The 'Mind the Paint' Girl - LightNovelsOnl.com
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[_Looking at LILY._] Lil.
LILY.
Yes, mother?
MRS. UPJOHN.
'Ave another cup o' tea, won't you?
LILY.
No.
MRS. UPJOHN.
'Nother bit o' toast, then?
LILY.
No.
MRS. UPJOHN.
Smoke a cigarette.
LILY.
No.
MRS. UPJOHN.
You always _do_ 'ave a w'iff after your breakfast. Come!
LILY.
No.
MRS. UPJOHN.
[_Rising and walking away._] Oh, dear; oh, dear! Deuce take Carlton Smythe an' 'is supper party-- those are _my_ sentiments; _an'_ Lal Roper, busybody that 'e is! Things were goin' on with us as smooth an'
peaceful as could be, before this upset.
LILY.
[_Raising herself, angrily._] _You_ were in it, mother; you're as much to blame as anybody.
MRS. UPJOHN.
[_Halting._] 'Ow _in_ it?
LILY.
In Uncle Lal's artful plan to prevent Nicko from being invited. You've confessed you were.
MRS. UPJOHN.
Lal twisted me round 'is little finger. I was clay in the porter's 'and, as your dad was fond of sayin'.
LILY.
[_Changing her position._] If only Nicko had been there, I shouldn't have given young Farncombe all those dances, nor wandered about with him in the intervals, nor allowed him to see me home. It all simply wouldn't, _couldn't_ have happened. [_Hitting a cus.h.i.+on._] Oh!
[_Sitting up and embracing her knees._] Mother----!
MRS. UPJOHN.
[_Behind the settee._] Wot?
LILY.
[_Knitting her brows._] I-- I'm so surprised at myself.
MRS. UPJOHN.
Surprised?
LILY.
So-- so disappointed with myself.
MRS. UPJOHN.
Why, you 'aven't done anything that-- that's not quite respectable, Lil. On the cont'ry----
LILY.
No, I haven't done anything that's actually not nice, but-- fancy!----
MRS. UPJOHN.
[_Close to LILY._] Fancy----?
LILY.
[_Opening her eyes widely._] Fancy my letting myself go with young Farncombe as I did! _He-- he'd_ been admiring me from a distance for weeks and weeks, but I'd scarcely noticed him till last night!
[_Leaning her head against MRS. UPJOHN, softly._] I-- I always thought I was such a cold girl, mother, in-- in that way.
MRS. UPJOHN.
