"My name is Tavernake," he said. "I do not wish to intrude at
such an hour, but if she could see me for a moment, I should be
glad."
He sat down and waited patiently. Soon a message came that Mr.
Tavernake was to go up. He ascended in the lift and knocked at
the door of her suite. Her maid opened it grudgingly. She
scarcely took the pains to conceal her disapproval of this young
man--so ordinary, so gauche. Why Madame should waste her time
upon such a one, she could not imagine!
"Mrs. Gardner will see you directly," she told him. "Madame is
dressing now to go out for supper. She will be able to spare you
only a few seconds."
Tavernake remained alone in the luxurious little sitting-room for
nearly ten minutes. Then the door of the inner room was opened
and Elizabeth appeared. Tavernake, rising slowly to his feet,
looked at her for a moment in reluctant but wondering admiration.
She was wearing an ivory satin gown, without trimming or lace of
any sort, a gown the fit of which seemed to him almost a miracle.
Her only jewelry was a long rope of pearls and a small tiara.
Tavernake had never been brought into close contact with any one
quite like this.
She was putting on her gloves as she entered and she gave him her
left hand.
"What an extraordinary person you are, Mr. Tavernake!" she
exclaimed. "You really do seem to turn up at the most
astonishing times."
"I am very sorry to have intruded upon you to-night," he said.
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