LORD OF MANY SECRETS

FIFTY EIGHT

The second piece being at an end, and Miss Crews properly complimented and thanked, Lady Jeremy leaned forward impulsively and addressed Miss Tellaro. "Miss Tellaro, surely I am not mistaken in thinking that you play, and ain't too?"

Elizabeth looked up. "Very indifferently, ma'am. I have no skill on the harp".

"But the pianoforte! I am persuaded you could give us all great pleasure if you would!"

The Duchess at once added her entreaties to Lady Jeremy's, and Lord Alvana, deserting Miss Crews, went across to her, and said in his cheerful way, "now, do pray sing for us, Miss Tellaro! We can never be brought to believe that you don't sing, you know! Do you not give us all the lead in everything?"

Elizabeth colored, and shook her head. "No, indeed, you put me quite out of countenance. My performance on the pianoforte is nothing at all out of the common, I assure you".

The Duchess said kindly. "Do not be doing anything you would rather not, Miss Tellaro, but I believe if I can engage for it we shall all listen to you with considerable pleasure".

"Clements!" said Alvana. "Use your influence, my dear fellow! You can command where we may only supplicate!"

"Well, here is a piece of work!" exclaimed Mrs Crews, by no means pleased at the turn the event had taken. "It is an odd thing to hear you begging the indulgence of music, Lord Alvana. I am sure you had rather be at the card-table".

"Oh, come, ma'am", said Alvana easily, "you are giving me a sad character, you know".

"Well, I have never known you to stay away from the whist-table before", she persisted.

"You will make me feel you are anxious to be rid of me", he said. "If you can tell me if there is any chance of the Ten Tribes of Israel being discovered, I promise you I will go and play whist when I have heard Miss Tellaro sing".

"What in the world can you mean? You are the oddest creature, I protest!"

"Why, ma'am, only that I have exhausted the other two tribes, and called out the conscription of next year. Clements! You say nothing! Compel Miss Tellaro!"

Elizabeth, who had recovered her countenance, got up. "Indeed, it is not necessary! You make me seem very ungracious, sir, and I am afraid you will be disappointed in my performance after Miss Crews' excellence".

Lord Clements rose, and walking over to the pianoforte opened it for her. As Alvana led her up to it, he said in a low voice, "have you music, may I fetch it for you?"

She shook her head. "I brought none. I must play from memory, and I beg you all to pardon my deficiencies".

"That is a very prettily behaved, unaffected girl", whispered the Duchess of Frascati to her hostess. "Did you say two hundred or three hundred thousand pounds, my dear?"

Miss Tellaro settled herself on the music stool, and spread her fingers over the keys. The Earl placed himself in a chair near the pianoforte, and fixed his eyes on her face.

She sang a simple ballad; her voice, though not powerful, was sweet, and well trained. She accompanied herself creditably, and looked so beautiful that it was not to be wondered at that her performance should be greeted with extravagant acclaim. She was begged to sing again, and accused of hiding her light under a bushel. She blushed, shook her head, sang one more ballad, and resolutely got up from the pianoforte.

"If she had had the benefit of good masters she would sing quite tolerably", said Mrs Crews in an undervoice to Lady Jeremy. "It is a pity she puts on such an air of consequence. But so it is always with these lanky, overgrown females!"

Miss Tellaro had moved away from the instrument toward the window embrasure. The Earl followed her, and sat down beside her there. "There is no end to your accomplishments", he remarked.

"Please don't be absurd!" said Miss Tellaro. "You at least do not want for sense, and to talk as though my singing were in any way superior is a great piece of folly!"

"It gave my pleasure", he answered mildly. "Would you prefer me to tell you that you have very little voice, and no particular skill?"

She smiled. "It would be the truth, and more like what I am growing used to hearing from you. But I did not mean to be rude".

"You are absolved", he said gravely. "Tell me, do you like to be here? Are you enjoying your visit?"

"Yes, very much. Everyone has been so kind! I might have been acquainted with them all my life. I wish Parte could have been here. He is staying with the Mamalas, you know". She gave a little laugh. "His regard for Miss Mamala shows no sign of abating. I did not more than half like it when he offered for her, but I begin to think that she may do very well for him. She is the oddest little creature! so young and shy, and yet with a great deal of common sense. She makes Parte mind her already, which I could never succeed in doing".

"How long does Patrick mean to stay in Latina?" inquired the Earl.

"I am not perfectly sure. Certainly for a week, and I should suppose for longer".

He nodded. "Well, unless he contrives to break his neck on the hunting field, he should not come to much harm there".

"He won't do that; he rides very well, better than he drives".

She looked at him undecidedly, and opened and shut her fan once or twice. "I spoke to you once about Parte, Lord Clements".

"You did".

"I am no less anxious now. He needs to be steadied. If you cannot do that will you not give another the right?"

"Whom, for instance?" asked how lordship.

"Miss Mamala", she replied seriously.

"I was under the impression that I had given it to her".

"If you would give your consent to an earlier marriage!" she coaxed. "I do indeed believe Parte's affection to be deep rooted. He will not change".