Polly lay back on her pillows, looking at Angelica. She didn’t ask her
to sit down. Angelica returned her gaze resentfully and miserably,
ashamed of her preposterous position, but quite helpless, having no idea
how to extricate herself. She didn’t feel able to say bluntly that Mrs.
Russell’s story was a lie, although she could see that Polly was
suspicious--more than suspicious--and she was certain that she could not
sustain any sort of examination.
"When did you come?" inquired Polly.
"Last night."
"Alone?"
"No; she brought me."
"Mrs. Russell, you mean? And she says she was a school friend of your
mother’s. I wonder what school!"
"I don’t know."
"Does she often visit your mother?"
"No."
"Then, as a matter of fact, you don’t know her very well?"
"Never saw her till the day before yesterday."
Polly smiled.
"Aren’t you afraid you’ll feel rather strange here? How long do you
expect to stay?"
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know? I’ve forgotten--where did Mrs. Russell say you lived?"
"In New York."
"That’s odd--very odd! I certainly understood her to say you lived in
the country."
Angelica was dumb.
"Where in New York? I know the city so well."
"At the Ritz," said Angelica boldly.
She was quite desperate now. She was sure that Polly saw through her,
and that it was only a matter of time before she was shamefully exposed.
"At the Ritz!" exclaimed Polly.
Their eyes met in a long and hostile look.
"Yes, at the Ritz," Angelica repeated.
"Why do you tell me that?" asked Polly quietly.
Angelica’s swarthy face grew scarlet.
"You needn’t think this was my idea!" she cried. "I don’t try to pass
myself off as--some one different. She hired me, and I told her all
about myself. My mother’s a janitress, and I worked in a factory!"
Polly’s face had flushed, too.
"What was the idea in trying to make you my companion?" she asked. "Did
Mrs. Russell imagine I shouldn’t know the difference? Or perhaps she
thought any one was good enough for me!"
Angelica was a hardy young devil, but this was too much even for her.
"I’m not--just any one," she muttered, with a quivering lip. "I’m
not--dirt. I’m----”
"My dear child!" cried Polly, in sudden compunction. "Of course not! I
didn’t mean to offend you in any way. I’ve nothing against you
personally; it’s simply that I don’t want a companion at all. I--I can’t
endure the idea of a person who is paid to amuse me--a stranger, who
doesn’t know anything about me or the child I lost!"
She waited a moment, then she went on.
"I’m very sorry. It’s an awkward situation for both of us. Mrs. Russell
has done it before. You see, the doctor said I was not to be left
alone--all nonsense, but Mr. Eddie took it very much to heart, and he
wants Mrs. Russell to stay with me. Naturally she finds it irksome, shut
up in the house. If I can’t have a familiar face, then I’d rather be
alone. I’m sorry, but it’s no use your wasting your time, my dear. You
might be looking for something else." She held out her hand with a
kindly smile. "Good-by!" she said.
Angelica didn’t move.
"I saw that Mr. Eddie," she said; "and he said he was going to speak to
you about me. He said he’d keep me if you would."
"But what has he got to do with it?" asked Polly, smiling.
"Well, at first he thought I wouldn’t do; and then, after he thought it
over, he said: ‘Well, I’ll agree if _she_ will.’"
Polly was silent, perplexed to know how to get rid of this tenacious
young creature. Angelica seized the opportunity.
"Well," she said, "I’m sorry I came, bothering you; but as long as I’m
here, hadn’t I better stay till she gets home again? I’m better than
nobody!"