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The Romance of a Business Girl.

OUP SbkUi

1 Ci'UPTKLi X. (C«'.inui".l.) "A splendid eir!! 1 am clearly amazed. Slip is tastefully dressed; slu must lie well-bred—see how she carries herself," thought Lady Laura. Ard through Serena's mind flashed : "IJeauiil'u!! |:":"fect! and nob so cold ami cruel as 1 had believed. 1 vvonder if she is reckoning up the cost of my poor outfit, ' Then they smiled, touched each other's hands, and toon fell into easy conversation. Serena had plenty cf self-confidence, once she was at her ease. Given equal opportunities, she would have held her own with any woman anywhere. "1 as so pleased to make your r.cquaintance. Miss Fleming," said Lady Laura. "I have heard s-o much about you from Mr Carling." Serena smiled, and glanced at Jim. "T think that you are both aware that this is merely a flying call." ho presently said. "Remember what we must crowd into the day." "Impatience! How rude you can be." reported Lady Laura, rising. "You will come again soon Miss Fleming—promise." "When we get back from Birmingham," Jim put in. "Next week some time. ... lam sure that Sefena will like the place at Dalehurst, and now that you know each other, it looks like, plain sailing." At the moment ofparting, Lady Laura leaned toward Soma. and tremulouslv whispered : "T like vou. deal 1 : mv heart warms to you. T know that we shall sooe learn to leve one Smother." "T am sure of it," Serena impnlsive. !v answered. From the doorway Jim looked on. smiling with elation. CHAPTER. XL JIM'S PKOPLK. "Well:-''' Jim was making a rapid inspection of the exposed vitals oi the car, while Serena enveloped herself in a dust coat, which Jim had thoughtfully provided. He came, to a dead stop before climbing to his seat, and for the second time said, "Well?" "She is beautiful," Serena made reply, "and good. My estimate was woefully at fault." Jim l/uighed in a pleased way, and swung him sell' beside her. ".Now we are off, and you will see some fine country when we get past 'rooting. What a glorious first of June!" j Truly it was a day of splendor; the j heaven's were radiantly blue, and the ] soft breeze tempered the warmth of the sun's dazzling rays. Away from towns of staring bricks and mortar, and the noisome smells of the clanging streets, they plunged into winding lanes banked with tender grass, all starred with flowers: emerald fields and leafy woods; and the air was vibrant with the song of birds. So long as Serena- lived that drive would be one of the sweetest memories of her life. They had climbed a long and steep hill, and at the top Jim brought the car to a snail's pace. "Isn't this fine?" he said, waving a hand to the rolling country which was stretching below like a vast and glorious panorama. Dark woods and shining fields; purple hills and vales of vivid green, all bathed in tho splendor of the morning. The intensity of tho light and the richness of the color were dazzling to the senses. To Serena who had lived up in London for so long, it seemed that she had been transported into a world of enchantment.

"]f one doubted the existence of a soul, I think that one would find it here," she breathed. Jim nodded appreciatively. "We are close to Dalehurst new." I The car turned a bend in the hill. "There's the village, Serena. Looks as though it's asleep in t!>e hollow. And there," he pointed to the right of the village, "is the plaro we're after Pretty, isn't it?" Serena caug'.t sighi of a house nearly hidden by trees. It was f uilt almost on the top of a range of Jnils, and appeared to !>o surrounded by gardens .uul cf pi• i>>; lawns. Even at that distance the flower borders shone like a blur of flame and fire. The village lay between them in a deep valley, the smoke, from tho chimneys changing into a haze of shimmering pale blue, betwen the green earth and the brilliant sky. The ear glided, almost without any noise, down the hillside, and Jim pulled up at the one picturesque inn. It lay well back from the road —a squat building—all nooks and gables. Each of its many windows looked upon a box of gaudy flowers. On one side of

BY F. L. DACRE Author <"f "A Fleet of Dreams," "Silar Denningrci. s Money," "'Jho Shado wof Shame," "A Phantom" of the Past," IJ eld in Bondage etc.

the house, there was a wide veranda, with tables and chairs for tho comfort of customers. A creaking swing sign told that this houK> of entertainment was tho Dalehurst Ai J ms. Jim ran his car into tho yard, nodding pleasantly to the landlord who had hurried to the door. He was a pompous man of fifty or thereabout;; clean-shaven, smiling, and suave. He had seen continuous servco in the houses of nobility for thirty years—from buttons to butler. Late in life he had married a lady's maid, much' younger than himself. She had drabcolored hair, pink cheeks, sharp features, and was naggy. She constant- 1 Iy reminded her husband that she ha;] married beneath her, and might have been a lady with her "carriage and two." He didn't believe it. "I am much pleased to see you. sir," the landlord said, with genuine warmth. "This looks like business. The village feels it when there is nobody at Tho Pines." "I shall decide to-day, Binns, who-

ther 1 buy the place or not. What's the time? Noon, We shall have to put off the lunch until three o'clock. Do the best you can for us. Meanwhile a snack will do to go on with. Ale and crackers and cheese for me." "Tea for me," whispered Serena. "With bread and butter." Minns bowed in his best style, and conducted his quests to the parlor behind the bar. Mrs Minns peeped at them through the glass upper half of the door, and Serena caught sight ci a vixen face, crowned with curls. The snack was eaten expeditiouslv and .silently. Minns lia<l been an ideal servant in his days, and, although a big man, his presence in the room was unfelt. My the time the meal was eaten, Mrs Minns reappeared, and, under the magical touch of tier deft linger-;. j;i place of the curls there v,as a of frizzy' yellow glory. '1 lie cheeks had taken on a pinker tint, and her fac.was wreathed with smiles. She had once been attractive-looking, alter a dollish fashion, but was now rapidly approaching the angular stage, and her nose was the sharpest feature of all,' excepting at the time when iiei tongue had play. She fluttered into the parkir ia search of an imaginary something, which would have been inside one of the ornaments standing on the mantel, glaeed hopelesly round, and remarked that servants were the trouble of her life ".I've been used to having a dozei: under me.'' she said plaintively: "but that was before 1 married Minns. .Now I've got one, and you can't- have an\ pioper system where there's only on} servant. li your husband buy; The Pines, Mrs Carling." she added, turinng to Serena, "you must be eareiul to engage a thoroughly efiteiciii housekeeper". 1 ' S'lena blushed, and Jinr'yrini^d.

Vic llrs Car'ing yet." saw] Ic. !l I>M : L.</!ll.Si to I»C>." ''!<;»• will p;irdon mo |'.»r ur.vihii'-a. hut 1 w:>s La civ ir R.j'd i'r-r ;i !r>n«r time. Wo ii -vl ;; flio I'ihOs then, and T bcliew t.'ia lady Laura had a love affair llm trnwd out wrong. Anyhow site su-' dvi'i'y sold all the beautiful furnitun: i and the place has boon for sale for >v.v [oral .years." Slio sighed woefully "It was a dreadful stop-down—mar rying Binns. T might havo boon m good as any of the country Indies i I hadn't been a fool. Ladv Laura'.' cousin. Captain May-how, used to take a lot of notice of me. T wonder if he is still unmarried." she added seueimentally. "Ho was quite ill when ho heard that T had married Binns, and said that he would keep single all iii's life for my sako. Binns is troubled with heart disease, and might pop off at any time." (To be Continued.)

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19121101.2.3

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 1 November 1912, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,395

The Romance of a Business Girl. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 1 November 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 1 November 1912, Page 2

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