Meanwhile she had toyed with the idea of not telling him the great news at all until she had once more managed to consult Sir Oscar about the exact programme he proposed for her. But an innate sense of fairness told her that Kennedy Marshall was entitled to know as soon as possible what she had in mind and how far it would affect his own plans.
Consequently, when he pushed aside a pile of files and said, *Well, we can consider that settled for the time being,' she drew a deep breath and asked,
*Have you a little time to hear something I need to tell you? It's about future working plans.'
Tire away.' He looked at her with full attention, she noticed, which was not by any means always the case when she introduced a subject outside his own choosing.
She explained to him then, in a steadier voice than she had expected to achieve, that Oscar Warrender's good opinion of her had prompted her teacher to consult an old friend about the financial difficulties inherent in any practical plan.
lOO ON WINGS OF SONG
'And this friend ' she was growing slightly
more breathless now*—has offered to finance me for six experimental months of intensive training in order to assess what my future chances might be.'
He listened to her without interruption. Then at the end he simply said, *So you want to leave me?'
'I don't^' she cried distressfully. *It's not that at all. I mean ' she stopped.
*What exactly do you mean, Caroline?' His tone was not at all provocative. Indeed, for the first time in all her recollection of him, it was almost kindly, and suddenly she found it quite easy to complete her explanation.
*I like working here—for you. I truly do, even though we cross swords occasionally. And I love the work. But this is a chance in a thousand—in ten thousand. I can hardly believe even now that it's happened to me. That was why I was so staggered by that phone call yesterday. It was from my singing teacher. Miss Curtis, to tell me she'd foimd someone who would back me.'
*Not a man, I trust?'
*No. Do you mean there would be objections if it were?'
*From me personally? So far as I'm entitled to
have them—yes. As you know ' he gave her
that wicked smile'—I'm a nasty distrustful sort of chap, and would suspect him of ulterior motives as a matter of course.'
'A friend of Miss Curtis?' Caroline smiled incredulously.
'I should be loath to regard an elderly woman teacher as a satisfactory first line of defence. But
ON WINGS OF SONG lOI
go on. You say, in the words of the old song, that you don't want to leave me but you think you ought to go. You can't have it both ways, my dear.'
He had not often called her 'my dear', and perhaps that was what emboldened her to say quite firmly, 'If I would be any real use to you as a part-time worker, I could possibly combine the two things—for the experimental six months at any rate. If Sir Oscar agreed '
'Oh, so Warrender is in this up to the neck too, is he?'
She explained further about the famous conductor's role as principal adviser and director of her studies, and Kennedy Marshall rubbed his chin reflectively.
'Well, I don't mind admitting that I'd be very sorry to lose you, Caroline,' he said at last. 'I suppose we might get hold of a good routine worker to take care of much of the standardised stuff. It would mean quite a lot of reorganisation, of course, but I was already considering involving you in more of the outside work. Attending performances, making personal judgments—for I've noticed your natural judgment is good—and so on. In fact, to a certain extent, I suppose you would be talent-spotting. Would that interest you?'
'I would adore it!' Caroline flushed with sudden excitement. 'If you really think my judgment sufficiently good.'
*I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise,' he told her drily. 'Well, talk to Warrander and see what can be arranged. If what I've suggested is a practical possibility to combine with whatever he
has in mind for you, I'm willing to
Consequently, when he pushed aside a pile of files and said, *Well, we can consider that settled for the time being,' she drew a deep breath and asked,
*Have you a little time to hear something I need to tell you? It's about future working plans.'
Tire away.' He looked at her with full attention, she noticed, which was not by any means always the case when she introduced a subject outside his own choosing.
She explained to him then, in a steadier voice than she had expected to achieve, that Oscar Warrender's good opinion of her had prompted her teacher to consult an old friend about the financial difficulties inherent in any practical plan.
lOO ON WINGS OF SONG
'And this friend ' she was growing slightly
more breathless now*—has offered to finance me for six experimental months of intensive training in order to assess what my future chances might be.'
He listened to her without interruption. Then at the end he simply said, *So you want to leave me?'
'I don't^' she cried distressfully. *It's not that at all. I mean ' she stopped.
*What exactly do you mean, Caroline?' His tone was not at all provocative. Indeed, for the first time in all her recollection of him, it was almost kindly, and suddenly she found it quite easy to complete her explanation.
*I like working here—for you. I truly do, even though we cross swords occasionally. And I love the work. But this is a chance in a thousand—in ten thousand. I can hardly believe even now that it's happened to me. That was why I was so staggered by that phone call yesterday. It was from my singing teacher. Miss Curtis, to tell me she'd foimd someone who would back me.'
*Not a man, I trust?'
*No. Do you mean there would be objections if it were?'
*From me personally? So far as I'm entitled to
have them—yes. As you know ' he gave her
that wicked smile'—I'm a nasty distrustful sort of chap, and would suspect him of ulterior motives as a matter of course.'
'A friend of Miss Curtis?' Caroline smiled incredulously.
'I should be loath to regard an elderly woman teacher as a satisfactory first line of defence. But
ON WINGS OF SONG lOI
go on. You say, in the words of the old song, that you don't want to leave me but you think you ought to go. You can't have it both ways, my dear.'
He had not often called her 'my dear', and perhaps that was what emboldened her to say quite firmly, 'If I would be any real use to you as a part-time worker, I could possibly combine the two things—for the experimental six months at any rate. If Sir Oscar agreed '
'Oh, so Warrender is in this up to the neck too, is he?'
She explained further about the famous conductor's role as principal adviser and director of her studies, and Kennedy Marshall rubbed his chin reflectively.
'Well, I don't mind admitting that I'd be very sorry to lose you, Caroline,' he said at last. 'I suppose we might get hold of a good routine worker to take care of much of the standardised stuff. It would mean quite a lot of reorganisation, of course, but I was already considering involving you in more of the outside work. Attending performances, making personal judgments—for I've noticed your natural judgment is good—and so on. In fact, to a certain extent, I suppose you would be talent-spotting. Would that interest you?'
'I would adore it!' Caroline flushed with sudden excitement. 'If you really think my judgment sufficiently good.'
*I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise,' he told her drily. 'Well, talk to Warrander and see what can be arranged. If what I've suggested is a practical possibility to combine with whatever he
has in mind for you, I'm willing to
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