The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton Read Free Book Online

future pupil is one of the young ladies who have joined in this very flattering welcome.”
    The enchanted circle broke, and the nymphs, still hand in hand, stretched a straight line of loveliness before her. “Guess which!” chimed simultaneously from five pairs of lips, while five deep curtsies swept the platform; and Miss Testvalley drew back a step and scanned them thoughtfully.
    Her first thought was that she had never seen five prettier girls in a row; her second (tinged with joy) that Mrs. Russell Parmore would have been scandalized by such an exhibition, on the Saratoga railway platform, in full view of departing travellers, gazing employés, and delighted station-loafers; her third that, whichever of the beauties was to fall to her lot, life in such company would be infinitely more amusing than with the Parmores. And still smiling she continued to examine the mirthful mocking faces.
    No dominant beauty, was her first impression; no proud angelic heads, ready for coronets or halos, such as she was used to in England; unless indeed the tall fair girl with such heaps of wheat-colored hair and such gentian-blue eyes—or the very dark one, who was too pale for her black hair, but had the small imperious nose of a Roman empress.... Yes, those two were undoubtedly beautiful, yet they were not beauties. They seemed rather to have reached the last height of prettiness, and to be perched on that sunny lower slope, below the cold divinities. And with the other three, taken one by one, fault might have been found on various counts; for the one in the striped pink-and-white organdy, though she looked cleverer than the others, had a sharp nose, and her laugh showed too many teeth; and the one in white, with a big orange-coloured sash the colour of the poodle’s bow (no doubt she was his mistress), was sallow and red-haired, and you had to look into her pale starry eyes to forget that she was too tall, and stooped a little. And as for the fifth, who seemed so much younger—hardly more than a child—her small face was such a flurry of frowns and dimples that Miss Testvalley did not know how to define her.
    â€œWell, young ladies, my first idea is that I wish you were all to be my pupils; and the second”—she paused, weighed the possibilities, and met the eyes—“the second is that this is Miss Annabel St. George, who is, I believe, to be my special charge.” She put her hand on Nan’s arm.
    â€œHow did you know?” burst from Nan, on the shrill note of a netted bird; and the others broke into laughter.
    â€œWhy, you silly, we told you so! Anybody can tell you’re nothing but a baby!”
    Nan faced about, blazing and quivering. “Well, if I’m a baby, what I want is a nurse, and not a beastly English governess!”
    Her companions laughed again and nudged each other; then, abashed, they glanced at the newcomer, as if trying to read in her face what would come next.
    Miss Testvalley laughed also. “Oh, I’m used to both jobs,” she rejoined briskly. “But, meanwhile, hadn’t we better be getting off to the hotel? Get into the carriage, please, Annabel,” she said with sudden authority.
    She turned to look for her trunk; but it had already been shouldered by the nondescript young man in overalls, who hoisted it to the roof of the carriage, and then, jumping down, brushed the soot and dust off his hands. As he did so, Miss Testvalley confronted him, and her hand dropped from Nan’s arm.
    â€œWhy—Lord Richard!” she exclaimed; and the young man in overalls gave a sheepish laugh. “I suppose at home they all think I’m in Brazil,” he said in an uncertain voice.
    â€œI know nothing of what they think,” retorted Miss Testvalley drily, following the girls into the carriage. As they drove off, Nan, who was crowded in between Mab Elmsworth and Conchita, burst into sudden tears. “I didn’t mean to