Free The Determined Bachelor by Judith Harkness Page A

they shall call you in a thousand years’ time? I suppose they shall speak of you as a modern little English girl, shall they?”
    Nicole paused temporarily in her perusal of the adjacent building to ponder this interesting question.
    â€œDo you suppose,” she inquired, leaning her elbows on the windowsill with her chin in the cup of her hands, “they shall think of me at all? If I grow up to be very great, like Sir Basil, perhaps they shall write a history of me .”
    â€œPerhaps they shall. But I hardly think you will be fit to take up an ambassadorship if you don’t apply yourself to your lessons. I don’t suppose anyone would want an ambassador who knows nothing about those dull old Greeks .”
    â€œI suppose not,” conceded Nicole with a sigh. Then, with a brighter look, she added, “But if I was only to be married to an ambassador, it shouldn’t matter much. I could be as ignorant as I pleased, so long as I was beautiful, and danced prettily, and knew all the clever things to say at balls. Then they should write about me only as being the most beautiful and witty lady in the world. I think,” continued the truant, still gazing raptly into space, “I should prefer that in any case. Anyone can be clever at history. But not everyone can be the most beautiful lady in the world!”
    â€œI shall convey your opinion to Sir Basil,” responded Anne, smiling despite herself, “with perhaps the suggestion that a dancing master and a portrait painter would be more appropriately employed than a governess.”
    â€œOh!” cried Nicole, whirling around. “I hope you will not!”
    Anne endeavoured to look amazed. “Why? Have you changed your mind so soon? Ambition is only good if it is steadfast, my dear little Nicole. You shall never succeed inbeing the belle of European society if you change your mind every moment.”
    Nicole stared at her governess in momentary confusion, and then giggled. “You know I am only funning you, Miss Calder. I should be an idiot if I did not wish to learn everything I could. That is what Papa said I ought to do, and that is why he made Sir Basil my guardian. Only I do wish it were possible to learn everything without having to study so hard. It would be delightful if there was some method of pouring a great deal of knowledge into your ear, in only a moment’s time!”
    â€œIf that were possible,” said Anne, sitting upon a little settee near her desk, “then I can assure you that the whole population of Europe would be ambassadors. But it would not avail much in the end, you know. For at least half the satisfaction of accomplishment lies in the knowledge of its having been achieved solely by one’s own efforts and the cost of not a little hard work.”
    Miss Lessington looked much interested in this idea, and with her keen black eyes fastened intently upon Anne’s amused hazel ones, cried: “Why, do you know that is exactly what my Papa always used to say! I believe you should have liked each other exceedingly well, Miss Calder—if only you had known him.”
    Anne, noticing a rare tinge of sadness in the child’s expression, replied that she was sure she would have. Nicole’s little outburst hung in the air as she turned away again to the window, biting her lip. But in a moment she had turned back again, smiling brightly.
    â€œI ought not to speak of him,” she said with a little impatient shake of her head which tugged at Anne’s heartstrings more than a torrent of tears could have. “He would not have liked it. Papa told me always to laugh when I was in danger of weeping. ‘If you persist long enough in laughing, my girl, you shall very soon find something to laugh about , for there is quite as much to be amused with in this life as there is to weep over.’ ”
    Here was a sentiment with which Anne heartily concurred, and had she not at this