The 'Mind the Paint' Girl - LightNovelsOnl.com
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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.
