The Black Benedicts by Anita Charles Page B

“ I have been accused so many times of all but ruining my niece, and it is a load off my mind to know that I have not entirely done so. ”
    He held out a hand to the niece concerned, w ho instantly clambered like a responsive kitten on to the arm of his ch air.
    “ I have a present for you, Infant, and you shall see it when you come downstairs after dinner. I wonder whether you can guess what it is? ”
    Serena looked thrilled and made excited guesses. “ Another big bottle of perfume from Paris? Or chocolates! ” she cried.
    “ I haven ’ t been to Paris, as you very well know, and your consumption of chocolate is already far too high for the welfare of your teeth. ” He produced a cigarette-case and offered it to Mallory. “ You smoke, Miss Gower? ”
    “ Thank you. ” She accepted a cigarette, and as he came slightly nearer to hold his lighter to the end of it she could feel, rather than see, his eyes, with those strange, mocking, darting lights, boring into her own. His brown, strong-fingered hand held the lighter very firmly, and she did not need to take more than one quick, slightly nervous puff. “ Thank you, ” she repeated.
    He lay back in his chair again, drawing lazily at his own cigarette, and his eyes roved appreciatively round the room.
    “ You are very cosy in here. There is a nice, homely atmosphere, ” he observed, and he certainly sounded as if he meant it.
    “It is a very nice room indeed, and so is my bed-room, ” sh e said, thinking that perhaps she ought to thank him for them. “ I am very comfortable here, Mr. Benedict. Mrs. Carpenter has done all that she can to make me so. ”
    “ Has she? ” He sounded quite casual. “ Well, that ’ s a good thing, anyway. You won ’ t be tempted to desert us suddenly. ”
    “ I don ’ t desert when it is my job, ” she told him, resenting that slight, sarcastic slur in his voice which was seldom absent from it for long—when he addressed her , anyway.
    “ Excellent! ” he exclaimed, approvingly, but again she was afraid he mocked.
    Serena was catching at his arm and trying to attract his attention again.
    “ What is my present, Uncle Raife? Tell me, ” she coaxed. “ Please do tell me! ”
    But he merely laughed and shook her off and rose and said he must be going.
    “ The gong will sound any minute now, and I mustn ’ t keep my guests waiting. After dinner you will not only be told but see your present. ” He looked across at Mallory again, noting that she was wearing a simple dark dress unrelieved by any ornament, but that she managed to look remarkably attractive in it just the same. “ Let Serena wear something pretty to-night, and dress yourself up, too, if you feel like it. I have quite a few friends downstairs, and you will probably get some entertainment out of the evening. ”
    It was permission to make an attempt to do so at least, which was a concession, she realized, when she was merely the governess.
    With a careless pull at one of Serena ’ s curls he went out, and with his departure something forceful and virile departed also from the little sitting-room. And away down in the depths of the hall the great Burmese gong began to send forth its summons to dinner.
    Serena was so excited that dressing her w as a matter of some difficulty, and as this was Darcy ’ s evening off Mallory had to take over the task of making sure her appearance left no room for criticism. She wanted to put on all sorts of trinkets, but Mallory forbade this, and in the end she looked altogether enchanting in a dress of broderie Anglaise, with a satin ribbon looped through her curls, and black patent-leather shoes. Mallory was more simply attired in her only evening frock, a misty grey georgette, which exactly matched her eyes, and with which she wore her mother ’ s pearls, loaned to her in case she should ever need them.
    Behind the drawing-room door when they reached it they could hear sounds of mirth and a great deal of conversation.