Quicksilver Part 38

"No; he was fis.h.i.+ng on the other side of the river that day I tumbled in."

"Oh!" said Helen coldly. "Here we are."

She turned through a great iron gate, walked up a broad flight of steps, and knocked.

"There, Dexter," she said, as the door was opened. "I hope you will enjoy yourself."

"Ain't you going in with me!" he whispered excitedly, as a footman in a blue and yellow livery opened the door.

"No; good-bye."

She nodded pleasantly, and went down the steps, leaving Dexter face to face with the footman, who had become possessed of the news of the young guest's quality from no less a personage than Master Edgar himself.

"Will you come in, please," he said, drawing back, and holding the door open with an air that should have made him gain for wages--kicks.

Dexter said, "Yes, sir," as respectfully as if he were the workhouse porter, and took off his cap and went in.

"This way, hif you please," said the supercilious gentleman. "You may leave your cap here."

Dexter put down his cap, and followed the man to a door at the further end of the hall.

"What name!" said the footman.

Dexter stared at him.

"What name shall I announce?" said the man again with chilling dignity.

"Please, I don't know what you mean," said the boy, feeling very much confused.

The man smiled pityingly, and looked down with a most exasperating kind of condescension at the visitor,--in a way, in fact, that stamped him mentally as a brother in spirit, if not in flesh, of Maria, the doctor's maid.

"I 'ave to announce your name to her ladys.h.i.+p," said the footman.

"Oh, my name," cried Dexter, "Obed Cole--I mean Dexter Grayson."

He turned more red than ever in his confusion, and before he could say another word to add to his correction the door was thrown open.

"Master Obed Cole Dextry Grayson," said the footman, in a loud voice; and the boy found himself standing in a large handsomely furnished room in the presence of Lady Danby, who rose with a forced smile, and looked very limp.

"How do you do, Master Grayson!" she said sadly, and she held out her hand.

Dexter in his confusion made a dash at it, and caught it tightly, to find that it felt very limp and cold, but the sensation did not last long, for the thin white fingers were s.n.a.t.c.hed away.

"Eddy, dear," said Lady Danby.

There was no answer, and Dexter stood there, feeling very uncomfortable, and staring hard at the tall lady, who spoke in such an ill-used tone of voice.

"Eddy, my darling," she said a little more loudly, as she turned and looked toward a gla.s.s door opening into a handsome conservatory; "come and shake hands with Master Grayson."

There was no reply, but a faint rustling sound fell upon Dexter's quick ears, telling plainly enough that some one was in the conservatory.

Lady Danby sighed, and there was a very awkward pause.

"Perhaps you had better sit down, Master Grayson," she said. "My son will be here soon."

Just at that moment there was a loud important sounding cough in the hall, the handle of the door rattled loudly, and Sir James entered, walking very upright, and smiling with his eyes half-closed.

"Aha!" he exclaimed. "Here you are, then. How do you do--how do you do--how do you do!"

He shook hands boisterously, nodding and smiling the while, and Dexter wondered whether he ought to say, "Quite well, thank you, sir," three times over, but he only said it once.

"That's right," said Sir James. "Quite safe here, eh? No bullocks to run after us now."

"No, sir," said Dexter uneasily.

"But where's Eddy!" cried Sir James.

"He was here a little while ago, my dear," said Lady Danby uneasily. "I think he has gone down the garden."

"No; I think not," said Sir James. "Here, Eddy! Eddy!"

"Yes, pa," came out of the conservatory.

"Why, where are you, sir? Come and shake hands with our young friend."

Master Edgar came slowly into sight, entered the drawing-room, and stood still.

"Well; why don't you welcome your visitor? Come here."

Master Edgar came a little more forward.

"Now, then, shake hands with your friend."

Master Edgar slowly held out a white thin hand in the direction of Dexter, who caught it eagerly, and felt as if he were shaking hands with Lady Danby again.

"That's better," said Sir James. "Now the ice is broken I hope you two will be very great friends. There, we shall have an early dinner for you at three o'clock. Better leave them to themselves, my dear."

"Very well, my love," responded Lady Danby sadly.

"Take Dexter Grayson and show him your games, and your pony, and then you can take him round the garden, but don't touch the boat."

"No, pa," said Edgar slowly.

"He's a little shy, Dexter," said Sir James.

"No, I ain't, ma," said Edgar, in a whisper.

"We are very glad to see you, Dexter," continued Sir James. "There, now, go and enjoy yourself out in the garden, you'll find plenty to see.

Come, Eddy."