She had only time to gain the drawing-room before two
names were oddly mispronounced by the Spanish maid, and Mrs. Thornbury
came in slightly in advance of Mrs. Wilfrid Flushing.
"Mrs. Wilfrid Flushing," said Mrs. Thornbury, with a wave of her hand.
"A friend of our common friend Mrs. Raymond Parry."
Mrs. Flushing shook hands energetically. She was a woman of forty
perhaps, very well set up and erect, splendidly robust, though not as
tall as the upright carriage of her body made her appear.
She looked Helen straight in the face and said, "You have a charmin'
house."
She had a strongly marked face, her eyes looked straight at you, and
though naturally she was imperious in her manner she was nervous at the
same time. Mrs. Thornbury acted as interpreter, making things smooth all
round by a series of charming commonplace remarks.
"I've taken it upon myself, Mr. Ambrose," she said, "to promise that you
will be so kind as to give Mrs. Flushing the benefit of your experience.
I'm sure no one here knows the country as well as you do. No one takes
such wonderful long walks. No one, I'm sure, has your encyclopaedic
knowledge upon every subject. Mr. Wilfrid Flushing is a collector. He
has discovered really beautiful things already. I had no notion that the
peasants were so artistic--though of course in the past--"
"Not old things--new things," interrupted Mrs.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280