‘You are giving him a commission to restore Underhill, are you not?’
Miss Olivia entered the conversation with an air of authority.
‘My dear Louisa, Underhill is not in need of being restored. If Mr. Eversley gave you that impression he must have been under a grave misapprehension. It is not, I believe, for a professional man to discuss an employer’s business, and I am surprised that Mr. Eversley should have done so. It was his uncle to whom we applied for an opinion as to whether some structural repairs were necessary, but instead of coming himself he sent his nephew, a young and inexperienced person in whose judgment we cannot feel the same confidence. We have therefore informed Mr. Stephen Eversley that we shall not require his services.’
There is no knowing what Louisa Arnold might have said in reply. Her colour rose sharply. It was perhaps fortunate that Mrs. Warburton should at that moment have evinced the intention of returning to her seat. Since she was an extremely large person, this necessitated everyone else in the row getting up and making room for her to pass. Louisa had therefore to refrain from the no doubt well chosen words in which she might have reminded Olivia of Stephen’s unexceptionable connections and deprecated her use of the word employer.
All the places were filling up again. Stephen and Candida emerged from the curtained recess and resumed their seats. To an attentive eye it would have been obvious that they were not really there at all. They walked in some Cloud-Cuckoo-land and listened to an older song than that which a Minor Canon’s niece now warbled. There was a piano accompaniment by a stout lady in puce and a violin obligato by the Minor Canon – altogether a charming performance, and a voice as clear as running water. But the other song was the sweeter.
Chapter Seventeen
Derek had penetrated to the farthest corner of the room and the one least commanded by Miss Olivia’s eye. He seemed to have quite a number of friends, and had been graciously received by Mrs. Mayhew, who was wont to deplore the fact that he had never really cultivated his musical talent – ‘Such a charming touch.’
During the next interval he was found to be at Jenny Rainsford’s side, and it was there that Miss Olivia discovered him. Her sight being excellent, the distance did not prevent her being struck by something in his manner. It was usual enough for him to turn that charming smile upon all and sundry. He possessed an amiable nature and a strong desire to please. He could have smiled upon fifty girls without causing her the least uneasiness. It was because he did not smile at Jenny Rainsford that she felt disturbed. Whoever the girl was, Derek was looking and listening in a deeply serious way. And the girl was doing most of the talking.
She regarded her with some attention. There was nothing particular about her looks. She was not very tall, and she had nothing very special in the way of features – brown curls, blue eyes, and rather a round-shaped face. Her dress was one of those modern high-necked affairs, the top in blue and black brocade coming down over the hips and worn with a tight black satin skirt. Frowning, Miss Olivia accorded it a certain distinction. She turned to ask Louisa Arnold who the girl might be – ‘Over there at the far end, talking to Derek.’
Louisa had plenty to impart.
‘Oh, that is Jenny Rainsford.’
‘And who is Jenny Rainsford?’
‘My dear Olivia, you must remember her father, poor Ambrose Rainsford. Such an eloquent preacher. He was the Vicar of St. Luke’s. But first his wife died leaving him with three little girls, and then he did. I don’t think he had the heart to go on alone.’
‘I suppose the girls had to,’ said Miss Olivia drily.
‘Yes, indeed. Jenny was seventeen, and the other two were younger. There wasn’t any money at all, and she went into Adamson’s garage. If you have ever been there you must have seen her. She answers the telephone, and takes the orders, and rings up about theatre tickets. Mr. Adamson says she is most business-like and efficient and he doesn’t know what he would do without her.’
Miss Olivia could not have disapproved more. What an occupation for a girl whose father seemed to have been a gentleman! She said in her curtest manner,
‘She looks a good deal more than seventeen to me.’
‘Oh, yes – she must be twenty-three or twenty-four now. The second girl is married, and Linda who is the clever one has got a very good secretarial post, so they are off Jenny’s hands.’
Miss Olivia broke off the conversation abruptly. She had no wish to hear any more about Miss Jenny Rainsford. If she could have overheard what was being said between her and Derek Burdon, the uneasiness which had led her to drop the subject would have been very seriously increased. Every word, every tone would have betrayed them. At the moment when she attracted Miss Olivia’s notice Jenny was saying, ‘He only told me this afternoon, but I think he has quite made up his mind – ’
‘To retire?’
‘Well, that’s just it – he doesn’t want to go on working, but he doesn’t really want to retire.’
‘Darling, he can’t have it both ways.’
‘Well, he thinks he can. He has got it all worked out. He would like to take a partner who would run the show and pay him over say two-thirds of the profits. He wouldn’t ask him to put in more than a thousand if he felt it was someone he could get on with.’
‘Oh, he wants to go on working?’
‘Well, not to say working. He’d just like to come in and potter round when he felt like it. You know, he hasn’t really been up to it for some time, and the place has gone down, but it could soon be worked up again. It would be a wonderful chance for someone – Derek, it would be a wonderful chance for us.’
‘Us!’
‘Yes, darling. I didn’t mean to talk about it here, but I just can’t keep it back.’
‘I couldn’t do it. I don’t know the first thing about running a business.’
‘But you know about cars. Mr. Adamson always says you’re a first-class mechanic – the Army did that for you. And you’re a very good driver. As for the business side, I’ve got it all at my fingers’ end. There’s nothing you wouldn’t learn easily enough as soon as you got going on it.’
‘And where do we get the thousand pounds, darling?’
She looked up at him, her eyes very blue, very serious.
‘How much have you saved?’
‘Nothing like that.’
‘How much?’
‘I only started just over a year ago. I’m not much good at saving.’
‘I said, “How much?” ’
‘Well, about four hundred.’
She let the blue eyes smile.
‘But that’s very good. I didn’t think it would be as much as that. You’ve done frightfully well.’
Jenny didn’t praise very often. He considered ruefully that she hadn’t had much reason to praise him, but when she did, it was worth having. He felt abashed and humble.
‘I’ve been able to put away most of my salary, and they gave me another hundred for Christmas.’
Jenny stopped looking at him. She hated the salary for which he didn’t work. She hated the cushioned life with the two old ladies. She hated the things that people said, or that she thought they might be saying. But she loved Derek. And she believed that Derek loved her. And if he loved her, he had got to work for her and for their life together. The salary and the cushions must be given up. They must live on their own hard work. She said,
‘I think we can do it.’
‘Darling, four from ten leaves six.’;
She nodded gravely.
‘Derek, I didn’t tell you that old Cousin Robert Rainsford left me a thousand pounds. Peg had two hundred out of it when she married, and Linda had two hundred and fifty to help her through college and get her started.’