“What do you mean?” he cried, looking dismayed.
“I mean that I am your aunt’s companion, and trying to earn my living thereby. Now if you persist in secretly coming to the house,—pardon me if I am frank,—and if you persist in sending foolish notes to me, your aunt will not let me stay here, and I shall lose a good position through your unkindness.”
Patty was very much in earnest, and her words were sincere, but her innate sense of humour couldn’t fail to see the ridiculous side of it all, and the corners of her mouth dimpled though she kept her eyes resolutely cast down.
“It’s a shame the way she keeps you tied to her apron string,” he blurted out, uncertain whether Patty was coquetting, or really distressed.
“Not at all,” she replied. “I’m here to attend on her pleasure, and my place is by her side whenever she wants me there.”
“How can any one help wanting you there?” broke out Philip, so explosively that Patty, instead of being offended, burst into a ringing laugh.
“Oh, you are too funny!” she exclaimed. “Mrs. Van Reypen said you were given to saying things like that to everybody.”
“I don’t say them to everybody!”
“Yes, you do; your aunt says so. But now that you’ve said it to me, won’t you go away and stay away?”
“How long?”
Patty thought quickly. “Till next Friday—a week from to-day.”
“Oh, you want to get acclimatised, all by yourself!”
“Yes,” said Patty, demurely, “I do. And if you’ll only keep away,—you know your aunt asked you not to come back for a week,—if you’ll keep away till next Friday, I’ll never ask you another favour.”
“Huh! that’s no inducement. I love to have you ask me favours.”
“Well, then, I never shall if you don’t grant this first one.”
“And if I do?”
“If you do I’ll promise you almost anything you ask.”
“That’s a large order! Well, if I stay away from this house until you get solid with Aunty Van——”
“I said a week.”
“Well, to-day’s Friday. If I stay away a week will you persuade aunty to invite me to dinner next Friday night?”
“I will.”
“Can you persuade her to do that?”
“I’m sure I can by that time.”
Patty’s eyes were dancing. She had come to Mrs. Van Reypen’s on Thursday. She would, therefore, leave on Thursday, and she was sure that lady would have no objections to inviting her nephew to dinner after her “companion’s” departure.
“Are you going to stay?” demanded Philip suspiciously.
“I’m here a week on trial,” said Patty, demurely. “Your aunt needn’t keep me longer if I don’t suit her. And I know I won’t suit her if she thinks I receive notes from her nephew.”
“Oh, I see! You’re here a week on trial, and if I am chummy with you Aunty Van won’t keep you! Oh, yes! Why, of course! To be sure! Well, Miss Fairfield, I make this sacrifice for your benefit. I will keep away from here during your trial week. Then, in return, you promise to use your influence to get me an invitation to dine here next Friday.”
“I do,” returned Patty. “But do you need an invitation to a house where you seem to feel so much at home?”
“Only when you’re in it,” declared the young man, frankly. “I think Aunty Van fears I mean to kidnap you. I don’t.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” said Patty, flashing a smile at him. “I think we could be good friends, and I hope we shall be. But not until after next Friday.”
Chapter XVI.
An Invitation Declined
Philip Van Reypen went away, and his aunt never knew that he had been to her house on that occasion.
“I’m glad that boy has sense enough to keep away when I tell him to,” she remarked at luncheon, and Patty hastily took a sip of water to hide her uncontrollable smile.
“Yes, he seems to obey you,” she said, by way of being agreeable.
“He does. He’s a good boy, but too impressionable. He’s captivated by every girl he meets, so I warn you again, Miss Fairfield, not to notice his pretended interest in you.”
Patty tossed her head a little haughtily.
“Do not be alarmed, Mrs. Van Reypen,” she said, “I have no interest whatever in your nephew.”
She was a little annoyed at the absurd speeches of the old lady, and determined to put a stop to them.
“I should hope not,” was the reply. “A person in your position should not aspire to association with young gentlemen like my nephew.”
Patty was really angry at this, but her common sense came to her aid. If she elected to play the part of a dependent, she must accept the consequences. But she allowed herself a pointed rejoinder.
“Perhaps not,” she said. “Yet I suppose a companion of Mrs. Van Reypen’s would meet only the best people.”
“That, of course. But you cannot meet them as an equal.”
“No,” agreed Patty, meekly. Then to herself she said: “Only a week of this! Only six days now.”
That afternoon they went to the dressmaker’s.
Patty put on a smart tailored costume, and almost regretted that she had left her white furs at home. But she and Nan had agreed that they were too elaborate for her use as a companion, so she wore a small neckpiece and muff of chinchilla. But it suited well her dark-blue cloth suit and plain but chic black velvet hat.
The dressmaker, an ultra-fashionable modiste, looked at Patty with interest, recognising in her costume the work of adept hands.
Moreover, Patty’s praise and criticism of Mrs. Van Reypen’s new gowns showed her to be a young woman of taste and knowledge in such matters.
Both the modiste and her aristocratic patron were a little puzzled at Patty’s attitude, which, though modest and deferential, was yet sure and true in its judgments and opinions.
At last, when Mrs. Van Reypen was undergoing some tedious fitting, Patty had an inspiration.
“May I be excused long enough to telephone?” she asked.
“Certainly,” said Mrs. Van Reypen, who was in high good humour, because of her new finery. “Take all the time you like.”
Patty had noticed a telephone booth in the hall, and, shutting herself in it, she called up Nan.
By good fortune Nan was at home, and answered at once.
“Oh!” began Patty, giggling, “I’ve so much to tell you, and it’s all so funny, I can’t say a word. We’re at the dressmaker’s now, and I took this chance to call you up, because I won’t be overheard. Oh, Nan, it’s great fun!”
“Tell me the principal facts, Patty. And stop giggling. Is she kind to you? Is she patronising? Have you a pleasant room? Do you want to come home? Are you happy there?”
“Oh, Nan, wait a minute, for goodness’ sake! Yes, she’s