Page:The strange experiences of Tina Malone.djvu/19

Rh "They are theatrical. They asked me if I objected to their champagne suppers, etc. I thought it would be rather nice to have those champagne suppers—They said they would ask me in—What fun Tina! for you shall come too—but don't tell Diana—she won't approve. What business is it of hers who I let to?"

But Diana had something to do with the letting of the rooms. She was part proprietress of the house. She found out, and the plan fell through.

"Let the whole thing, and come up to me," I said, "I have a spare bed and you can do just what you like."

And though at first she protested, that is what Naomi eventually did. It was before this though, that something mysterious happened.

IN the arranging and clearing of those rooms Naomi and I came very near together—we laughed and chatted and fooled about—she called my attention to her staining and varnishing of the little sitting-room floor with pride. We had neither of us known much about housekeeping before—books and pictures were more our interests.

We had funny experiences while we were trying to let them. First it was "theatricals" who wanted champagne suppers and late nights. She had no objection to this, but Diana, when she heard of it forbade it. Then there were young married couples who had stored furniture which they wanted to bring.

It was at Easter time and rooms were scarce. There was one poor family who had trudged all day in vain search of rooms and left, knowing that there was only the park left to house them in. She would not take them because she had not enough beds.

Then there was a clairvoyant.

When I heard this I rebelled.

"Now look here, Naomi, if you have that woman here I'll say good-bye to you. Fancy sitting opposite a woman at breakfast, for instance, who could see through you. No, thanks, I prefer to keep my mask on. No thought-reading for me. So itsit's [sic] good-bye if she's to come."

"She's not coming, dear, so you need not worry—keep your mask on and be happy. But she read my palms and she says she can't see me here long, but I am to be in a place with a lot of people round me."