Flighty Phyllis by R.Austin Freeman

Author:R.Austin Freeman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Flighty Phyllis
ISBN: 9780755128600
Publisher: House of Stratus
Published: 2013-01-04T00:00:00+00:00

Flight Seven

Love and a Graven Image

If I hadn’t already remarked on several occasions that I have been the victim of circumstances, I should be disposed to make the remark now. But you can’t go on saying the same thing over and over again, even if it’s true, and, after all, on serious consideration, I am not so absolutely sure that it is. As to the circumstances, I am quite clear; I stick to them like cobbler’s wax. But when I speak of myself as a victim – well, perhaps I had better leave you to judge, and in the meantime I’ll get back to the circumstances.

You may remember that when I said “goodbye” to Paul Everard on that eventful and delicious evening when he supped with me at my chambers, I promised to return his visit. Strictly speaking, I suppose I ought not to have made any such promise. But I did, and you can’t go back on a definite promise – especially if you don’t want to.

Still, it would be sailing uncommonly near the wind. It had been bad enough for me to receive a young man all alone in my chambers, though I hadn’t invited him, but to visit him at his own rooms, in cold blood – at least, not in such very cold blood, but of my own free will – was really most improper. And yet I couldn’t escape from that promise, and I didn’t mean to.

It was a complicated situation. As to Paul, it was perfectly simple, as simple as he was himself. He supposed that I was a young man. Never dreamed of anything different. He had jumped to this ridiculous conclusion for no better reason than that, whenever he had met me, I had had my hair cut short and was wearing a suit of Charlie’s clothes. But isn’t that just like a man? And doesn’t it make one wonder what would become of the poor dears if there were no women to look after them and protect them?

However, as I say, it was a complicated situation. As Mr Philip Rowden I was bound to keep my engagement; as Miss Phyllis Dudley, I had no business ever to have had any engagement to keep. You see my dilemma. The two halves of my dual personality had conflicting duties, and, of course, you see, as I did, that the one who could not possibly escape was Mr Philip Rowden.

I did not embark on that visit to Paul without consideration. By no means. For days and days I thought of nothing else. I took the smartest of Charlie’s suits to the tailor’s and had it cleaned and ironed. I bought a new hat and gloves and a smart little walking-stick, and, as my hair was getting a little long at the back, I went to a barber’s and had it cut. I worried the man so much with directions as to how I wanted it to be trimmed that he grew quite impatient, and

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