menu_book Chapter 14

chapter fourteen of flood tide this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by roger maline flood tide by sarah ware bassett chapter fourteen the spences enter society for a week howard snelling came and went from the small vine-covered cottage on the bay making himself so useful and so delightful that the charm of his personality gradually obliterated the first unpleasant impression bob had gained of him he worked hard but worked with such unobtrusiveness that unless one scrutinized him closely the subtle power that lay behind his hand and brain might have passed unsuspected ever mindful that his role was that of the casual visitor he listened with appreciation to willie's harmless gossip and whenever the little old man advanced a theory as to the enterprise in which they were engaged he greeted it not only with respect but with cordiality now and then as the undertaking progressed he ventured a tactful almost diffident suggestion the value of which the inventor was quick to detect

also in the same nonchalant fashion he produced from time to time the necessary materials weaving a fairy web of prevarication when questioned too closely as to their source oh i have a friend in the boat-building business said he who lets me have any small things i want i have done some favors for him in the past and he is only too glad to square up the balance by sending me whatever i ask him for the explanation given with off-hand candour quite satisfied the artless willie who imagined all the world as truthful as himself and inquired no further excepting with unfeigned joy the gifts the gods provided his face glowed with almost beatific light as he saw his dream slowly take form nothing he had ever done equaled this masterpiece the project was his first thought at waking the last before closing his eyes at night sometimes even when all but the sea slept he would tiptoe downstairs candle in hand just to steal a glance at the child of his fancy

so absorbed was he in its growth and progress that it never crossed his mind to marvel that the two men of howard stirling's and robert morton's ability should sacrifice to the invention the golden hours of the rare june days their interest was nothing miraculous who wouldn't have been interested in such a wonderful undertaking indeed mr snelling's concern for the venture was almost as keen as his own from morning until late noon he toiled occasionally the galbraith chauffeur brought him over from bellport but more often it was cynthia who made the trip with him mr galbraith it appeared had been called back to new york on urgent business roger had gone with friends on a yachting cruise and mrs galbraith was devoting her time to her mother who was still indisposed hence cynthia was forced to fill the gaps and serve both as host and hostess it was a natural situation and bob thought nothing about it except selfishly to exult that under the conditions cynthia was kept too busy to invade the spence home or bother him with invitations

and that was not the only boon that came with snelling's presence for with three workers in the shop robert morton found not infrequent chances to steal into the kitchen where delight was busy with household tasks and enjoy the rapture of a word or two with her never were there such days of enchantment as these he might he often said to himself have remained in wilton an entire summer and his acquaintance with the lady of his heart never have reached the degree of intimacy that it attained during celestina's illness to behold the girl fair as the new-blown rose presiding at the wee breakfast table was to forget all else how dainty she looked in her trim cotton gown with its demure cuffs and collar of white and how deftly her hands moved along the simple fittings of the table the worn agate coffee-pot seemed transformed to classic outline and the nectar it contained to ambrosia and what a famous little cook she was surely such flaky biscuit could never have been made by other hands bob suddenly became surprisingly interested in kitchens and all that they contained

the glint of tin pans the dull ebony of the stove iridescent suds foaming fresh and hot all these took on a strange and homely beauty quite novel in its charm he had never dreamed before what an incomparable eden a kitchen was to slip in and fill the wood-box to creep into the pantry and watch the beloved head as it bent over the baking table to be permitted to wipe the dishes while she washed them made of the simple duties tasks for gods and goddesses he loved the pretty way her fringed lashes lifted the wave of color that swept her cheek when she was startled by his step and there was something ravishingly confidential in her caution be careful bob not to drop aunt teeny's china tea-cups it was all foolish and inconsequential the sighs the smiles the silences but they made a paradise of the grim old universe many a time he longed to press his lips to the white arm to kiss the warm curve of her neck where soft curls clustered but he did none of these things

by a gentle reserve the girl kept him at his distance and although there was only jezebel to see he did not transgress the bounds delight sweet womanliness reared between them of course she knew he loved her she could not but know even jezebel from her round blue eyes proclaimed a complete understanding of the romance and drawing herself into a fluffy ball in willie's great chair feigned sleep that she might not embarrass the lovers the canary knew and so did the impertinent crimson rambler that clambered up the window frame and spied in through the pane it was no secret the whole dazzling world shared in the exquisite mystery were the tale to have been put into words half its delicate beauty would have been shattered it was now a thing of clouds of perfume of sunshine the waves whispered together of it the birds trilled the story a glance a half-uttered sentence the meeting of hands carried with them great throbbing reaches of emotion that went to make up the reality of the ephemeral drama and then there was the tormenting bewitching wretched alluring uncertainty of it all

one could never be sure and in the spell of this disquietude lay half the magic robert morton speculated as to whether willie along with jezebel and the canary had fathomed the idol he wondered too how much snelling suspected the new yorker had an irritating habit of waylaying delight and making pretty speeches to her as if for the wanton pleasure of watching the blush rise in her cheek when it came to women there was no denying howard snelling was as great an authority as at building ships he understood the sex and knew what pleased them and with the subtle art of a courtier he breathed into their ears a flattery too delicate to be resented besides such an expert bob floundering in his first real love affair felt but a blunderer perhaps mr snelling realized this and rather enjoyed the amateur's chagrin however that may have been he certainly let no opportunity slip for the display of his proficiency the discomfited lover fumed with jealous rage yet on analyzing the causes of his wrath he discovered he actually had but scant ground for complaint

he was not engaged to delight and until he was he had no claim upon her and not the smallest right in the world to grumble if another man chose to pay her a compliment and what were compliments anyway only empty words yet reason as he would he wished snelling twenty fathoms deep in the sea before ever he had come to wilton there to haunt willie's shop and make of himself a menace to all tranquillity so the days passed in a delirious alternation of ecstasy and despair until one morning when mr snelling came bringing from madam lee the long-delayed note which she had promised bob she would send she was now quite strong again she wrote and she wished him to arrange for his aunt mr spence and miss hathaway to come and have tea with the belport family on the following afternoon when both roger and mr galbraith would be at home with beating heart robert morton took the letter into the house and showed it to delight how nice of them she exclaimed oh i do wish we could go willie would love it he liked mr galbraith and his son so much

and aunt teenie would be in the seventh heaven if only she were able to accept she so seldom has an invitation out poor dear and you oh i couldn't go anyway why not well in the first place i have nothing to wear to a place like that delight and besides she hurried on they are only asking me because i happen to be here in the house indeed they're not but i know they are persisted the girl everybody does want to see me just because you-because because i what demanded bob with an ominous stride in her direction because you and mr snelling like me concluded she tranquilly confound snelling indeed no he is a charming gentleman and i won't have him confounded hang him then nor hanged either she protested of course if you prefer mr snelling began robert morton stiffly she broke into a teasing laugh i may not prefer him but nevertheless i will owe he is the most wonderful specimen of masculinity that my eyes have ever beheld

remember wilton is a small place pitifully limited in its outlook and that i have not traveled the wide world to view the wonders it contains hence mr snelling is to me like the eiffel tower the matterhorn the tomb of napoleon or fifth avenue at easter something illustrious and novel he is nothing so fine as any of those snapped bob oh i don't know was the provoking answer robert morton bit his lip and moved toward the door but he had not got further than the sill before she whispered bob resolutely he held his peace please be nice bob she cooed ah he was back again but she had retreated behind the tall rocker i suppose she observed hurtling the words over jezebel's sleeping form that your aunt will be heartbroken to miss this party why don't you run upstairs and let her read the note then we can send our regrets when mr snelling goes back to bellport this noon obediently the young man sped to do her bidding and soon delight heard his voice calling from the upper hall

she won't send her regrets she says she's going i tell her they will ask her another time but she insists she feels lots better and was thinking of getting up anyway she wants to start putting fresh cuffs on her black cashmere this minute and do i don't know what you'd better come up and stop her but celestina was not to be stopped go she would my shoulders most well anyhow she affirmed and i had planned to go down to supper do you think for one minute i'd miss a junket like this why i'd go if it killed me the galbraiths are nice folks and have been good to bob and willie besides she added with ingratiating candor i want to see where they live and they're goin to send the automobile for us that great red one imagine it i ain't been in an automobile more'n six times in my whole life do you think i'd send my regrets i'd go if i had to be carried on a stretcher delight and robert morton laughed at her enthusiasm now you trot straight downstairs bob went on celestina energetically and right miss lee will admire to come all of us

but auntine put in delight i'm not going somebody must stay here and look after the house what for celestina demanded the house won't run away an if thieves was to ransack it from attic to cellar they'd find nothin worth carryin away ridiculous she says she hasn't anything to wear interrupted bob delight hathaway for shame said the elder woman raising a reproving finger you always look pretty as a picture in anything some folks need fine clothes to set em off but you don't don't be silly why half the pleasure of willie and me would be wiped out if you didn't go and likely bob would be disappointed too you bet i would well the girl yielded there that's right my dear celestina reached out and patted the slender hand now bob you go along and write your letter commanded she

and delight you bring me up some hot water and fetch my clean print dress from the hall closet i kind of think come to mull it over that there's fresh cuffs on my cashmere already but you might look and see and hadn't we better furbish up my bonnet this afternoon it ain't been touched this season chapter fourteen recording by roger