miss billie married-第13章

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a　cheerfully　serene　face。　　To　Uncle　William；　also；

and　to　Aunt　Hannah　she　showed　a　smiling　countenance；

and　because　she　could　not　talk　to　anybody

else　of　her　feelings；　she　talked　to　herself。　

This；　however；　was　no　new　thing　for　Billy　to　do

From　earliest　childhood　she　had　fought　things　out

in　like　manner。



‘‘But　it's　so　absurd　of　you；　Billy　Henshaw；''

she　berated　herself　one　day；　when　Bertram　had

become　so　absorbed　in　his　work　that　he　had

forgotten　to　keep　his　appointment　with　her　for　a

walk。　　‘‘Just　because　you　have　had　his　constant

attention　almost　every　hour　since　you　were　married

is　no　reason　why　you　should　have　it　every

hour　now；　when　his　arm　is　better！　　Besides；　it's

exactly　what　you　said　you　wouldn't　doobject

to　his　giving　proper　time　to　his　work。''



‘‘But　I'm　not　objecting；''　stormed　the　other

half　of　herself。　　‘‘I'm　_telling_　him　to　do　it。　　It's

only　that　he's　soso　_pleased_　to　do　it。　　He　doesn't

seem　to　mind　a　bit　being　away　from　me。　　He's

actually　happy！''



‘‘Well；　don't　you　want　him　to　be　happy　in　his

work？　　Fie！　　For　shame！　　A　fine　artist's　wife　you

are。　　It　seems　Kate　was　right；　then；　you　_are_　going

to　spoil　his　career！''



‘‘Ho！''　quoth　Billy；　and　tossed　her　head。　

Forthwith　she　crossed　the　room　to　her　piano　and

plumped　herself　down　hard　on　to　the　stool。　　Then；

from　under　her　fingers　there　fell　a　rollicking　melody

that　seemed　to　fill　the　room　with　little　dancing

feet。　　Faster　and　faster　sped　Billy's　fingers；

swifter　and　swifter　twinkled　the　little　dancing

feet。　　Then　a　door　was　jerked　open；　and　Bertram's

voice　called：



‘‘Billy！''



The　music　stopped　instantly。　　Billy　sprang　from

her　seat；　her　eyes　eagerly　seeking　the　direction

from　which　had　come　the　voice。　　Perhaps_perhaps_

Bertram　wanted　her。　　Perhaps　he　was　not

going　to　paint　any　longer　that　morning；　after　all。　

‘‘Billy！''　called　the　voice　again。　　‘‘Please；　do

you　mind　stopping　that　playing　just　for　a　little

while？　　I'm　a　brute；　I　know；　dear；　but　my　brush

_will_　try　to　keep　time　with　that　crazy　little　tune　of

yours；　and　you　know　my　hand　is　none　too　steady；

anyhow；　and　when　it　tries　to　keep　up　with　that

jiggety；　jig；　jig；　jiggety；　jig；　jig！　　_Do_　you　mind；；

darling；　justjust　sewing；　or　doing　something

still　for　a　while？''



All　the　light　fled　from　Billy's　face；　but　her　voice；

when　she　spoke；　was　the　quintessence　of　cheery

indifference。



‘‘Why；　no；　of　course　not；　dear。''



‘‘Thank　you。　　I　knew　you　wouldn't；''　sighed

Bertram。　　Then　the　door　shut。



For　a　long　minute　Billy　stood　motionless　before

she　glanced　at　her　watch　and　sped　to　the　telephone。



‘‘Is　Miss　Greggory　there；　Rosa？''　she　called

when　the　operator's　ring　was　answered。



‘‘Mis'　Greggory；　the　lame　one？''



‘‘No；　_Miss_　GreggoryMiss　Alice。''



‘‘Oh！　　Yes'm。''



‘‘Then　won't　you　ask　her　to　come　to　the　telephone；

please。''



There　was　a　moment's　wait；　during　which　Billy's

small；　well…shod　foot　beat　a　nervous　tattoo　on

the　floor。



‘‘Oh；　is　that　you；　Alice？''　she　called　then。　

‘‘Are　you　going　to　be　home　for　an　hour　or　two？''



‘‘Why；　y…yes；　yes；　indeed。''



‘‘Then　I'm　coming　over。　　We'll　play　duets；

singanything。　　I　want　some　music。''



‘‘Do！　　AndMr。　Arkwright　is　here。　　He'll

help。''



‘‘Mr。　Arkwright？　　You　say　he's　there？　　Then

I　won't　　Yes；　I　will；　too。''　　Billy　spoke　with

renewed　firmness。　　‘‘I'll　be　there　right　away。　

Good…by。''　　And　she　hung　up　the　receiver；　and

went　to　tell　Pete　to　order　John　and　Peggy　at　once。



‘‘I　suppose　I　ought　to　have　left　Alice　and　Mr。

Arkwright　alone　together；''　muttered　the　young

wife　feverishly；　as　she　hurriedly　prepared　for

departure。　　‘‘But　I'll　make　it　up　to　them　later。　

I'm　going　to　give　them　lots　of　chances。　　But　to…

dayto…day　I　just　had　to　gosomewhere！''



At　the　Annex；　with　Alice　Greggory　and

Arkwright；　Billy　sang　duets　and　trios；　and　reveled　in

a　sonorous　wilderness　of　new　music　to　her　heart's

content。　　Then；　rested；　refreshed；　and　at　peace

with　all　the　world；　she　hurried　home　to　dinner

and　to　Bertram。



‘‘There！　　I　feel　better；''　she　sighed；　as　she　took

off　her　hat　in　her　own　room；　‘‘and　now　I'll　go

find　Bertram。　　Bless　his　heartof　course　he

didn't　want　me　to　play　when　he　was　so　busy！''



Billy　went　straight　to　the　studio；　but　Bertram

was　not　there。　　Neither　was　he　in　William's　room；

nor　anywhere　in　the　house。　　Down…stairs　in　the

dining…room　Pete　was　found　looking　rather　white；

leaning　back　in　a　chair。　　He　struggled　at　once　to

his　feet；　however；　as　his　mistress　entered　the

room。



Billy　hurried　forward　with　a　startled　exclamation。



‘‘Why；　Pete；　what　is　it？　　Are　you　sick？''　she

cried；　her　glance　encompassing　the　half…set　table。



‘‘No；　ma'am；　oh；　no；　ma'am！''　　The　old　man

stumbled　forward　and　began　to　arrange　the　knives

and　forks。　　‘‘It's　just　a　pesky　painbeggin'

yer　pardonin　my　side。　　But　I　ain't　sick。　　No；

Missma'am。''



Billy　frowned　and　shook　her　head。　　Her　eyes

were　on　Pete's　palpably　trembling　hands。



‘‘But；　Pete；　you　are　sick；''　she　protested。　　‘‘Let

Eliza　do　that。''



Pete　drew　himself　stiffly　erect。　　The　color　had

begun　to　come　back　to　his　face。



‘‘There　hain't　no　one　set　this　table　much　but

me　for　more'n　fifty　years；　an'　I've　got　a　sort　of

notion　that　nobody　can　do　it　just　ter　suit　me。　

Besides；　I'm　better　now。　　It's　gonethat　pain。''



‘‘But；　Pete；　what　is　it？　　How　long　have　you

had　it？''



‘‘I　hain't　had　it　any　time；　steady。　　It's　the

comin'　an'　goin'　kind。　　It　seems　silly　ter　mind　it

at　all；　only；　when　it　does　come；　it　sort　o'　takes

the　backbone　right　out　o'　my　knees；　and　they

double　up　so's　I　have　ter　set　down。　　There；　ye

see？　　I'm　pert　as　a　sparrer；　now！''　　And；　with

stiff　celerity；　Pete　resumed　his　task。



His　mistress　still　frowned。



‘‘That　isn't　right；　Pete；''　she　demurred；　with

a　slow　shake　of　her　head。　　‘‘You　should　see　a

doctor。''



The　old　man　paled　a　little。　　He　had　seen　a

doctor；　and　he　had　not　liked　what　the　doctor

had　told　him。　　In　fact；　he　stubbornly　refused　to

believe　what　the　doctor　had　said。　　He　straightened

himself　now　a　little　aggressively。



‘‘Humph！　　Beggin'　yer　pardon；　Missma'am；

but　I　don't　think　much　o'　them　doctor　chaps。''



Billy　shook　her　head　again　as　she　smiled

and　turned　away。　　Then；　as　if　casually；　she

asked：



‘‘Oh；　did　Mr。　Bertram　go　out；　Pete？''



‘‘Yes；　Miss；　about　five　o'clock。　　He　said　he'd

be　back　to　dinner。''



‘‘Oh！　　All　right。''



From　the　hall　the　telephone　jangled　sharply。



‘‘I'll　go；''　said　Pete's　mistress；　as　she　turned

and　hurried　up…stairs。



It　was　Bertram's　voice　that　answered　her

opening　‘‘Hullo。''



‘‘Oh；　Billy；　is　that　you；　dear？　　Well；　you're

just　the　one　I　wanted。　　I　wanted　to　saythat

is；　I　wanted　to　ask　you''　　The　speaker　cleared

his　throat　a　little　nervously；　and　began　all　over

again。　　‘‘The　fact　is；　Billy；　I've　run　across　a

couple　of　old　classmates　on　from　New　York；　and

they　are　very　anxious　I　should　stay　down　to　dinner

with　them。　　Would　you　mindvery　much　if　I

did？''



A　cold　hand　seemed　to　clutch　Billy's　heart。　

She　caught　her　breath　with　a　little　gasp　and　tried

to　speak；　but　she　had　to　try　twice　before　the

words　came。



‘‘Why；　nono；　of　course　not！''　Billy's　voice

was　very　high…pitched　and　a　little　shaky；　but　it

was　surpassingly　cheerful。



‘‘You　sure　you　won't　belonesome？''　Bertram's

voice　was　vaguely　troubled。



‘‘Of　course　not！''



‘‘You've　only　to　say　the　word；　little　girl；''

came　Bertram's　anxious　tones　again；　‘‘and　I

won't　stay。''



Billy　swallowed　convulsively。　　If　only；　only　he

would　_stop_　and　leave　her　to　herself！　　As　if　she　were

going　to　own　up　that　_she_　was　lonesome　for　_him_

if　_he_　was　not　lonesome　for　_her！_



‘‘Nonsense！　of　course　you'll　stay；''　called　Billy；

still　in　that　high…pitched；　shaky　treble。　　Then；

before　Bertram　could　answer；　she