"Our little encounters almost assume the air of appointments," she
said. "This is very nice, but I am just going away, I am sorry to
say. I wonder--" she paused a moment, and then looked at Fraulein
Hirsch pleasantly; "I wonder if, in about an hour, you would bring
Miss Gareth-Lawless to me to have tea and tell me if she thinks
Helene will like her new rooms. You said you would like to see
them," brightly to Robin.
"You are very kind. I should like it so much," was Robin's answer.
Fraulein Hirsch was correctly appreciative of the condescension
shown to her. Her manner was the perfection of the exact shade
of unobtrusive chaperonship. There was no improper suggestion of
a mistaken idea that she was herself a guest, or, indeed, anything,
in fact, but a proper appendage to her charge. Robin had never
been fond of Fraulein as she was fond of Mademoiselle and Dowie,
still she was not only an efficient teacher, but also a good walker
and very fond of long tramps, which Mademoiselle was really not
strong enough for, but which Robin's slender young legs rejoiced
in.
The two never took cabs or buses, but always walked everywhere.
They walked on this occasion, and, about an hour later, arrived at
a large, corner house in Berford Place. A tall and magnificently
built footman opened the door for them, and they were handed into
a drawing room much grander than the one Robin sometimes glanced
into as she passed it, when she was at home.
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