BERYL
A bell tinkling somewhere in the house wakened Robin the next morning.
Through the flowered chintz curtains of her window the sun shone with a
warmth out of all keeping with the time of the year, throwing such a
joyous glow about everything in the room that she rubbed her eyes to be
sure she was not dreaming.
The evening before, everything had seemed so strange that Robin had not
been able to take in small things; now an immense curiosity to explore
Gray Manor, and the grounds that were like Central Park, and the little
town, and the hills around it, seized her. She slipped her feet out of
bed and into the satin slippers which had been one of Miss Effie's
purchases. She dressed with feverish haste, rebuking herself for having
slept so late, for her new wrist watch told her it was after ten
o'clock.
Ten o'clock--why, on Patchin Place the morning was almost over at that
hour, the streets about thundering with the work of the day. And here it
was as still as night, or as--a church on a weekday, Robin thought.
Dressed, she opened the door of her room very quietly and peeped
curiously out. And there in the wide hall, dusting an old highboy, was
the girl with the dark hair.
"Hullo!" exclaimed Robin, delighted at the encounter.
The girl stared for a moment. She was tall and thin; her eyes so
intensely blue as to look black and startling in their contrast to the
whiteness of her skin. They were brooding, smoldering eyes and a too
frequent scowl was making tiny lines between the straight black
eyebrows.
"Isn't this the wonderfulest morning?" Robin advanced, stepping nearer.
"What is your name? I'm Robin--I mean Gordon Forsyth."
"I know that. My name's Beryl but I guess it doesn't make much
difference to you what I'm called. The man who came with you's waiting
downstairs."
In spite of this rebuff Robin lingered for a moment, hopeful of a
pleasanter word. But the girl Beryl shouldered her duster and marched
off, head high.
"I'm going to find out more about her right off," determined Robin as
she went in search of her guardian.
The big rooms below, like her own room, looked very different in the
morning light, even cheery. Mr. Allendyce greeted her with a smile and
Harkness' "Good-morning, Miss Gordon," had pleasant warmth. It was fun
to sit in the high-backed chair before the shining silver and the
flowers and to choose between grapefruit and frosted orange juice. So
fascinated was Robin that she forgot for the time, her interest in the
girl she had encountered upstairs.
"Well, what do you think of Gray Manor in daylight?" asked Mr. Allendyce
as the two walked into the library.
"Oh, it's more like a great castle than ever. But it isn't--half as bad
as I thought it was." When Robin caught the amused twinkle in her
guardian's eye she added hastily: "I mean, it isn't gloomy and sad at
all. It's so beautiful--and I love beautiful things."
Mr. Allendyce thought suddenly that it was the first time for a long
time _he_ had seen these rooms when they had not seemed overhung with
melancholy. But he checked any expression of the thought; instead he
took Robin on a tour through the library and drawing rooms, pointing out
to her the treasures which had been brought from every corner of the
world. There were rare tapestries and bronzes, and tiny ivory carvings
and tables inlaid with bright jade and old crystal candelabra, and
quaint chests and wonderful paintings and rare old books. As he told the
story of each, Cornelius Allendyce marvelled at the girl's quick
appreciation and intelligent interest. Her Jimmie had evidently gathered
travelled people about him and Robin had been always a sharp listener.
Then Harkness interrupted their pleasant occupation by appealing to
Robin for "his orders" with such a comical solemnity that Robin had
difficulty suppressing a nervous giggle. Her guardian came to her rescue
with the suggestion that they drive about the town and the mills, have
an early tea and an early dinner and dispense with luncheon.
"Must I tell him every day just what I want?" thought Robin, in dismay.
The girl's active imagination could well picture the imposing motor
which came to the door as a coach-and-four, resplendent with regal
trappings. And, cuddled in the wolf-skin robes, flying over the frosty
roads which wound through the hills, it was very easy to feel like a
princess from one of her own stories.
Only the mills spoiled her lovely day. The evening before they had
loomed obscurely and interestingly but in broad daylight they were ugly.
The great chimneys belched black smoke into the beautiful blue of the
sky; the monotonous drone of many machines jarred the hillside quiet.
Everything was so dusty and dirty--even the tiny houses where the men
lived. Robin, brought up though she had been in Patchin Place, turned in
disgust from the dreary ugliness about her.
"Does it have to be like that?" she asked her guardian.
"Like what?"
"Oh--dirty. And so dreary. And noisy."
Her guardian laughed. "I'm afraid it does. Work is mostly always
drab--like that. And you see it has grown like a giant. There--there's
the giant for your fairy story, my dear. And giants are usually ugly,
aren't they?"
"Yes, always." Robin spoke with conviction. As they rode on she looked
back over her shoulder. "I'm glad we can't stop today. This ride has
been so lovely that I'd hate to spoil it by--seeing the Giant up close."
"Giants are very powerful. And usually very rich." Cornelius Allendyce
enjoyed the fancy.
"Yes--and they crush and kill, too."
"But didn't a Jack climb something or other and overcome one of them in
his lair?"
At this Robin laughed and then forgot, for the time being, the mills and
the dirty houses; when Mr. Allendyce hoped Mrs. Budge would give them a
very big tea party, she realized she was hungrier than she had ever been
before.
So full had been each moment of her first day at Gray Manor that it was
not until she sat curled in the big divan before the library fire, a
book of colored plates of Italian gardens across her lap that she
thought of her determination to know more of the girl who had called
herself Beryl.
Harkness stood at the long table putting it in order. Harkness seemed
always moving things about just so as to put them back in place again.
"Mr. Harkness."
"Yes, Miss Gordon."
"Do I know everybody here?"
"Why--I'm sure--What do you mean, Miss Gordon?"
"I saw a young girl last night. And I met her in the hall today. Who's
she?"
"That's a person from the village, Miss Gordon. I don't know as I've
heard her name. Budge mostly calls her a piece. I don't think Budge is
satisfied with her."
"You mean she works here?"
"Yes, Miss Gordon. At least now. She helps Budge. Budge is getting on,
you see. I don't know as I've heard the miss' name. Is there anything
more, Miss Gordon?"
Harkness had a warm heart under his faded livery and it went out now to
Robin because she looked very small and very much alone in the big room.
He had heard Mrs. Budge's hostile sputter and he knew the lawyer man was
going the next day; little Miss Gordon would be quite without friends at
Gray Manor. So he stepped closer to the divan and in a very human,
friendly way he added: "Excuse me if I'm so bold as to say, you just
count on old Harkness if you want anything, missy."
Robin caught the kindliness in the man's voice. "Oh, thank you, Mr.
Harkness. I'll be so glad to have you for a friend. And won't you
please call me Robin? You see everyone who's ever liked me real well
called me that and it'll make me feel homey here."
"Well, just between _us_, Miss--Robin." And the old man went off with a
mysterious smile that even Budge's sour face could not dispel.
The house was very still. Mr. Allendyce was in his room writing some
letters. The early dinner had been over for sometime. Robin wondered
what Beryl was doing now and where she was--probably upstairs somewhere.
"I'll go and find her!"
This was more easily said than done for Gray Manor had wiggly wings and
corridors turning in every direction and little stairs here and there so
that one first went up and then down and then up again. Robin had almost
given up her search and had just about decided she was lost, for turn
whichever way she might, nothing seemed familiar, when she heard the
harsh, scraping strains of a violin, vibrant with stormy feeling.
"I'll find that and then maybe it'll be someone who can tell me how to
get back to the library," she thought, laughing silently at the
ridiculousness of being lost in a house, anyway.
She traced the music to a turning which led into a narrow hallway. At
its end a door stood ajar and from it a light streamed. Robin
approached the door on tip toe that she might not disturb the music,
then stood still on its threshold in delighted amazement for the violin
player was the girl for whom she was seeking.
At sight of Robin the girl flung the violin upon the bed.
"Oh, please don't stop. May I come in? I was hunting for you."
It was an absurdly small room as compared to the great rooms below, and
very bare. There was one chair which Beryl, scowling, pushed forward, at
the same time sitting upon the bed. Her eyes said plainly: "What do you
want?"
Robin ignored her unfriendliness. She sat down on the edge of the bed,
close to Beryl.
"I'm awfully glad I found you," she ventured. "You see you're the only
other _young_ person in this house. Though I never had any chums like
most girls do, Jimmie always seemed young and the birds and the flowers
and the Farri children made it--" Robin stopped suddenly, for Beryl was
staring at her with rude amusement. "I--I thought it would be so nice if
you--and I--could be--sort of chums," she managed to finish.
Beryl tossed her head as she moved away, shutting the violin in its case
with an angry little slam.
"I guess it _would_ be sort of," she mocked.
"What do you mean?" Poor Robin's heart beat furiously; it had taken all
the courage she could muster to force her advance upon this girl and
Beryl's rebuff hurt her deeply. She flushed at Beryl's scornful laugh.
"Why--we're as far apart as the poles," Beryl answered. "You're--Gordon
Forsyth. And I'm just Beryl Lynch."
Robin's eyes were like a baby's in their lack of understanding.
"I don't see--" she began but Beryl would not let her go on. Beryl's
whole soul went out in resentment at what she suspected was
"patronizing." "Not me!" she cried in her heart. And aloud: "Oh, you
just _say_ you can't see. Why I'm like a servant here. Though I won't be
that way long with that old crank as uncivil as she is. Mother didn't
want me to do it. But I wanted the money. And I'm going to stick it out,
much as I hate it--"
Robin watched the other girl's stormy face in an ecstasy of delight.
Here was a creature different from anyone she had ever known; almost her
own age, too, full of the fire and spirit and daring which she longed to
possess and knew she did not; beautifully straight and tall.
"I asked old Budge for the place. I heard she wanted someone to help her
and it was work anyone could do. Mother felt dreadfully--she said I'd
hate it. I don't mind the work but I hate--oh, feeling I'm not as good
as anyone here. When Mrs. Budge told me to put on a clean uniform--ugh,
how I hate those uniforms--and go down to the hall to meet you, I told
her I wouldn't. She 'most sent me off then and there."
"You did go, though. I saw you," Robin broke in.
"Oh, yes, I went but I wouldn't change my dress just to spite her. And I
was curious to see the boy they were all making such a fuss about. You
just ought to know how upset they were when _you_ came! Why, old Budge
talked as though it were a disgrace for a Forsyth to be a girl. I was
glad--because it fooled her." Beryl realized suddenly that she was
growing friendily confidential. She sharpened her tone. "_You'd_ better
go down before the old snoop catches you here."
"I wish you wouldn't talk like that," pleaded Robin.
"Like what?"
"Oh, as though we weren't--well just girls alike and couldn't be
friends. We might have such good times--"
"You _are_ a funny little kid, aren't you? And you certainly don't know
how things are run in stiff houses like this. If old Budge could hear
you! I don't mind telling you that the old cat keeps saying she's going
to watch you to see if you act like a Forsyth. So you'd better not let
her hear you asking to be friends with me."
Robin slowly rose to her feet, two bright spots of color flaming in her
cheeks.
"Why, I'll--" Her anger died suddenly and a quaint little dignity fell
upon her. She straightened her slender figure and held her head very
high. "I am a Forsyth and I shall act just as I think a good Forsyth
should and not as Mrs. Budge thinks. And please don't think I'm the
least bit afraid of this Mrs. Budge."
Beryl laughed so gleefully at Robin's defiance that Robin joined in with
her and the friendship for which she sought sprang into being--all
because of an unspoken alliance against the hostile housekeeper.
"I'll go back now--if you'll show me the way."
"They _ought_ to have signs at every turning."
"Oh, what a funny thought!" And giggling, the two tiptoed through the
winding corridors and down the stairs which led to the second floor.
"I'll see you tomorrow," whispered Robin at parting.
"It won't do--you'll see it won't do!" warned Beryl. "I haven't been in
this house two whole days without knowing what it's like!"