It Began in Vauxhall Gardens - Plaidy Jean (бесплатная регистрация книга txt) 📗

Fenella Cardingly was stretched on a chaise longue, her large body covered by a blue silk wrap; this robe was open at the throat to show the beginning of a magnificent bust; a jewelled ornament of diamonds and sapphires held the cloth together. The black hair was elaborately dressed and there was flashing ornament on it. She held out a white hand, sparkling with gems, and said: "Welcome, my dear child! Welcome, little Melisande!"

Polly was pushing Melisande forward as though she were some treasure she had discovered and was eager to show.

"There," said Polly, "do you like her?"

"She's charming," said Fenella. "Kneel down dear, so that I can see you better."

Melisande felt as though she were kneeling to the Queen.

Fenella took her face in her hands and kissed her forehead.

"I hope you'll be happy, my dear."

"You are very kind," said Melisande.

"That's what we intend to be. And it's going to be a pleasure to have you. Polly, go and tell them to bring us some tea. I want to talk to Melisande for a little while."

Polly grimaced and hesitated. "Get along, you insect!" said Fenella.

Polly went out reluctantly.

"I expect she chattered during the ride from the station. Here, my dear, bring a chair and sit close to me so that we can have a chat."

Melisande obeyed.

"Are you surprised to find us as we are?"

"It is a great surprise. I thought it was to be a dressmaker's shop."

Fenella laughed. "So that's what he told you, eh? A dressmaker's shop."

"No, he did not tell me that. He said that I was to be with a dressmaker. I pictured the shop."

"Dresses are made in places other than shops, my dear. We call them salons. Why, you are pretty! You'll pay for dressing. You're going to do very well here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cardingly."

"I am called Madam Fenella, dear. It is more suitable than Mrs. Cardingly. It is usually Madam for short. You look unhappy! Are

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you? Charles told me there had been a sad love affair in Cornwall."

Fenella waited. Then Melisande said: "I would rather not speak of it . . . if you do not mind."

"Of course you don't want to speak of it. That'll be later. Don't fret about that now. What did your father tell you about us?"

"My father? You mean Sir Charles? He did not admit that he was my father."

Fenella laughed. "That was like him. He was always afraid of criticism. There's reason in it. If you are as bold as I am, you ignore other people's opinions. If not, you bow to them."

"You know that he is my father then?"

"That is precisely the reason why he has sent you to me. He wants me to look after you."

"And you. . .?"

"My dear, I said I would do anything in my power for Charles, but now I have seen you I would add ... and for you. You are of great interest to me."

"I think I know why."

"Polly?"

"She talked to me."

"Trust Polly! I often threaten that one day I'll have her set on in a dark alley and have her tongue cut out. Don't look shocked, dear. I wouldn't do it really. But her tongue is an embarrassment to her as well as to me. Here we live in our own special little world. It is a happy world, and we are a happy family in it. We're a large family. You will soon meet my other girls. I have my little seamstresses and my goddesses. You'll be one of the goddesses. We mustn't strain those lovely eyes or prick those pretty fingers. Men don't like pricked fingers, dear, though it shows industry. But industry is not what most men are looking for—except of course the industrialists, and we don't receive many of that sort here."

"But if it is dresses I am to show, is it not the ladies who will see them?"

"There'll be ladies and gentlemen to look, dear; and the ladies always like dresses that the gentlemen look at longest—though, of course it is not really the dresses the men are looking at. That is something ladies never seem to understand. You'll do well here, I know."

"Please tell me what my duties are?"

"Chiefly to show the dresses. You shall help in the workroom too . . . but that is only if you have an aptitude."

"But shall I be of use ... if I am not good with the needle?"

"Sewing is a poorly paid trade, my dear. Showing dresses needs more skill."

"I am afraid I am not skilled at all."

"Stand up, my dear. Now walk across the room. That's right. Head erect. Genevra will teach you how to walk. You have natural grace and that is a good thing. There'll be a few tricks to learn."

"You mean, Madam, that I may earn my living by walking about!"

Fenella nodded.

"But that seems to me an easy way of earning the living."

"My dear child, often what appears to be the easiest way of earning a living brings in the biggest spoils. Look at me. I spend a good deal of time on this couch, but I earn a living. The best way to gain a living in this world is to let others earn it for you. That is what clever people do. That is what you may learn to do. Who knows!" Fenella laughed and stopped to say: "Here comes the tea."

It was wheeled in by Bonson.

"Will you pour, dear?" said Fenella. "Then we can be quite alone. Cream for me, please."

Melisande's hands were not too steady as she poured and passed the cup to Fenella.

Fenella was watching intently. What grace! What beauty! she thought. And even the dress is charming.

Fenella found young girls enchanting. Planning their future was like planning her own. They made her feel young again. And here was a charming girl, quite the most beautiful of all her beautiful girls, and what an interesting history! The daughter of a rather staid old Cornish gentleman, and the result of brief folly in his youth. It was romantic and amusing—two qualities which appealed to Fenella.

"You are bewildered," she said. "It is all so strange . . . and so different from what you expected. Never mind. That's a matter for rejoicing. Did you expect me to be a terrible old woman who would make you sew thousands of stitches every day and stand over you with a stick if you should fail ?"

"I was afraid. You see, I am not good at the sewing. Although I make very good flowers. I made this one on my dress."

"It's effective. That helps the dress. I can see you will be useful in our workrooms too. You are going to be very useful. You will be happy here, I know. I knew it as soon as I saw you. You remind me of what I was at your age. I was bigger, of course; and our colouring is different; but there is something about you. ... I want you to settle in . . . cosily. One of the girls will show you round. We entertain often, and now that I have met you I know that you will grace our evening parties. In the showroom you shall try on our dresses and we shall see what suits you. We shall dress you and you shall mingle with our guests. The result will be that many women will want to buy the gown that you are wearing. Worn by you these gowns will look so beautiful that they will not believe the beauty

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comes from you; they will think it is mainly due to the gown."

"It sounds as though this will not be real work."

"You'll see. You will find our menage a little different from Treven-ning, I don't doubt. If there is anything you don't understand, you must come to me. You will share a room with three other girls. I am sorry you can't have a room to yourself. This is a big house but we are a big family. Genevra, Lucie and Clotilde will be your room companions ... for the time being. Lucie will soon be going. She is to marry. Sooner or later they all marry. I can't keep my girls. Do you know anything about politics?"