Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson Read Free Book Online Page A

Pettigrew, “Scarlet Peacock?”
    “Very,” agreed Miss LaFosse, “but it’s very fetching, don’t you think? Nick is partner in it with Teddy Scholtz. Nick’s a bit conventional and wanted to call it’ The Scarlet Woman ‘, and Teddy’s a bit unimaginative and wanted to call it ‘The Green Peacock.’ So they cut for it, only they didn’t know they’d got hold of Charlie Hardbright’s fake pack and they both cut the Ace of Spades. Neither would give in and cut again, so they split the difference and called it ‘The Scarlet Peacock’.”
    “How terribly interesting,” breathed Miss Pettigrew. “I mean, you know, knowing the inside histories of things. I’ve always been on the outside before.”
    “Yes,” agreed Miss LaFosse. “You’re certainly on the inside when Nick’s around.”
    Talking about Nick brought him close again. She got up and began fiddling with an ornament on the mantelpiece with her head half-turned from Miss Pettigrew. Her merry, laughing face was clouded and a little unhappy.
    “You see how it is,” said Miss LaFosse in a muffled voice; “he just…gets you.”
    “Yes,” agreed Miss Pettigrew.
    “There’s some men like that.”
    “Assuredly.”
    “You can’t explain it.”
    “Not to other men.”
    “There’s no words for it.”
    “Being a woman,” said Miss Pettigrew, “I don’t need any.”
    Miss LaFosse leaned her elbow on the mantelpiece and rested her brow on the palm of her hand. Her voice sounded a little hopeless.
    “He’s bad and I know it and I want to break with him. While he’s been away these three weeks I was determined when he came back I would finish everything. I even asked you to help me to be firm. But you saw how it was. The minute he returned I was soft again. If you hadn’t been there I’d have agreed about tonight and everything he asked, but you mayn’t be there next time.”
    Miss Pettigrew saw things needed firm handling. She was getting to know her new role and was beginning to find a certain zest in attacking problems boldly.
    “Sit down,” said Miss Pettigrew. “Looking back I don’t know why I acted as I did. It was purely automatic. I never thought. He has a very…very intimidating personality. You were afraid. I was afraid. But something had to be done about it, so I did something. I was very foolish. I should really have let him discover about Phil, even if it meant sacrificing Phil to his anger, then all would have been safely over between you. I cannot think why I destroyed the opportunity.”
    “But I’m so glad you did,” breathed Miss LaFosse.
    “Sit down.”
    Miss LaFosse sat down.
    “You need a talking-to,” said Miss Pettigrew.
    “I wouldn’t be surprised.”
    “If you don’t mind,” said Miss Pettigrew, “I’ll talk.”
    “Not at all,” said Miss LaFosse. “Please do.”
    “You’re pitying yourself,” accused Miss Pettigrew. “You think it’s very hard you should be picked out to love a person you think you shouldn’t love. You don’t think it’s fair and you’re a little aggrieved at so much worry and so you’re pitying yourself.”
    “I suppose I am,” agreed Miss LaFosse honestly.
    “In my life,” said Miss Pettigrew, “a great many unpleasant things have happened. I hope they never happen to you. I don’t think they will because you’re not afraid like me. But there’s one thing I found fatal: pitying myself. It made things worse.”
    “I expect you’re right.”
    “I am right. You’ve got to face up to facts. I did. My way,” said Miss Pettigrew simply, “was dumb endurance. It was the only way I could. I hadn’t the courage for fighting. I’ve always been terrified of people.”
    Miss LaFosse turned unbelieving eyes on her.
    “It’s true,” pursued Miss Pettigrew, “you must not judge by today’s events. I’ve never acted like that in my life before.”
    “I couldn’t dumbly endure.”
    “No,” agreed Miss Pettigrew. “I’m glad. You’d probably kick back