Lady Betty Across the Water

								

Woodburn, not Mrs. Ess Kay, for I never could have stood that. It was
fun finding places to hang up our things when they were unpacked, and
Mrs. Ess Kay's French maid, Louise, helped me get settled, paying me so
many compliments on my hair, and my eyes and my complexion, that I grew
quite confused; but perhaps that's a habit in which American ladies
encourage their maids.
"But the marvel that is Miladi's hair! It is of the colour of gold, and
with a natural curl. It will be so great a joy if I may dress it. And
her complexion! It is beyond that of any English demoiselle I have
seen, yet all the world knows they are the best on earth. With such
eyes, no doubt Miladi can wear any colour; and she has the figure for
which the make of corsets is of no import."
If it had been in English, I should have wanted to order her out of the
room; but things like that don't sound so objectionable in French.
Miss Woodburn's, and especially Mrs. Ess Kay's clothes looked so
exquisite that I was mortified to have Louise unpack mine, though I
have brought my smartest things, and Vic had two or three pretty
blouses of hers altered in a great hurry, for me. Besides, Mother said
my outfit was quite good enough for a young girl in England, and that I
was not to let myself feel dissatisfied if in another country they
chose to overdress.
Anyhow, I will say for Mrs. Ess Kay that she didn't appear to be
ashamed of me at first. On the contrary, she had a way of seeming to
show me off, almost as if she thought I did her credit.
When we had unpacked, we three went to luncheon, and took the first
seats which were vacant. But presently Mrs. Ess Kay sent for the chief
steward or someone important. "I am Mrs. Stuyvesant-Knox," said she, in
a haughty voice, "and I have as my guest Lady Betty Bulkeley, daughter
of the Duchess of Stanforth. You must give me three of the best seats
at the Captain's table."
I couldn't help hearing, and my ears did tingle, but Miss Woodburn only
smiled and looked down, with a funny twinkle under her eyelashes, which
curl up so much that it always seems as if she were just going to
laugh.
I thought, if I were the steward, I would give us the worst seats on
the ship, to teach us not to be proud; but he didn't do anything of the
sort; he was as meek as a lamb, so I'm sure he can't have any sense of
humour. He said Mrs. Stuyvesant-Knox might count on him, and she and
her party should have places on the Captain's right hand.
Mrs. Ess Kay was as bad with the deck steward. She found that he hadn't
put our chairs (which she had brought on board herself) in the right
place, and she had him called up and made a great fuss. The cards of a
Reverend Somebody, his wife and daughters, were on chairs in the
position which she had made up her mind to have, exactly amidship and
on the shady side.
"I must have my chairs changed and put here," she said. And then--oh,