"Well, if you are not tired, would you like to go over the house?
It"s a lovely house. I know Mrs. Perrine wants to show it to you and let you see what a wonderful housekeeper she is."
"Yes; she asked me to go with her, but I wanted to wait until you come--as--as I might not know what to say."
"Well, we"ll go together; and don"t you worry about saying anything if you don"t want to. I talk enough for both of us. That"s my trouble, Father says--I talk too much. Come--Mrs. Perrine is downstairs."
They went from room to room, from drawingroom to library, to the picture gallery in which, had Drusilla known it, were some of the famous pictures of the world, and on to the great armor room, in which the former master of the house had searched the countries of the old world for the armor and accouterments of chivalry which were arranged around the walls. Then she was shown that which interested her more than the pictures or the armor--the pantries and the room in which were kept the china and silver in daily use; and the kitchen, with its array of cooking utensils, brought a look of delight into her old eyes, because these she could understand.
Finally she was taken upstairs again and shown the guest rooms, each with its dressing-room and bath, and then opposite to her own suite of rooms she was taken into a small library paneled in soft toned woods. Daphne pulled out a leather chair for Drusilla.
"Now sit in that and tell me what you think of it all. Isn"t this a pretty room? I like it best of all except your sitting-room, and isn"t that a wonderful fireplace? It was brought from somewhere abroad. It is cozy here at night when the curtains are drawn. I think this room looks human; those big rooms downstairs don"t. I could never curl up in a chair and read in that great library downstairs, but here you can really find a novel and read in comfort. I know you"ll spend lots of time in this room."
Drusilla was quiet, sitting with folded hands. Then, after a few moments, she said:
"I was just a-thinkin" that all this great house can"t be for just one old woman. And all them dishes and the kitchen with them pots and pans and the cook can"t be there just to cook for me alone?"
"Oh, but he is, and he"s a wonderful cook. Mr. Doane has had him for years and years. And James, the butler, came with him from England.
He was in the house of a duke over there, and I a.s.sure you, Miss Doane, he doesn"t forget it."
"Is that the man who stands around as if he was afraid he"d hurt something if he teched it? I ain"t seen him do much; another man gave me my breakfast."
"Yes, I presume William, the second man, gave you your breakfast.
James is too grand to serve breakfast."
"Do I need so many men around?"
"No, I really don"t suppose you do, Miss Doane; but Mr. Doane kept a big household and he left in his will that the house should be kept up exactly the same as when he was here. But don"t you worry about that. That is father"s business. You don"t have to bother a bit about it. All you have to do is to enjoy yourself. Now, what would you like to do? Is there anything you want?"
Drusilla looked at her a moment and then said, half laughingly, half apologetically:
"I"d like--I"d like--"
She stopped, and Daphne came over to her.
"What would you like, Miss Doane? I"m here to do anything you wish."
"You won"t think I"m a vain old woman if I tell you?"
"Why, certainly not. Tell me."
"Well--well--I was thinkin" this mornin" when I dressed that I didn"t seem to fit in with the house. When I saw my pretty gray room, all so light and--and--beautiful--and when I saw myself in the lookin"-gla.s.s with my old black dress, I thought--I wished--"
"Yes, Miss Doane; what did you wish?"
Drusilla flushed as if ashamed of her wishes that seemed to her scarcely befitting a woman of her age.
"I just wished I had pretty clothes to go with the room."
Daphne clapped her hands.
"Now, isn"t that lovely! Of course you should have pretty clothes, and you shall! We will go shopping! Father said to do anything you wanted to do. Now, what would you like?"
"I don"t know, but I"d--I"d just like pretty clothes."
Daphne jumped up and danced around the room.
"I"ll tell you what we"ll do," she said gaily. "We"ll go to town and shop and shop and shop. I"d love it, and we"ll send all the bills to Father. He can"t frown or scold as he does when _I_ send him bills; he"ll have to pay yours without a word. Oh, we"ll go right away!"
"I"d love to go, Miss Thornton. I never really shopped in my life. I jest bought things I had to have, things I couldn"t go without no longer." Drusilla rose, as pleased with the idea as was the young girl beside her. "Can we go right away?"
"Yes; but wait, you must eat something."
"But I jest had my breakfast."
"Yes; but you must have something now, or you"ll get tired. I"ll have them bring you some chicken broth or something, and I"ll have some too. I can always eat."
She danced over to the bell, and when Jeanne answered it she said:
"Tell James to bring some chicken broth and some sandwiches; and have the small car at the door in half an hour. And please tell my chauffeur to return home and tell Mother that I will not be home for lunch."
When Jeanne was gone she danced back to Drusilla.
"We"ll make a day of it, Miss Doane, and we"ll have the _loveliest time!_"
The lunch was served and then the ugly bonnet was tied on, the mantle wrapped around the thin shoulders, and Drusilla and Daphne started for that joy land of women--Fifth Avenue.
"We"ll go first and get some things that are already made," Daphne said.
She took Drusilla to one of the exclusive shops on Fifth Avenue. If Daphne had not been known, slight courtesy would have been shown the shabbily dressed old woman, but a few words from Daphne and the salesladies were all smiles and bows, eager to show their best. At first they showed her black dresses; but at Drusilla"s little look of distress, quick Daphne saw there was something wrong.
"Don"t you like them, Miss Doane?"
"Yes--yes--they"re beautiful, Miss Thornton, but--do I _have_ to wear black? I"ve worn it all my life because it wears well. I"d like--I"d like--"
"Tell me what you would like."
"I"d like a soft gray dress like my room, if I ain"t too old. But-- but--perhaps it wouldn"t be fittin"."
"That"s just the thing! Why didn"t I think of that! Gray will be just the color for you; and with a touch of blue, and your white hair --Oh, you"ll be lovely, Miss Doane."
Again the willing salesladies were given their instructions, and gray dresses and gray suits were placed before her. Drusilla pa.s.sed over the suits with hardly a look, but fingered lovingly the soft crepes and chiffons.
"I don"t like the heavy things," she said. "They look as if they"d turn well, and I don"t want nothin" that can be turned. I"d like something that"ll wear out."
Daphne laughed.
"You"re just like me. I hate things that wear forever. Father says that"s the cause of the high cost of living--we women don"t buy sensible clothes."
Drusilla looked pained.