"
Elizabeth turned her head slightly and looked at him; he backed
precipitately toward the door.
"In a few minutes," he said. "I will return in a few minutes."
Tavernake attempted to follow his example.
"There is no occasion for your friend to leave," he protested.
"If you have any instructions for us, a note to the office will
always bring some one here to see you."
She sat up on the couch and smiled at him. His obvious
embarrassment amused her. It was a new sort of game, this,
altogether.
"Come, Mr. Tavernake," she said, "three minutes more won't
matter, will it? I will not keep you longer than that, I
promise."
He came reluctantly a few steps back.
"I am sorry," he explained, "but we really are busy this
morning."
"This is business," she declared, still smiling at him
pleasantly. "My sister has filled you with suspicions about me.
Some of them may be justifiable, some are not. I am not so rich
as I should like some people to believe. It is so much easier to
live well, you know, when people believe that you are rolling in
money. Still, I am by no means a pauper. I cannot afford to
take Grantham House, but neither can I afford to go on living
here. I have decided to make a change, to try and economize, to
try and live within my means. Now will you bring me a list of
small houses or flats, something at not more than say two or
three hundred a year? It shall be strictly a business
proceeding. I will pay you for your time, if that is necessary,
and your commission in advance.
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