And not one of them realized the outrageous folly of that dinner! There
they sat, Miss Cigale, and Geordie, and Nell, who was the girl in the
case, in that expensive restaurant, eating all sorts of expensive
dishes, and all fancying themselves so businesslike! There was some
excuse for Miss Cigale, but Geordie, who was considered a practical and
level-headed young man by his business superiors, and Nell, whose
employer could not say enough in praise of her good sense and
ability--they should have known better.
“He offered the position to me,” Miss Cigale was saying. “He almost
begged me to take it. To be his personal assistant in his booking agency
for musicians and concert singers, and so on. He said--” An odd change
came over her face; she looked for an instant remarkably handsome and
dignified.
“He said,” she went on, calmly, “that no one else could handle his
clients as I could--no one else would have just the right manner, and
the sympathy and understanding of their problems. He always was very
flattering, years ago, when I gave my unlucky concert. It’s really a
very good position. But I wouldn’t take it then, because I was so sick
and tired of jobs that didn’t do the least bit of good to any one except
myself. I’m so tired of working just for myself. But now, if we arrange
this thing in a really businesslike way, you could take that sweet, tiny
house at the end of your mother’s street, Geordie. Nell could stay at
home, to look after things, and I’d contribute toward the expenses, of
course. It would be very much to my advantage--because then I’d have a
home, you see.”
There was a silence.
“Unless I’d be a nuisance?” Miss Cigale remarked.
“You couldn’t be!” cried Nell. “There never was any one so kind and
dear!”
“Unless Geordie objects?” said Miss Cigale.
He glanced at her, and then stared. For there was a light of the most
charming malice in Miss Cigale’s eyes, and such a significant hint of a
smile on her lips. She was laughing at him! She was getting the better
of him!
She was giving him a chance to get married in his own, obstinate way,
with Nell safely at home, and, in return, she demanded absolute
surrender from him. He could have his way--but only if Miss Cigale had
her way, and defiantly went out to work every day from under his roof.
Could he allow this? He looked at his Nell.
This time Miss Cigale didn’t fail; she triumphed.
MUNSEY’S
MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER, 1926
Vol. LXXXVIII NUMBER 4