'
CHAPTER XXXI.
'What name, please?'
'Tell Mr. Wentworth a lady wishes to see him.'
The boy departed rather dubiously, for he knew this message was decidedly
irregular in a business office. People should give their names.
'A lady to see you, sir,' he said to Wentworth; and, then, just as the
boy had expected, his employer wanted to know the lady's name.
Ladies are not frequent visitors at the office of an accountant in the
City, so Wentworth touched his collar and tie to make sure they were in
their correct position, and, wondering who the lady was, asked the boy to
show her in.
'How do you do, Mr. Wentworth?' she said brightly, advancing towards his
table and holding out her hand.
Wentworth caught his breath, and took her extended hand somewhat limply,
then he pulled himself together; saying:
'This is an unexpected pleasure, Miss Brewster.'
Jennie blushed very prettily, and laughed a laugh that Wentworth thought
was like a little ripple of music from a mellow flute.
'It may be unexpected,' she said, 'but you don't look a bit like a
man suffering from an overdose of pure joy. You didn't expect to see
me, did you?'
'I did not; but now that you are here, may I ask in what way I can
serve you?'
'Well, in the first place, you may ask me to take a chair, and in the
second place you may sit down yourself; for I've come to have a long talk
with you.'
The prospect did not seem to be so alluring to Wentworth as one might
have expected, when the announcement was made by a girl so pretty, and
dressed in such exquisite taste; but the young man promptly offered her a
chair, and then sat down, with the table between them.
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