Her skirt flowed outward from her tiny waist over layers of petticoats that swished loudly as she walked.Her skirt flowed outward from her tiny waist over layers of petticoats that swished loudly as she walked. He just stood there, staring at her bodice. She spoke gently, inviting him in, then asked him about school and home. Before long, he relaxed enough to respond. He'd never met a woman so pretty, nor one so nice to him! She led him to the piano -- a big, shiny black upright with a mirror across the front. She set out the same beginner's book Mrs. Moore had used, and had him show her what he'd learned. It wasn't much. "This is the beginners' method I like to teach from," she said, and put down a short little green book in front of his old tall one. He tried the first couple of exercises, but they were too hard. "Maybe the old book is distracting you," she said, and took it away. Over the top of the little book, he could see himself in the mirror. And next to him, he could see Miss Glamis -- just from her chin down. She was standing behind him, and her jugs were hanging right over his shoulder! It was several long seconds before she stepped aside so he could no longer see her, and several more before he recovered enough to try the piano, again. He couldn't get enough of her as she moved in and out of his line of sight! At first, he tried not to look, but then he realized that, since the mirror cut off his view of her face, she couldn't see his either, so he experimented more boldly with his stares. |