The Career of Katherine Bush

the Park by the Serpentine; they would walk about and then go and have an early

was filled with joy. She had missed Katherine dreadfully, as browbeating husban

u'd done your hair differently; you had it that way on the last day-it isn't a bit 'the look', but it sui

therine, "and I am le

was very fatiguing, she thought, and quite unnecessary. She wanted to hear facts

said. "Are th

and generally the work isn't hal

. What you do when you get up in

ine co

a at home." (A slight toss of the head from Matilda.) "The second housemaid waits on me, and pul

Matilda. "What waste of soap and tow

, Tild-with our one tub a week; you soon grow to find things a

da sn

-and

eakfast, with beautiful china and silver and table-linen, and when I have finished that I take my block a

her room like?" At last someth

photographs, and a big sofa and comfortable chairs-and when

a in her bedroom?

e has heaps of men friends

! I do call that fast!" M

asked K

l would not dream of doing such a thing-and I do hope she'll never

of all sense of humour. And then she realised that the conception was new even to herself, and must have come from her book reading, though she was conscious that it was a gift that

bedroom if she were even over sixty years old and suffering from rheumatism was not proper conduct, and

ference; it's the idea of tea in

uld do to her, Tild?" Katherin

dness of it for them-I'm wondering whatever Fred and Bert and Charlie Prodgers would feel if

dgety herself-or she would be really fast and intend them to go ahead. But Lady Garribardine is always quite sure of herself, and her friends are, too, and they don't have to consider convention-they are really gentlemen, you see, and not worried at all as to what others th

at once became antagonistic when her

sniffed. "And wherever do they fin

description of it. She supposed she would have been equally surprised, but would certainly have viewed it with an open mind. After ten days of peeps at a world where everything new and old was looked at and discusse

er sister's voice, reiterating her question as to where t

the drawing-room at home-no-bigger still, and t

ejaculated Matilda;

d you over and over again that other places, and other grades of life, are different, but you and Mabel and Fred and Ber

led-and Kath

gh some of them live in quite small houses themselves and aren't at all rich. She has two cousins-elderly ladies, who live in a tiny flat-but oh! the difference in it to Mab

ouse. Numbers of the people in her serials, of course, were supposed to own such places, and she had often seen bits of them on the stage, but until she found Katherine really lived now in one, somehow she had never believed in them as living ac

ot up there, you take

on the envelopes how I am to answer them, and I some

es

y herself, and I have to write them as if I were she. Her friends mus

ing thrilling a

et to know about the smart set

d you, I am le

l, what do they write

s-invitations, little witticisms about each other-pol

as if you were her? Howe

first time for the private letters, and now I kno

ey know it is

character, and she is very powerful in their circle of so

y. Well, what e

aited on by a footman called Thomas; he is the third; and on Wednesday Lady Garribardine took his and the bu

nteel! And my! what a lot of ser

g house and everything is splendidly done and

r domestic soul revelled in these details, and at the end of the recital her awe knew no bounds. Katheri

tilda said, with a sigh, "but we've not got to your

t in the morning, I go for a walk before tea. I have to take her ladyship's two fox-terriers, Jack and

ng you up a cup, I supp

m, Tild. Lady Garribardine has a Jersey herd of cows at her pl

n could hardly take in such luxury. It seemed to her

elf. I look up anything that I don't know about that I have chanced to hear

?" Matilda's interest revived aga

t a big charity tableaux entertainment on hand, that she is arranger and patroness of, and I shall

on and the Countess of B

fashion

Duchess of Dashington. I don't thin

aimed, indignantly. "Her that has gentlemen to tea in he

s, and Matilda was accustomed to see her in skating costume waltzing with her instru

u all about it on Sunday fortnight. I'll have heard e

turned to

ave supper,

nd have my dinner at eight o'clock; after that I general

ressing if you don't see anyone

aghast at

a lady is expected to dress in the even

ff! Whate

-resp

lesti

rain-it is all so different from Bindon's Green. If you could only hear their point of view, I assure you, dear, it

d not stand this

ers and sisters! Katherine, how dare you! Horrid little guttersnipes with no pride of themselve

e a bit ashamed or even think of it, and they have 'no pride of themselves,' eith

n't want

my talking, I see that. We had

ut of Albert Gate an

ncé were not happy together; they had not been so since that visit which Katherine would remember they had

ith Fred, too, and never

er betrothed had been up for church parade as usual in the Park that morning, and this lady had al

d to see a picture of Lord Algy enjoying oysters, and all the refl

you spoke of?" Matilda asked, b

ady Glad dresses, the one who had the model she wanted me to have. He is a cleve

careful! And him

whether he is married or single," Katherine

were generally too blind to perceive it. So was there some truth in that vague story of the great-grandmother having been someone of high family fallen low in the world and married to the auctioneer great-grandfather, whom her own father remembered very well? Could it be that some drop of gentle blood flowed in

e-in time! Only I must be ruthless and have no emotions. I must follow what Bacon asserts about great spirits," and she quoted softly: "'There is

ssion! She had tasted its joys, and

-he raised his hat and said politely that it was an abominably co

Bush went up