"You are a cyme!”
"Is one a cynic for stating what one believes to be true?" She was trying hard to dislike him, as she felt she ought. He was too bold; he was flirtatious, and with every flicker of his eyes he was telling her that he found her desirable.
"Carolan," cut in Kitty, 'you must not take him too seriously. He is trying to impress you with his wickedness. Nowadays to be wicked is a greater asset than to be good.”
"But, Mamma, you said a little while back that it was in your generation that pagans flourished.”
"I am not clever like the rest of you! You tie me in knots. But then I will say this it was not always thought necessary for a woman to be clever.”
Darrell said: "Marcus, come with me to the store-room. I have something to show you there.”
The two men departed, and Carolan began to gather up the dishes. She paused suddenly and said: "Mamma, who is that man ?”
"That is what I would like to know. He has an air, has he not?”
"I am not sure that I like his airs.”
"No?" said Kitty, oddly piqued and not knowing why.
"One would not expect you to you who have a fancy for parsons!”
"What I meant, Mamma, was why does he come here? Is he one of the rich merchants for whom my father procures goods to sell?”
"That would be most likely," said Kitty. Carolan went into the kitchen and washed up with Millie. Then she went upstairs and changed her morning gown for one of grey merino with a green belt and green silk at the neck and throat. Her hair was sleek and shining.
"My darling," said Kitty when she returned to the parlour, "I am parched with thirst; what about making some tea? Doubtless the men would join us.”
"Are they still talking business?”
"They must be. They have been shut up in the basement for an age! I do declare there is no gallantry left in men these days; I have been sitting here for ages waiting for them to come.”
"Mamma! You are a very naughty woman. Why do you think my father works so hard, is so eager to do business? For you, of course! That you may leave this place at the earliest possible moment, that you may have comfort, that you may have the life to which you are suited! And then you accuse him of lack of gallantry because he shuts himself away with a client to talk business. Is it not more gallant, more loving, to try to give you what you want, than to smirk and bow over your hands and say stupid things that have no real meaning?”
"La! How you bully me! And doubtless think me a stupid old woman to boot. Now I must say "Of course, of course, wise Carolan!" And you are right, and I am a foolish old woman ... though not really old ... not old for a long, long time. And, my dear, I'll whisper something you look most enchanting! You put me in the shade with Marcus, did you not? I do not like being put in the shade... but as it is my own daughter who does it, perhaps I do not care so much. You liked Marcus, did you not. my child? Oh, do not protest! I saw that you liked him.
And how he liked you! How his eyes danced to contemplate you!”
"Oh, Mamma, please! Do you not see that he would make his eyes dance for anything in petticoats?”
"But they danced more brightly for these petticoats, my dear Carolan.
How do we know who he is?”
Carolan sighed.
"It is funny! A man only has to appear in Grape Street to be endowed with mystery, with romance, with intrigue. Who is he? What is his business here? Mamma, have you found another nobleman who, tired of the sycophancy of his friends, seeks real friendship in Grape Street?”
"You have a lively tongue, Carolan.”
"But not nearly so lively as your imagination! Now Mamma, let us stop this foolish talk. Mr. Markham is a client of my father's nothing more. Nor could he ever be to me, however merrily he should make his eyes to dance. Please remember I am engaged to marry Everard.”
"Oh ...but a parson!”
Carolan stamped her foot angrily.
"Yes! A parson! And please say no more. Is it not an honourable calling?”
"I would not have dared to stamp my foot at my mother, Carolan!”
Carolan stooped and kissed the soft cheek of her mother.
"But this, dear Mamma, is a new age, and I am far removed from the paragons of your generation, remember.”
"You tease me. Why should I be teased?”
"Because you are an old darling, and it is no use trying to pretend you're a cross patch. And now I shall prepare the tea.”
Kitty called through the door: "Carolan, you are in love with that parson, are you not?”
"I am indeed.”
Then you shall marry him!”
"Generous of you, Mamma," chuckled Carolan, 'but did not your friend Marcus tell you that I would decide for myself? That was a point on which he happened to be right.”
"Wayward child! What a handful you are.”
Carolan came in with the tray.
"I will go and call the men," she said, and she went through to the shop. The door behind the coats was open, and beyond it was a flight of stone stairs; she went down these.
"Father!" she called.
At the bottom of the steps was a door, and, as she called, this was opened abruptly. Her father appeared; he shut the door behind him as though there were a wild beast in there instead of Marcus.
Tea is prepared, Father," she said.
He smiled indulgently.
"Not for us, Carolan; we have to go out.”
He stood at the door, watching her mount the stairs.
They are not coming," she told Kitty.
"It is business.”
"It is always business!" said Kitty, tossing her head.
"But never mind, we can get along well without them.”
Kitty talked. She described the sort of house she would have when they left the shop. She talked of the dresses she would have and those which now filled her wardrobe. Did Carolan think her black velvet could do with a slightly lower neckline? Did her chocolate brown sweep the floor too much?
They heard the men go out through the shop.
"I should have thought Marcus could have called farewell," said Kitty, pouting.
"He is a strange man," put in Carolan pensively.
"Strange indeed. He does not belong to these streets, that I'll swear; he is here to amuse himself.”
"What an odd way he has of amusing himself then!”
"Gentlemen get tired of the old ways of amusing themselves. The faro table, racing, betting, even love affairs can pall. At any rate a new setting is needed.”
"You think he is here to find a new setting for a love affair?”
"Carolan, how you pull me up. I said no such thing. He is here for novelty; that I could swear to! He is no more of this world of sordid streets and trading than ... than ... I am. It would not surprise me to hear he was a friend of the Prince himself!”
Carolan laughed, but Kitty turned away from her to pursue a dream. The Prince was being entertained at her house and paying such attention to his hostess that everyone remarked upon it. Why not? Was it not known that it was the matronly charms which he ardently admired?
The shop door bell rang.
They have remembered it is tea-time!" said Kitty. They could not have got much farther than the end of the street.”
Carolan opened the door between the parlour and the shop. Jonathan Crew stood there.
"Good afternoon. Miss Carolan!”
Inside the parlour, Kitty heard that voice and patted her side curls.
"Come in, Mr. Crew! Come in!”
He bowed low over Kitty's hand.
"But how radiant you look today, Ma'am!”
"I am well enough," said Kitty.
Carolan poured out a cup of tea and handed it to the guest. He smiled his thanks. How cold his eyes were, after the warm admiration in those of Marcus!
"I was passing," he said, 'and I thought I could not do that without calling in to see my very good friends. I did not dream that I should be just in time for a cup of this delicious beverage.”