"She took a fortnight to make up her mind. She accepted him yesterday,
and was wearing his ring to-day."
"Jefferson?"
Koko nodded a grave affirmative.
*CHAPTER XV.*
*KOKO IS THANKED.*
Dora often looked at her engagement ring. It was a beautiful ring, and
had cost Mr Jefferson thirty pounds. Dora did not know this, but she
knew it was a very expensive and valuable ring, and she was very proud
of it. She often looked at it--she was for ever holding up her left
hand and admiring this lovely, shining, diamond ring--this ring which
glittered in dark places and flashed and twinkled even when her hand was
quite still.
Dora felt that she was a very lucky girl to have a lover who could give
her such a ring. Her stepmother had told her that she ought to consider
herself very lucky, and so Dora supposed that she ought to. Yes, it was
a beautiful ring, and Dora had blushed when Mr Jefferson had put it on
her finger and kissed her. She felt that she was very fond of Mr
Jefferson. Few girls, indeed, could boast such a lover as
he--good-looking, perfectly dressed, the pink of politeness, and very
much in love with her.
She was sure now that she was fond of him. He had proposed to her quite
suddenly one night as they were driving home from the theatre. Dora had
been considerably flurried by the suddenness of the proposal, and had
asked for time to consider her answer. Mr Jefferson had seemed a little
put out at her not accepting him at once, but with as good a grace as he
could muster he had consented to give her the time she required in which
to think him over, and went off for a fortnight's shooting in Scotland.
During this period Dora gave the matter careful consideration, and
discussed it with her stepmother. She did not do this very willingly,
but Mrs Maybury insisted on introducing the topic, she having been
informed by Mr Jefferson of the fact that he had asked Dora to marry
him. Mrs Maybury pointed out to Dora that she would, in all
probability, never get such a good offer again--that it would be the
wildest folly on her part to refuse Mr Jefferson. What was she--Dora?
_A post-office clerk_! Did she wish to go on performing such drudgery?
Of course not! This was one of a thousand reasons why she ought to
accept Mr Jefferson!
As to the nine hundred and ninety-nine other reasons--well, one of them
that must occur to Dora was the fact that her father was employed by the
Jeffersons. It was in young Mr Jefferson's power to put Mr Maybury in a
much better position at the office. Dora must bear that in mind.
But apart from all this, she had always understood that Dora was very
fond of Mr Jefferson. Had she not accepted presents from him and
accompanied him to the theatre, to the Exhibition, to all sorts of
places? In short, Dora had encouraged him in every possible way, and
Mrs Maybury was surprised--greatly surprised--to hear that Dora had even
asked for time in which to consider her reply. In Mrs Maybury's
opinion, Mr Jefferson had acted in a most considerate manner; he would
have been justified in demanding an immediate "Yes" or "No." As it was,
he had shown great forbearance.
Mrs Maybury had introduced the topic one evening when Miss Bird and Mr
Cleave were present, as well as herself and Dora. She supposed that
they both knew that Mr Jefferson had proposed to Dora. They would,
therefore, be rather surprised to hear that Dora had asked for time in
which to consider her answer.
"Ridiculous!" said Miss Bird. "She ought to write and accept him at
once. What do you say, Mr Cleave?"
"Didn't quite catch----" replied Mr Cleave, putting his hand up to his
ear.
"I say she ought to write and accept him at once!" howled Miss Bird.
Mr Cleave nodded rapidly. "Yes, an admirable offer. A most temperate
young man. Yes--as you say--at once!"
"I am sure, Mr Cleave, I can get on quite well without your advice!"
snapped Dora.
"My advice," said Mr Cleave, who only caught the last word of her
sentence, "is to accept him. Yes, a good match. A most temperate young
man."
"It's got nothing to do with temperance," roared Miss Bird.
Mr Cleave heard this remark--the people in the next house probably did
as well--and looked at Miss Bird reproachfully.
"I hope you are not falling away from the Cause?" he said.
"It's got nothing to do with the Cause!" bellowed Miss Bird. "What I
say is, a bad husband is better than no husband at all. Even a pretty
girl doesn't get too many offers nowadays. Mr Jefferson will make a
very good husband, and if Dora doesn't accept him she'll be a fool!"
"You hear what Miss Bird says!" observed Mrs Maybury, looking at Dora.
"_Thank_ you," said Dora, in an icy voice, "I think I can manage my
affairs without assistance from Miss _Bird_!"
With which declaration she flung off to bed.
Eventually, however, she accepted Mr Jefferson. The argument that
weighed with her most was that by becoming engaged to Mr Jefferson she
could not help but benefit her father. One of the first things Mr
Jefferson would do (asseverated Mrs Maybury), after becoming engaged to
Dora, would be to find some way of bettering Mr Maybury's position at
the office.
It must be borne in mind, too, that Dora was by no means indifferent to
Mr Jefferson. Had he suddenly ceased to pay her attentions she would
have felt greatly hurt and annoyed, for she had become accustomed to his
society, and always enjoyed herself very much whenever he took her out.
"Oh, Miss, what a _lovely_ ring!" cried Mary, when she saw the trinket
with which Jefferson had clinched the engagement; "oh! what gleamin'
jools! What a rich gentleman he must be, Miss! Dr Mortimer couldn't
give you a ring like that, Miss--he's too poor!"
Dora, who had been allowing the little servant to examine the ring (they
were in her bedroom at the time, which was bedtime), drew her hand away
sharply.
"Don't be so silly, Mary. You really are very stupid sometimes; you say
such absurd things."
"I didn't mean anything, Miss," replied Mary, who had really spoken
quite innocently; "it only came into my head, like."
"Then you have a very silly head!" exclaimed Dora.
Mary was going out of the room when Dora called her back.
"I'm so tired, Mary. Would you mind brushing my hair for me?"
"Of course I will, Miss," cried Mary (who had been pattering about since
six in the morning); "I always _love_ to do things for you, Miss!"
Dora sat down in front of the looking-glass, and Mary took her hair down
and combed it and brushed it, "just like a grand lady's," as she said.
"I expect you'll have your own maid when you're married to Mr Jefferson,
Miss," added Mary.
Dora made no reply. She was thinking--and the poor overworked little
servant, with her woman's instinct, divined her thoughts.
"Don't you think, Miss," she said, presently, "that Dr Mortimer's
thinner than when he first came?"
"Oh, I haven't noticed it," said Dora, carelessly.
"_I_ have," returned Mary.
She brushed away vigorously without speaking for some little time, and
then she said: "I wonder if he's in love, Miss!"
"Who?" demanded Dora, quite unnecessarily.
"Why, Miss, Dr Mortimer!"
"How should _I_ know!" cried Dora. "Please be quick, Mary--I'm so
tired."
"I sometimes think that he is," continued the sentimental little
servant, "by the look in his eyes, Miss. I should think," added Mary
thoughtfully "that he would be a very faithful lover, like the knights
and barons you read of in books. Don't you think so too, Miss?"
"What idiotic things you say, Mary!" cried Dora, impatiently. "There, I
think you've brushed my hair quite enough. Thank you very much."
"Quite welcome, Miss," said the little servant; "Good-night, Miss!"
"Good-night, Mary."
The diamond ring, twinkling and flashing, attracted a good deal of
attention at the post-office. The other clerks went into raptures about
it, and told Dora that she was a very lucky girl. Everybody--it seemed
to Dora--said she was a lucky girl. Dora did not altogether appreciate
being informed so frequently of her stupendous luck. After all, this
ring was only the symbol of a bargain. Was she not giving herself in
exchange for it? She did not put the matter to herself quite in these
words, but this was the drift of her reflections on the subject. Why
should she be considered so very, very lucky?
Miss Cook and she got away from the post-office early one afternoon.
"We will have a nice tea somewhere," said Dora; "I will treat you,
dear."
"Shall we go to tea with Mr Somers?" suggested Miss Cook.
"Mr Somers! But he will be out."
"No, he won't. I saw him last night at the house of some friends of
mine, and he told me he would be in to-day. I knew we should get off
early to-day, and so I asked him," added Miss Cook, a little
shamefacedly.
Dora sighed. She was fond of Miss Cook, and she was afraid that Mr
Somers was never likely to take a fancy to her friend.
"Very well, dear; we will go and see Mr Somers."
They turned their steps, therefore, in the direction of the Adelphi,
where, along a modest terrace, Koko did dwell.