Page:The Van Roon (IA thevanroon00snaiiala).pdf/44

 Yet the light in her eyes was not anger. "You've got your department and I've got mine. Windmills are your department. Blackleading kitchen grates and cleaning floors won't help you to find windmills. Besides, you have the shop to look after, and you have to go out and find things for Uncle Si, and study art, and talk to customers, and goodness knows what you haven't got to do."

"Well, if you don't mind," said William tenaciously, "I'll get in the coal, anyway."

June shook her head. "No interference," was her last word.

Nevertheless, the following morning saw a division of labour within the precincts of No. 46, New Cross Street. When June came downstairs at a quarter to seven, she found a young man on his knees vigorously polishing the kitchen grate. He was sans coat, waistcoat and collar; there was a smudge on the side of his nose, and as the temper of a lady is apt to be short at so early an hour, it was no wonder that he was rebuked crushingly.

"Didn't I say I wouldn't have interference? I don't come into your studio and look for windmills, do I?"

William, still on his knees, had penitently to own that she didn't.

"It's—it's a great liberty," said June, hotly.

He looked up at her with an air to disarm the Furies. "Oh—please—no!"

"What is it then?" Secretly she was annoyed with herself for not being as much annoyed as the case demanded. "What is it then? Coming into my kitchen with your interference."

"I'm ever so sorry, but"