　of　‘‘managing　things；''　as

she　suggested　changes　right　and　left。　　She　had

summoned　Pete；　too；　for　three　mornings　in

succession；　and　with　great　dignity　had　ordered　the

meals　for　the　day。　　But　when　Bertram　was

discovered　one　evening　tugging　back　his　favorite

chair；　and　when　William　had　asked　if　Billy　were

through　using　his　pipe…tray；　the　young　wife　had

concluded　to　let　things　remain　about　as　they

were。　　And　when　William　ate　no　breakfast　one

morning；　and　Bertram　aggrievedly　refused　dessert

that　night　at　dinner；　Billylearning　through　an

apologetic　Pete　that　Master　William　always　had

to　have　eggs　for　breakfast　no　matter　what　else

there　was；　and　that　Master　Bertram　never　ate

boiled　ricegave　up　planning　the　meals。　　True；

for　three　more　mornings　she　summoned　Pete　for

‘‘orders；''　but　the　orders　were　nothing　more　nor

less　than　a　blithe　‘‘Well；　Pete；　what　are　we　going

to　have　for　dinner　to…day？''　　By　the　end　of　a

week　even　this　ceremony　was　given　up；　and　before

a　month　had　passed；　Billy　was　little　more

than　a　guest　in　her　own　home；　so　far　as

responsibility　was　concerned。



Billy　was　not　idle；　however；　far　from　it。　　First；

there　were　the　delightful　hours　with　Bertram。　

Then　there　was　her　music：　　Billy　was　writing　a

new　songthe　best　she　had　ever　written；　Billy

declared。



‘‘Why；　Bertram；　it　can't　help　being　that；''　she

said　to　her　husband；　one　day。　　‘‘The　words　just

sang　themselves　to　me　right　out　of　my　heart；

and　the　melody　just　dropped　down　from　the　sky。　

And　now；　everywhere；　I'm　hearing　the　most

wonderful　harmonies。　　The　whole　universe　is

singing　to　me。　　If　only　now　I　can　put　it　on　paper

what　I　hear！　　Then　I　can　make　the　whole

universe　sing　to　some　one　else！''



Even　music；　however；　had　to　step　one　side　for

the　wedding　calls　which　were　beginning　to　be

received；　and　which　must　be　returned；　in　spite

of　the　occasional　rebellion　of　the　young　husband。　

There　were　the　more　intimate　friends　to　be　seen；

also；　and　Cyril　and　Marie　to　be　visited。　　And

always　there　was　the　Annex。



The　Annex　was　in　fine　running　order　now；　and

was　a　source　of　infinite　satisfaction　to　its　founder

and　great　happiness　to　its　beneficiaries。　　Tommy

Dunn　was　there；　learning　wonderful　things　from

books　and　still　more　wonderful　things　from　the

piano　in　the　living…room。　　Alice　Greggory　and

her　mother　were　there；　toothe　result　of　much

persuasion。　　Indeed；　according　to　Bertram；　Billy

had　been　able　to　fill　the　Annex　only　by　telling

each　prospective　resident　that　he　or　she　was

absolutely　necessary　to　the　welfare　and　happiness

of　every　other　resident。　　Not　that　the　house　was

full