The School Queens Part 54

"I want to see Mr. Martin," said the silvery voice.

Martin felt pleased, and said _sotto voce_, "Chuck it, Turtle; you're out of it, old boy." A minute later he was standing before Aneta, inquiring in a trembling voice what he could do for her.

"I want to order fifty pounds of tea to be made up in half-pound packets and sent to my aunt, Lady Lysle, 16B Eaton Square," said Aneta. "The tea will be paid for on delivery, and please let it be the very best. I also want a hundred pound-packets of the best currants, and a hundred pound-packets of the best sugar."

"Demerara, miss, or loaf?" inquired Martin, tremblingly putting down the order.

"Loaf, I think," said Aneta. "Will you kindly send everything within the next day or two to Eaton Square, 16B, to Lady Lysle?"

"I will enter her ladyship's name in my book. Yes, it shall be done,"

said Martin.

He looked at Aneta, and Aneta looked straight back at him.

"Mr. Martin," she said suddenly, "I am the school-friend of your stepdaughter, Maggie Howland. May I have a little conversation with you in your private room?"

"Ah, I thought there was something!" said Martin. "To be sure, miss,"

he added.--"Turtle, you see that this order is _h_executed. It's for her ladyship, Lady Lysle, 16B Eaton Square.--Come this way, my lady."

"I am only Miss Lysle," said Aneta.

All the attendants in the shop gazed in wonder as the beautiful girl and the excited Martin went into the little parlor at the back of the business establishment. There Martin stood with his hands behind him; but Aneta sank into a low chair.

"I want to ask you a great favor, Mr. Martin," said the girl. She looked full up at him as she spoke.

Martin thought that he had never in his life seen such melting and lovely blue eyes before. "She bowls me over," he kept saying to himself. "I hate the aristocrats, but somehow she bowls me over."--"Anything in my power, miss," he said aloud, and he made a low bow, pressing his hand to his chest.

"I think," said Aneta--"indeed, I am sure--to judge from your most flourishing shop--that you are a good business man."

"Well, now, there's no doubt on that point, Miss--Miss Lysle."

"But you would like to extend your custom?" said Aneta.

"Business is always business to me," replied Martin.

"Well, the fact is, it lies in my power to induce my aunt, Lady Lysle, to get her groceries from you. She has a large establishment and sees a great deal of company. She gets them now at the Army and Navy Stores, but I haven't the slightest doubt that she would not object to have them from you."

"You are exceedingly good, Miss Lysle, and I am sure anything that her ladyship ordered should have my very best attention; in fact, I should make it my business to get in specially good things for her. If I might let you into a business secret, miss, the people round here don't want the very best things; they don't, so to speak, appreciate them."

"I quite understand that," said Aneta. "Of course Lady Lysle would require the very best."

"She should have the best, miss; I'd be proud of her custom. Things should be punctually delivered; just an order overnight, and my cart would convey them to her ladyship's door at an early hour on the following day."

"Yes, it could be arranged," said Aneta.

"Then, perhaps, miss," said Mr. Martin, who saw brilliant prospects opening before him, and the possibility of a West End shop, a genuine West End shop, being his, as well as the profitable establishment at Shepherd's Bush, "her ladyship might be so kind as to recommend me to others."

"It is possible," said Aneta coldly; "but of course I can only speak for my aunt herself." Then she added, "And even for her I cannot quite speak, although I believe the matter can be arranged. I have given you a large order to-day."

"You have, Miss Lysle, and most faithfully will it be attended to."

Martin took out his red silk handkerchief and mopped his forehead.

"Now," said Aneta gently, "I haven't come here all the way from Aylmer House, and practically given up a day of my school-life, for nothing.

I have come on behalf of another."

"Ho, ho!" said Martin, "so the cat's going to be let out of the bag."

Aneta colored.

Martin saw he had gone too far, and immediately apologized. "You will forgive my coa.r.s.e way of expressing myself, miss. I know it isn't done in your circle."

"It doesn't matter," said Aneta. "I will come to the point at once. I am interested in Miss Howland."

"Ah! my little stepdaughter. I keep her at a fine, smart school, don't I? I do the knowing by her, don't I?"

"Well, all I want you to do in future--and I believe her mother will consent, for I have seen Mrs. Martin this morning"----

"You went to Laburnum Villa this morning? Tasty place, that, eh?"

"Yes, a very comfortable sort of house. My aunt, Lady Lysle, and I went together."

"Her ladyship and you?"

"We drove there."

"I hope the neighbors saw," said Martin. "They'll come in shoals to see Little-sing after they've peeped at her ladyship's carriage."

Aneta could scarcely keep back a smile.

"Mr. Martin," she said, "if I do what I intend for you--and it lies in my power--will you please not come to Aylmer House to-morrow?"

"Ho, hi! And why not? Ashamed of me, eh?"

"Not at all," said Aneta. "I am not ashamed of you in your walk in life; but I think it would be best for Maggie if you did not come; therefore I ask you not to do so."

"But the girl's my girl."

"No, she is her mother's daughter; and, to tell the truth, we all want--I mean, my aunt and I, and others--to have her to ourselves, at least until she is educated."

"But, come now, miss, that's all very fine. Who pays for her education?"

"Her father's money."

"So she let that out?" said Martin.

"I know about it," said Aneta. "That is sufficient. Now, Mr. Martin, I ask you to become grocer to my aunt, Lady Lysle, of Eaton Square, and to any friends who she may recommend, on the sole condition that you do not come to Aylmer House, and that you allow Maggie Howland to spend the holidays with us."

"Oh, my word, I am sure I don't care," said Martin,