Читать книгу Imperial Palace - Arnold Bennett - Страница 26

II

Then there was a second swift disconcerting change in Gracie’s mood.

“What are you going to do to-night, daddy?”

“I’m going to bed. You know I never do anything the first day, anywhere.”

She seemed not to be listening to him.

“Because,” she continued, “I’ve just seen Mr. Orcham.”

“I’m waiting to hear from him,” said Sir Henry drily.

“He’s only this minute come back into the hotel. Been out all day.”

“How do you know?”

“Don’t I say I’ve just seen him?”

“You seem to be very friendly with him?” Sir Henry quizzed her.

“Oh! I am! He took me to Smithfield Market this morning.”

“He asked you to go to Smithfield with him!”

“No. I asked him to take me.”

“When?”

“After you went off to bed.”

“I hope he didn’t think I’d put you up to it,” said Sir Henry, disturbed.

“How could he have thought that? I didn’t know he was going to Smithfield until a minute before you went off. I’m glad I asked him. It was most frightfully amusing. And if I’d gone to bed I shouldn’t have been able to sleep. It filled in the time perfectly. I was thinking you might invite him to dinner to-night.”

“I invite him to dinner! And in his own hotel! No fear! The last thing I want is for him to think I’m running after him. You can understand that. If he doesn’t suggest anything, after my message to him, I shan’t suggest anything.”

Gracie said with absolute tranquillity:

“Then you go to bed, and I’ll ask him. I like him.” Sir Henry exercised the self-restraint which experience of Gracie had taught him.

“He won’t accept.”

“I’ll bet ten to one he will.”

“In the restaurant? He won’t.”

“Well, we’ll see.”

Sir Henry reconsidered the position. If Orcham accepted an invitation from Gracie alone, it would mean that he might be getting wrong notions into his head. If he declined, undesirable complications might ensue. Sir Henry went to the door.

“You ask him for both of us. Nine o’clock. Send a note down. Let me know the reply.” Sir Henry departed without waiting for Gracie to speak.

“Father,” she ran to the door and called out after him in the corridor:

“What’s his Christian name?”

She wrote, in her large hand: “Dear Mr. Evelyn Orcham. Father and I would be so glad if you would dine with us to-night in the restaurant. Nine o’clock. Please don’t disappoint us. Yours sincerely, G. S.”

She rang for the waiter.

Mrs. O’Riordan, the head-housekeeper, brightly sustaining the cares of her kingdom, entered, in front of the waiter, to pay one of those state-visits which she vouchsafed only to very important guests or very angry guests. She enquired whether Gracie’s comfort and satisfaction were complete and without flaw. Gracie, recognising at once a superior member of the hotel-hierarchy, invited Mrs. O’Riordan to sit down. The two had quite a long chat. Then Gracie lavished more than an hour and a half upon her evening toilette, melancholy Tessa helping her as well as a bandaged wrist permitted.