The New Mistress Part 44

"You misunderstood me, Mr Piper," faltered Hazel, whose cheeks began to burn before turning pale with shame. "I have made up the account but I have not the money ready."

"Couldn't have made out the account properly without the money counted out ready," he said triumphantly.

"I checked it by the sums I had put down each week, Mr Piper," said Hazel.

"To be sure. Well, it won't take us long to count the money out."

"But I have not the money by me," said Hazel desperately, for she could make no excuse at the moment.

"Oh!" said Mr Piper slowly, as he made a curious rasping noise by rubbing a rough finger upon his closely-shaven cheek: "have not got the money by you."

"No; not at present," faltered Hazel; and once more the tell-tale blush came flushing to her cheeks.

"Oh!" said Mr Piper again; and his interjection was as long as a ten-syllable word.

"I will send or bring it up to you in a few days."

"Oh!" said Mr Piper once more, and he took out his pocket-book at the same time, but made no attempt to go. He slowly took a pencil from a sheath at the side, and examined its point before thrusting it in again, as if trying very hard to make sure that it was a fit.

Hazel was in agony, and would have given anything to be alone, but Mr Piper went on testing the depth of his pencil-sheath in the leather pocket-book, and drawing the pencil out again.

"You see, it always has been paid upon the morning I said I'd call.

I've got Mr Chute's money in here."

He slapped his breeches-pocket twice in a very emphatic manner, and looked at Hazel the while, as if asking her to deny it if she dared.

"I--I was taken rather by surprise," faltered Hazel.

"Nay, nay," said the churchwarden; "I gave you a day's notice."

"Yes," said Hazel, "but I was not ready. I will send or bring the amount in a few days, Mr Piper."

"I wanted to have made up my accounts," he said, gazing still at his pencil and pocket-book in a meditative way. "You see, it puts me out, being a business-man. I have all this churchwarden work to do, and don't get nothing by it, and it puts me wrong when things go contrary like, and I can't get in the accounts. Now, your pence, for instance--I ought to have had them a month ago."

"I am very sorry, sir, but I was not aware when they ought to be paid in."

"You see, I make up all these parish things regular like, and if I can't get the money in it throws me all out."

"I am very sorry, Mr Piper."

"Yes," he said, turning his pencil upside down, and trying whether it would go in the reverse way; "but, you see, that don't help a busy man.

I give up one morning like this every year to the school accounts, and dress myself"--he glanced at the sleeve of his black coat--"and come down, and if the money isn't ready, you see, it throws me out."

"Yes, I understand, Mr Piper," faltered Hazel; "and I am very sorry."

"Yes," he continued, trying to coax the pencil down by giving it a revolving movement, which succeeded better, though not well, for the leather of the pencil-sheath was getting worn with use, and it went into so many folds that Mr Piper had to withdraw the pencil and try it in the proper way--"Yes, it is a nuisance to a busy man," he continued. "I don't know why I go on doing this parish work, for it never pleases n.o.body, and takes up a deal of a man's time. I wouldn't do it, only Mr Lambent as good as begs of me not to give it up. P'r'aps you'll give me what you have in hand, miss."

"Give you what I have in hand?" said Hazel.

"Yes! Part on account you know, and send me the rest."

"I cannot, Mr Piper. I am not prepared," said Hazel, who felt ready to sink with shame, and the degradation of being importuned at such a time.

"Can't you give me any of it on account--some of your own money, you know, miss!"

"I really cannot sir; but I will endeavour to pay it over as soon as possible."

"Within a week?"

"I--I think so," faltered Hazel.

Rap went the book open, and Mr Piper's pencil was going as if it was taking down an order for "grosheries," making a note to the effect that Miss Thorne could not pay the school pence upon the proper day, but would pay it within a week.

Hazel stood and shivered, for it was horrible to see how business-like Mr Piper could be; and though she could not see the words he wrote, she mentally read them, and wondered how it would be possible to meet the engagement. Still, it was a respite, disgraceful as it seemed, and she felt her spirits rise as the churchwarden wrote away as busily as a commercial traveller who has just solicited what he calls a "line."

All this time the school-door was standing partly open, as if some one was waiting to come in, but Hazel was too intent to see.

"That'll do, then, for that," said the churchwarden, shutting his book on the pencil and then peering sidewise like a magpie into one of the pockets, from which he extracted a carefully folded piece of blue paper, at the top of which was written very neatly, "Miss Thorne."

"As I was coming down, miss, I thought it would be a good chance for speaking to you about your account, miss, which keeps on getting too much behindhand; so p'r'aps you'll give me something on account of that and pay the rest off as quick as you can."

"Your account, Mr Piper?" said Hazel, taking the paper.

"Yes, miss. Small profits and quick returns is my motter. I don't believe in giving credit--'tain't my way. I should never get on if I did."

"But you mistake, Mr Piper; everything we have had of you has been paid for at the time, or at the end of the week."

"Don't look like it, miss. When people won't have nothing but my finest Hyson and Shoesong, and a bottle of the best port every week, bottles regularly returned, of course a bill soon runs up."

"But surely--" cried Hazel.

"Oh, you'll find it all right there, miss; every figure's my own putting down. I always keep my own books myself, so it's all right."

"Have you nearly done, Mr Piper?" said Miss Lambent, speaking sweetly, as she stood with Beatrice at the door. "Pray don't hurry: we can wait.

Our time's not so valuable as yours."

"Just done, miss--just done, miss. You'll find that quite right, Miss Thorne--eleven pun fifteen nine and a half. S'pose you give me six this morning and let the other stand for a week or two?"

"Mr Piper, I must examine the bill," said Hazel hoa.r.s.ely. "I did not know that I was indebted to you more than half-a-sovereign."

"Oh, you'll find that all right miss, all right. Can you let me have a little on account?"

"I cannot this morning!" cried Hazel desperately.

"May we come in now?" said Rebecca Lambent.

"Yes, miss, come in," said the churchwarden, closing his pocket-book as Hazel crushed this last horror in her hand in a weak dread lest it should be seen.

"So you've been collecting the school accounts as usual, Mr Piper,"