SHORT STORY

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 27 August 1903, Page 7

SHORT STORY

Thibb could be do denying the ffu fr, His Bainea was annoyed. So aggravated was ele that in the heat of her indi t cation she pencilled one eyebrow stveial abodes darker than the other. The discovery cf this fact only served to add foal to the fire o! her wrath, and it was a Tery irate, crimson-cheeked individual who finally stepptd into the handsomely appointed landau which was in readings outaide The Dignaries. The air was laden with the scent of roses and honeysuckle. The sweet Jane sunshine poured its rays on the just and on the uDJust, but Mrs Bainea was. oblivious to the charms of Nature, and . ruminated darkly upon the secret canter which was gnawing at her heart. .. Impatiently drawing a note from her bag she re«d it for the third time. • Dear Mrs Baikes/ it rar£ «I wonder if you will ba kind, enough to drive Miss Fezeival in to the Flower Show with you this afternoon.? -She is staying at the Bed Cottage, and has no other means of getting to Dorercourt, where she wishes to meet some friends. .Knowing the kindness of your heai fc, I have assured her that she is perfectly; safe in trapesing j upon it to nteT yours * faithfully, John Mkkcery.' ' It is preposterous- of the Major to have asked b&V M>s lanes exclaimed angrily to- heisilf*. l He snows bowannoyed I was when he suggested that I should call upon this Percival person last .' week. If only. I dare refuse to take her I would, but, as he makes a point of it, and gives me no time, not even five minutes, to send an excuse, I suppose it wouldn't do. He is too well connected f*r it to be wise of me to make an enemy of him, and, after all, it was he who secured me the invitation for to-day/ Nevertheless, Mrs Bainee' eyes filled with tears of mortification as she pictured herself being driven into the grounds of Dovercourt with the dowdy little figure of Miss Percival sitting beside her, 'Just fox all the world as though, she were-my friend,' ihoughtthu injured lady. For twelve long months had Mra Bainea been hanging on to the fringe of Fusey society' by the skin of her teeth,' as her husband expressed it, Her liberality had been boundless, school treats and mothers' meeting had attained a popularity unprecedented in former years owing to bar lavish generosity. The achool-houss shone resplendent with new .paint, the books in the village library had been'rebound, and large supplementary supplies had been added; a drinking fountain had been erected on the green, and improvements too numerous to mention had been made, all through the same source. Bat, though -the Villagers almost fell over each other in their obsequiousness, the bows of their * betters'- remained at a certain angle, which helped,- amongst many other things, to drive home the bitter truth to* Mrs Bainea* consciousness that ace was not well received by the counly ( In vain did her .maid, peroxide her tresses until they outshone the sun in their golden glory. In vain did the hue ■ of her cheek rival the damask of the richest rose, Fusey refused to clasp her to its exclusive bosom. It did not occur to her that Posey might yearn for the simple and refined, but she continued to snare no expense in adorning her person ana her residence in the most gorgeous manner possible. Major Mercery, cousin to; Lord Bayburn, was 'the. only person belonging to th*t set -worshipped by Mrs Bainea from afar, who had shown her any signs of real friendliness. As luck would have it, however, he was a bachelor, and, the, bouse of-Baine3 not being possessed of daughters,' bachelors did not,count,. There had been a rumour to the effect that Ma Barnes, in years gone by, had, in some notable manner, served the family of Mercery, of whom this Major was a representative, Whether commercially, or by some unchroaicled deed of valour, or even in a domestic capacity, was never ascertained. For the rumour was promptly slaughtered by the. gallant Major, who stoutly denied that there was a word cf truth in it. _•". "i ■£.£. Be that as it may, & had certainly felt kindly enough 'disposed on one or two occasions to give Mrs Baines a helping hand on to a higher rung of the ladder of her social ambitions, his last effort having been to angle an invitation tor her to join hia cousin's house party at the annual flower show. But, since the invitation had been issued, Mrs Baines had greatly incensed Major Mercery by repudiating with scorn and contumely his. suggestion that she should'call upon a person who was staying at the Bed Cottage—a person, whom Fifine, her maid, assured her, was a mere nursery governess or something equally lowly in the scale of creation. The Major had not piessed the matter, and Mrs Baines had forgotten the very existence of this Miss Percival until the auspicious day arrived when she was invited to have tea in Lidy Bayburn's tent She was actually on the point of starting when the previously mentioned note was bi ought to her by a mounted messenger. True, there was a vacant seat in her carriage, for the perception wnich had enabled Mr Thomas Baines to make a large fortune was still keen enough to make him perceive that his absence was more supportable to his wife than his presence, combined with the absence of his h'a; so he seldom, if ever, accompanied her to any social functions to which she had access, But on this occasion'his wife would have preferred to have had even her fansbind by her side. The Bed Cottage reached, a young girl ran lightly down to the carriage, and, before the .footman had descended, -she had opened the dcor, and was smiling sweetly into Mrs Baines' overheated face. • Evidently does'nt know what footmen are for/ inwardly commented the latter. * It is so good of you to offer to drive me in,' Miss Percival said, in a pleasantly high, clear voice. ' The three miles would have been too much to walk on such a hot day/ ' I did not offer,' said Mrs Baines, in toses she foadly believed, to be haughty.

That Person.

Major Mercery made a personal favour of it.' Miss Percival had taken the vacant seat by the elder lady's side. •Easily!' she exclaimed, a gleam of amusement rippling over her face. For some time Mrs Baines fidgeted uneasily, and at last in a manner betokening ill-Buppreesed exasperation, she suggested that«being so hot* Misß Percival Bhould take a back seat. The alteiation tffacted, Mrs Bainea at first seemed to breathe more freely, but as they ueared. Dovercourt, her f face became even more flashed. What would Ltdy Bay burn think fwhen she saw her drive up with this little nobody P Her eyes rested resentf ally on the nobody in question, whom Mrs Baines was bound to admit, albeit grudgingly, looked a little more presentable than she -had expected., 'Cast oft clothes of. her employer,' decided Mis Baines with a sniff . of contempt, \ Bat no matter how decent she looked Lidy Bayburn, who knew every stranger and resident in Pusey, would simply see, in her tae poor young governess, whom Mrs Bames was chaperoning, j& % ..,-" Tbejlast idea was too terrible! Perish* all dreams of social glory if that fearful accusation were levelled a&ainst her. Shains of music were falling on her ears, carriages full of gaily-dressed people were driving up. It was too much. Flesh and blood could not stand' it, and Mrs Baines touched her electric bell. ' The carriage stopped. 'Miss Percival,' she said, with a wooden smile, 'Major sMeJrcery told me you wished to meet some JfiMhdß; your best plan will be to stand *3UBrcuteide the entrance and waylay them as they go in. That will be your, surest means of finding them, so I will drop you here.' Miss Percival, whose attempts at conversation had been received in stony silence, turned a pair of laughing eyes upon Mrs Baines. •Perhaps you are right,' she said. ' Thank you bo much, I shall never forget your kindness.' Springing down she turned away waving a merry farewell, * The impertinence !' murmured Mrs Baines. Still, she was so satisfied with her strategic movement that, now the incubus was removed, she could afford to be magnanimous, and attribute Miss Percival's familiarity to the excitement caused by driving in a carriage and pair. A hasty peep in her diminutive mirror, a slight re-adjustment of /the marvellouß concoction on her head called by curtesy a toque, and Mrs Baines sank back against the cushions, outwardly surveying the people through her be-jewelled lorgnette with calm scrutiny, inwardly wildly palpitating, as her carriage pulled up at the opening of Lady Bayburn'B tent. *Mrs Baines!' announced a liveried servant in stentorian tones. With head erectly if stiffly held, Mrs Baines Bailed in. With a gracious smile Lady Bayburn extended her hand, 'I am pleased to see you,' she said. ' But what have you doHe with my niece ?' 4 Your niece?' repeated Mrs Baines in a bewildered manner.

,1 i Yes, my niece—Miss Percival. Major Mercery, to "whom she is engaged, you know, told me that you were going to be kind enough to drive her in. She and my sister are staying at the Red Cottage before coming on to ns; they have such a love of 'camping,' as they call it.' Mrs Baines stared before her with unseeing eyes. ' I—l ' she faltered. 'Perhapsyou forgot to call for hor, Mrs '. Baines.' Turning, Phe saw the M.jor'B reproachful gaze fixed upon her. * Oh, no she didn't!' Bald a merry voice, she dropped me at' the gates as Bhe thought it would be the best place for me to find my friends. Have you thanked her, auntie?' ..->.-; But Mm - Baines waited for no thanks. She beat'a hasty and undignified retreat. —F. Kekbick Bbliajit. *Sr "