The Tryst (Annotated) (Grace Livingston Hill Book) Read Online Free PDF

Without it she would probably have been unable to gain audience. 
    With hasty feet she mounted the broad stone steps and stood within the shadow of the arching pillars with her hand on the bell. She could catch the reflection of the bright coral knot of velvet in her hat and suddenly she felt so strange and queer and out of place, she who had been accustomed to enter such homes as an honored guest; begging entrance to ask for a chance to earn her living! Almost it seemed as if she must go back in a panic to the street and be lost in the throng again. Only -- what should she do to-night if she failed to get anything anywhere? Panic stayed her feet while panic also drove her away, and between the two emotions she wavered, setting her firm little lips and trying to keep from trembling as she saw the liveried person coming down some inner white marble steps with stately tread. Oh, crazy, crazy thought! Why had she followed it? What excuse could she find now to get gracefully away, she the daughter of an honored family, sneaking her way into the front door of a Fifth Avenue mansion to get a job to earn her living! Appalling thought! And she had actually planned it and come back to carry it off! How could she possibly face this grave-faced servant? 
    Then the plate-glass door opened with a stately sweep and the cold-eyed servant stood surveying her critically from the knot of coral on her hat to the tip of her gray suede boot. He evidently recognized that her attire was altogether correct, and with a second glance at her exquisitely fitting suede gloves, he opened the door an inch further and looked at her enquiringly. Then she opened her cold little lips and heard her own voice from very far away, saying over the charmed words like a lesson she had learned: 
    “I want to see Mrs. Horliss-Cole for just a moment on very important business.” 
    The man noticed the shade of anxiety in her tone and glanced at her shoes and her gloves once more to reassure himself before he replied hesitatingly: 
    “Mrs. Horliss-Cole is very busy this morning. She was just going out and was called to the telephone --!” 
    “Yes, I know,” broke in Patty breathlessly, “but I won't keep her a minute. I think perhaps she'll want to see me --!”
    The man hesitated, and looked her over once more far a fraction of a second, appraising her garments doubtfully: 
    “Not from the agency, are you? Beg pardon, ma'am but Miss Morris didn't send you, did she?”
    Patty nodded engagingly: 
    "It’s about that,” she admitted eagerly. 
    “One moment, Miss,” he said, his dubious deference changing almost imperceptibly, “I’ll speak to Mrs. Horliss-Cole” 
    He departed and Patty found that suddenly she had all that she could do to control a violent trembling which had seized her whole body, and was absurdly manifest in her upper lip. Now, what should she say if she got a chance to speak to this grand lady? 

Chapter 4

    Somehow Patty's heart seemed all at once to have gone up in her throat, and a frightened mist was getting before her vision. Why had she come to this awful house anyway, and what should she do when that woman appeared -- if she really did appear, which seemed doubtful? If she could only get out without passing that servant again! She cast a wild look toward the door, and measured the distance. Then she saw a maid cross the hall and look toward her appraisingly and disappear again. Presently the man-servant appeared and walked toward her more deferentially: 
    “Sit down, Miss. Madam will see you in a moment.” He drew a chair and Patty sank into it. Then she really had gained an audience! The sparkle came into her eyes once more. At least it was an interesting adventure. She must stop that trembling! 
    She gripped her hands together and tried to smile. Her singing teacher had once told her that that helped to control stage fright. Well, this surely was a good time to put it to a test. So she stared determinedly at an ugly