The 'Mind the Paint' Girl Part 12

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Kissing her hand and bowing over it._] I shall breserve it, with a few oder souvenirs, till the end of my life.

LILY.

[_Withdrawing her hand and blowing the compliment away._] Phew! Lal, lal, lal, la!

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_In an altered tone, after a cautious look round._] G.o.ddess.

LILY.

Eh?

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Anxiously._] My drifling liddle offering-- I endreat you not to mention it to Enid.

LILY.

[_Laughing heartily._] Ha, ha, ha, ha! Another of you!

VON RETTENMAYER.

The gharming Miss Mongreiff.

LILY.

[_Seriously._] Baron, I wish you boys wouldn't make me presents and then ask me to keep them a secret from the other girls.

VON RETTENMAYER.

And I-- I wish it were not nezezzary. But, G.o.ddess, you are alzo a young lady of the world-- you know what women are.

LILY.

H'm! I know what you men are.

[_MAUD, a buxom young woman with a good-tempered face, dressed as a lady's-maid, enters quickly, tying her ap.r.o.n, and runs to LILY. JEYES comes to the further side of the writing-table and VON RETTENMAYER now joins him there. JIMMIE BIRCH also comes forward, accompanied by DE CASTRO._

MAUD.

[_To LILY._] Here, give me your things. [_LILY tosses her hat, scarf, and gloves to MAUD._] I was in my room, having a lie down. Is my hair untidy?

LILY.

I've never seen it anything else.

MAUD.

[_Merrily._] Ha, ha, ha! [_To JIMMIE and DE CASTRO._] Afternoon, Miss Jimmie. Afternoon, Mr. de Castro. [_To LILY._] Now, don't let them all tire you to death, there's a pet.

LILY.

Oh, clear out. [_As MAUD is departing._] Hi! [_Rising and kicking off her shoes and sending them in MAUD'S direction._] Fetch me a pair of slippers.

MAUD.

[_Picking up the shoes and chuckling._] He, he, he!

[_When MAUD reaches the door, which she has left open, GLADYS appears with the tea-tray and with FARNCOMBE at her heels._

GLADYS.

[_To MAUD, in a low voice, witheringly._] Oh, you're doing something, are you?

MAUD.

[_In the same tone, pa.s.sing GLADYS._] Yes, setting you an example, my girl. [_Encountering FARNCOMBE._] Beg pardon.

[_MAUD withdraws, closing the door, and FARNCOMBE stands looking at LILY, who is talking to JIMMIE. GLADYS carries the tray to the tea-table._

LILY.

[_Become aware of FARNCOMBE'S presence and nodding to him._] How d'ye do?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Moving a step or two towards her._] I-- I've been here before this afternoon. I ventured to bring you some flowers.

LILY.

[_Going to him and shaking hands with him formally._] n.o.body told me.

Awfully kind of you. Where have they put them?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Lifting his basket of flowers from off the piano and showing it to her._] Here.

LILY.

Pretty. [_Pulling out a carnation._] Stick it up there again. [_He replaces the basket._] You're Lord Farncombe, aren't you?

FARNCOMBE.

Yes.

LILY.