"You had better be careful, sir," she said, still without looking at him, "these sauces sometimes boil over." And as she spoke she put a spoon into the pan, and the next instant Tucker felt a small but burning drop fall upon his hand. He started back with an exclamation.
"I am truly sorry, sir," she said, "to have been the occasion--"
He glanced at her sharply. Was she conscious of repeating his own phrase? She seemed to be wholly absorbed in her task. He noticed how prettily the hair grew at the back of her neck, how small and well shaped were her ears. His manner became even more protecting.
"I am an older man than your employer--" he began.
"Yes, indeed, sir."
He decided not to notice the interruption.
"I am older and have seen more of life. I understand more, perhaps, of the difficulties of a young, and I must say, beautiful woman, Jane-Ellen--"
"Why must you say that, sir?" Her eyes fixed themselves on his.
"Because it is the truth, my dear child." He again approached the range, but as a fountain instantly rose from the sauce he retreated and continued: "I would like, if any little troubles in the household arise, to know that you look upon me as a friend, both you and Willoughby." (He thought it not amiss to introduce the comic note now and again.) "I have some influence with Mr. Crane. I should be glad to do you a good turn."
"You can do me one now, sir."
"Pray, tell me what it is."
"You can go away and let me get the dinner."
"You want me to go?"
"The kitchen is no place for gentlemen."
Tucker laughed tolerantly.
"Did you think so ten minutes ago?"
For the second time she looked in his direction, as she asked quickly:
"What do you mean?"
"Your last visitor was not so respectful."
She had put down the saucepan now, and so he approached and tried to take her hand.
Perhaps this is as good a time as any other to describe the sensation of taking Jane-Ellen"s hand. The ordinary mortal put out an ordinary hand, and touched something, something presumably flesh and blood, but so light, so soft, so pliant, that it seemed literally to melt into the folds of his palm, so that even after the hand had been withdrawn (and in this instance it was instantly withdrawn) the feeling seemed to remain, and Tucker found himself staring at his own fingers to see if they did not still bear traces of that remarkable contact.
It was just at this moment that Brindlebury entered the kitchen and said, in a tone which no one could have considered respectful, that the motor was coming up the drive.
Tucker was more apt to meet an awkward situation--and the situation was slightly awkward--by an additional dignity of manner rather than by any ill-considered action.
"Ah," he now observed, "in that case I think I must go and meet it."
"I think I would, if I were you," replied the boy, and added to the cook, in case there was any mistake about his meaning: "It seems to me there are too many men in this kitchen in the course of the day."
"Well, goodness knows they"re not here to please me," said Jane-Ellen.
Tucker, who understood that this reply had to be made, wished, nevertheless, that she had not made it with such a convincing sincerity of manner. He turned and left the kitchen, and, as he went up the piazza stairs, became aware that the boy was following him.
He stood still at the top, therefore, and asked with that hectoring tone which many people think so desirable to use with servants:
"What"s this? You wish to speak to me?"
The boy hardly troubled to approximate civility as he answered:
"Yes; I just wanted to tell you that Jane-Ellen is my sister."
Tucker laughed with indulgent good humor.
"Indeed," he said. "Well, I cannot confess, Brindlebury, to taking a very deep interest in your family relations."
"It"s this much interest, that I don"t want you going into the kitchen to talk to her."
"Tut, tut," said Tucker. "I think I shall have to report you to your employer."
"And I may have to report you."
This was so beyond the bounds of convention that Tucker thought best to ignore it. He merely turned on his heel and walked into the house, where, in the hall, he found the two Falkener ladies taking off their coats.
Mrs. Falkener was all graciousness. She was engaged in unwinding a veil from her face, and as she freed her nose from its meshes she said briskly:
"And how is the housekeeping going? How is your staff working?"
Crane got them into the drawing-room, where tea was waiting. Mrs.
Falkener spoke to him, but she cast a secret glance of question at Tucker. Under most circ.u.mstances he would have replied by raising his eyebrows, shrugging his shoulders, closing his eyes, or conveying in some manner the true reply to her demand. But now he merely looked into his teacup, which he was diligently stirring. He found himself uncertain what to do. He had no intention of mentioning the afternoon"s incidents to Crane. He did not wish, he told himself, to tell on a poor young woman, and perhaps deprive her of her job. Besides, it is very difficult to tell a story in which you have been an eavesdropper, and tell it with any sort of flourish and satisfaction. The geography of the balcony was such that he would have to confess either to having leaned as far over the rail as possible, or else to having been in the kitchen. But the insolence of the boy Brindlebury put a new face on the matter. He deserved reproof, to say nothing of the fact that he might tell in a mistaken desire to protect his sister from annoyance. To tell any of this to Mrs. Falkener was to put a weapon in her hands which she would not fail to use to get Jane-Ellen out of the house within twenty-four hours. Tucker"s first idea was that he did not wish Jane-Ellen to leave the house.
But, as he sat stirring his tea, another thought came to him. Why should she not leave, why should she not become his own cook? Crane, after all, only offered her employment for a few weeks, whereas he--He decided that it would be better for Crane to get rid of her; he decided, as he put it to himself, to be perfectly open with his friend. If Crane turned her out, then he, Tucker, would be there, helpful and ready, like the competent middle-aged hero of the drama, whom she herself had so well described.
He joined but little in the conversation round the tea-table, and Mrs.
Falkener, watching him narrowly, feared from his gravity that something serious had happened, that the situation was worse than she had imagined. What, she wondered, had occurred in the last twenty-four hours? What had those evil women with manicured nails accomplished in her absence? She manoeuvered two or three times to get a word with Tucker, but he seemed unconscious of her efforts.
When at last they all agreed it was time to dress for dinner, Tucker laid a detaining hand on his host"s arm.
"Could I have just a word with you, Burt?" he said.
Crane always felt like a naughty child when his friend spoke to him like this.
"Wouldn"t later do?" he asked. "I want to get a bath before dinner, and if we keep it waiting we may spoil some of those wonderful dishes that star-eyed beauty in the kitchen is preparing for us."
"It is about her I want to speak to you."
Both ladies and Crane turned instantly at these words. Then the Falkeners with a strong effort of self-control left the room, and the two men were alone.
"Well, what is it?" said Crane, rather sharply.