THE DINNER BILLY TRIED TO GET
Notwithstanding what Billy was disposed to regard as the non-success of her first attempt to profit by the ``Talk to Young Wives;'' she still frantically tried to avert the waning of her honeymoon.
Assiduously she cultivated the prescribed ``indifference,'' and with at least apparent enthusiasm she sought the much-to-be-desired ``outside interests.'' That is, she did all this when she thought of it when something reminded her of the sword of destruction hanging over her happiness. At other times, when she was just being happy without question, she was her old self impulsive, affectionate, and altogether adorable.
Naturally, under these circumstances, her conduct was somewhat erratic. For three days, perhaps, she would fly to the door at her husband's ring, and hang upon his every movement. Then, for the next three, she would be a veritable will-o'-the-wisp for elusiveness, caring, apparently, not one whit whether her husband came or went until poor Bertram, at his wit's end, scourged himself with a merciless catechism as to what he had done to vex her. Then, perhaps, just when he had nerved himself almost to the point of asking her what was the trouble, there would come another change, bringing back to him the old Billy, joyous, winsome, and devoted, plainly caring nothing for anybody or anything but himself. Scarcely, however, would he become sure that it was his Billy back again before she was off once more, quite beyond his reach, singing with Arkwright and Alice Greggory, playing with Tommy Dunn, plunging into some club or church work--anything but being with him.
That all this was puzzling and disquieting to Bertram, Billy not once suspected. Billy, so far as she was concerned, was but cultivating a comfortable indifference, brushing up against outside interests, and being an oak.
December passed, and January came, bringing Miss Marguerite Winthrop to her Boston home.
Bertram's arm was ``as good as ever'' now, according to its owner; and the sittings for the new portrait began at once. This left Billy even more to her own devices, for Bertram entered into his new work with an enthusiasm born of a glad relief from forced idleness, and a consuming eagerness to prove that even though he had failed the first time, he could paint a portrait of Marguerite Winthrop that would be a credit to himself, a conclusive retort to his critics, and a source of pride to his once mortified friends. With his whole heart, therefore, he threw himself into the work before him, staying sometimes well into the afternoon on the days Miss Winthrop could find time between her social engagements to give him a sitting.
It was on such a day, toward the middle of the month, that Billy was called to the telephone at half-past twelve o'clock to speak to her husband.
``Billy, dear,'' began Bertram at once, ``if you don't mind I'm staying to luncheon at Miss Winthrop's kind request. We've changed the pose--neither of us was satisfied, you know--but we haven't quite settled on the new one. Miss Winthrop has two whole hours this afternoon that she can give me if I'll stay; and, of course, under the circumstances, I want to do it.''
``Of course,'' echoed Billy. Billy's voice was indomitably cheerful.
``Thank you, dear. I knew you'd understand,''
sighed Bertram, contentedly. ``You see, really, two whole hours, so--it's a chance I can't afford to lose.''
``Of course you can't,'' echoed Billy, again.
``All right then. Good-by till to-night,'' called the man.
``Good-by,'' answered Billy, still cheerfully.
As she turned away, however, she tossed her head.
``A new pose, indeed!'' she muttered, with some asperity. ``Just as if there could be a _new_ pose after all those she tried last year!''
Immediately after luncheon Pete and Eliza started for South Boston to pay a visit to Eliza's mother, and it was soon after they left the house that Bertram called his wife up again.
``Say, dearie, I forgot to tell you,'' he began, ``but I met an old friend in the subway this morning, and I--well, I remembered what you said about bringing 'em home to dinner next time, so I asked him for to-night. Do you mind?
It's--''
``Mind? Of course not! I'm glad you did,''
plunged in Billy, with feverish eagerness. (Even now, just the bare mention of anything connected with that awful ``test'' night was enough to set Billy's nerves to tingling.) ``I want you to always bring them home, Bertram.''
``All right, dear. We'll be there at six o'clock then. It's--it's Calderwell, this time. You remember Calderwell, of course.''
``Not--_Hugh_ Calderwell?'' Billy's question was a little faint.
``Sure!'' Bertram laughed oddly, and lowered his voice. ``I suspect _once_ I wouldn't have brought him home to you. I was too jealous.
But now--well, now maybe I want him to see what he's lost.''
``_Bertram!_''
But Bertram only laughed mischievously, and called a gay ``Good-by till to-night, then!''
Billy, at her end of the wires, hung up the receiver and backed against the wall a little palpitatingly.
Calderwell! To dinner--Calderwell! Did she remember Calderwell? Did she, indeed! As if one could easily forget the man that, for a year or two, had proposed marriage as regularly (and almost as lightly!) as he had torn a monthly leaf from his calendar! Besides, was it not he, too, who had said that Bertram would never love any girl, _really_; that it would be only the tilt of her chin or the turn of her head that he loved--to paint? And now he was coming to dinner--and with Bertram.
