The School Queens

“I don’t want to; she never suited me a bit,” said the mother, “and I am very happy with Bo-peep.”

“Well, at least you may feel,” said Aneta, “that I am going to be Maggie’s special friend.”

Mrs. Martin stood silent while Lady Lysle and her niece walked down the little path and got into the carriage. When the carriage rolled away she burst into a flood of tears. She did not know whether she was glad or sorry; but, somehow, she had faith in Aneta. Was she never going to see Maggie again? She was not quite without maternal love for her only child, but she cared very much more for Bo-peep, and quite felt that Maggie would be a most troublesome inmate of Laburnum Villa.

“Now, Aneta,” said her aunt as the carriage rolled away, “I have gone through enough in your service for one day.”

“You haven’t been at all nice, auntie,” said Aneta; “but perhaps you will be better when you get to the shop.”

“I will not go to the shop.”

“Auntie, just think, once and for all, that you are doing a very philanthropic act, and that you are helping me, whom you love so dearly.”

“Of course I love you, Aneta. Are you not as my own precious child?”

“Well, now, I want you to buy no end of things at Martin’s shop.”

“Buy things! Good gracious, child, at a grocer’s shop! But I get all my groceries at the Stores, and the housekeeper attends to my orders.”

“Well, anyhow, spend from five to ten pounds at Martin’s to-day. You can get tea made up in half-pound packets and give it away wholesale to your poor women. Christmas is coming on, and they will appreciate good tea, no matter where it has been bought from.”

“Well, you may go in and give the order,” said Lady Lysle; “but I won’t see that grocer. I will sit in the carriage and wait for you.”

Aneta considered for a few minutes, and then said in a sad voice, “Very well.”

Lady Lysle looked at her once or twice during the long drive which followed. Aneta’s little face was rather pale, but her eyes were full of subdued fire. She was determined to carry the day at any cost.

CHAPTER XXIV.

A VISIT TO THE GROCER

James Martin abhorred the aristocracy – so he said. Nevertheless, he greatly admired his elegant wife in her faded beauty. He liked to hear her speak, and he made some effort to copy her “genteel pronunciation.” He also, in his inmost heart, admired Maggie as a girl of spirit, although not a beautiful one. He had his own ideas with regard to female loveliness, and, like all men, was impressed and attracted by it.

On this special foggy day, as he was standing behind his counter busily engaged attending to a customer who was only requiring a small order to be made up, he gave a visible start, raised his eyes, dropped his account-book, let his pencil roll on to the floor, and stared straight before him. For somebody was coming into the shop – somebody so very beautiful that his eyes were dazzled and, as he said afterwards, his heart melted within him. A radiant-looking girl, with wonderful blue eyes and hair of the color of pure gold, a girl with a refined face – most beautifully dressed – although Martin could not quite make out in what fashion she was apparelled – came quickly up to the counter and then stood still, waiting for some one to attend to her. The other men in the shop also saw this lovely vision, and an attendant of the name of Turtle sprang forward to ask what he could do.

“I want to see Mr. Martin,” said the silvery voice.

Martin felt pleased, and said sotto voce, “Chuck it, Turtle; you’re out of it, old boy.” A minute later he was standing before Aneta, inquiring in a trembling voice what he could do for her.

“I want to order fifty pounds of tea to be made up in half-pound packets and sent to my aunt, Lady Lysle, 16b Eaton Square,” said Aneta. “The tea will be paid for on delivery, and please let it be the very best. I also want a hundred pound-packets of the best currants, and a hundred pound-packets of the best sugar.”

“Demerara, miss, or loaf?” inquired Martin, tremblingly putting down the order.

“Loaf, I think,” said Aneta. “Will you kindly send everything within the next day or two to Eaton Square, 16b, to Lady Lysle?”

“I will enter her ladyship’s name in my book. Yes, it shall be done,” said Martin.

He looked at Aneta, and Aneta looked straight back at him.

“Mr. Martin,” she said suddenly, “I am the school-friend of your stepdaughter, Maggie Howland. May I have a little conversation with you in your private room?”

“Ah, I thought there was something!” said Martin. “To be sure, miss,” he added. – “Turtle, you see that this order is hexecuted. It’s for her ladyship, Lady Lysle, 16b Eaton Square. – Come this way, my lady.”

“I am only Miss Lysle,” said Aneta.

All the attendants in the shop gazed in wonder as the beautiful girl and the excited Martin went into the little parlor at the back of the business establishment. There Martin stood with his hands behind him; but Aneta sank into a low chair.

“I want to ask you a great favor, Mr. Martin,” said the girl. She looked full up at him as she spoke.

Martin thought that he had never in his life seen such melting and lovely blue eyes before. “She bowls me over,” he kept saying to himself. “I hate the aristocrats, but somehow she bowls me over.” – “Anything in my power, miss,” he said aloud, and he made a low bow, pressing his hand to his chest.

“I think,” said Aneta – “indeed, I am sure – to judge from your most flourishing shop – that you are a good business man.”

“Well, now, there’s no doubt on that point, Miss – Miss Lysle.”

“But you would like to extend your custom?” said Aneta.

“Business is always business to me,” replied Martin.

“Well, the fact is, it lies in my power to induce my aunt, Lady Lysle, to get her groceries from you. She has a large establishment and sees a great deal of company. She gets them now at the Army and Navy Stores, but I haven’t the slightest doubt that she would not object to have them from you.”

“You are exceedingly good, Miss Lysle, and I am sure anything that her ladyship ordered should have my very best attention; in fact, I should make it my business to get in specially good things for her. If I might let you into a business secret, miss, the people round here don’t want the very best things; they don’t, so to speak, appreciate them.”

“I quite understand that,” said Aneta. “Of course Lady Lysle would require the very best.”

“She should have the best, miss; I’d be proud of her custom. Things should be punctually delivered; just an order overnight, and my cart would convey them to her ladyship’s door at an early hour on the following day.”

“Yes, it could be arranged,” said Aneta.

“Then, perhaps, miss,” said Mr. Martin, who saw brilliant prospects opening before him, and the possibility of a West End shop, a genuine West End shop, being his, as well as the profitable establishment at Shepherd’s Bush, “her ladyship might be so kind as to recommend me to others.”

“It is possible,” said Aneta coldly; “but of course I can only speak for my aunt herself.” Then she added, “And even for her I cannot quite speak, although I believe the matter can be arranged. I have given you a large order to-day.”

“You have, Miss Lysle, and most faithfully will it be attended to.”

Martin took out his red silk handkerchief and mopped his forehead.

“Now,” said Aneta gently, “I haven’t come here all the way from Aylmer House, and practically given up a day of my school-life, for nothing. I have come on behalf of another.”

“Ho, ho!” said Martin, “so the cat’s going to be let out of the bag.”

Aneta colored.

Martin saw he had gone too far, and immediately apologized. “You will forgive my coarse way of expressing myself, miss. I know it isn’t done in your circle.”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Aneta. “I will come to the point at once. I am interested in Miss Howland.”

“Ah! my little stepdaughter. I keep her at a fine, smart school, don’t I? I do the knowing by her, don’t I?”