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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rectory Children, by Mrs Molesworth
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Rectory Children
+
+Author: Mrs Molesworth
+
+Illustrator: Walter Crane
+
+Release Date: April 28, 2006 [EBook #18275]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RECTORY CHILDREN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Ted Garvin, Emmy and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE RECTORY CHILDREN
+
+BY MRS MOLESWORTH
+
+ILLUSTRATED BY
+
+WALTER CRANE
+
+[Illustration: 'It's the sun going to bed, you know, dear.' P. 37.]
+
+  London
+  MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
+  NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
+  1897
+
+
+
+
+               TO
+   MY NIECE AND GOD-DAUGHTER
+  Helen Louisa Delves Walthall
+
+  85 LEXHAM GARDENS
+    _Shrove Tuesday_, 1889.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+                                  PAGE
+  CHAPTER I
+  THE PARLOUR BEHIND THE SHOP       1
+
+  CHAPTER II
+  THOSE YOUNG LADIES               18
+
+  CHAPTER III
+  A TRYING CHILD                   34
+
+  CHAPTER IV
+  BIDDY HAS SOME NEW THOUGHTS      51
+
+  CHAPTER V
+  CELESTINA                        66
+
+  CHAPTER VI
+  THE WINDOW IN THE WALL           83
+
+  CHAPTER VII
+  ON THE SEASHORE                  99
+
+  CHAPTER VIII
+  A NICE PLAN                     117
+
+  CHAPTER IX
+  A SECRET                        134
+
+  CHAPTER X
+  BIDDY'S ESCAPADE                151
+
+  CHAPTER XI
+  AND ITS CONSEQUENCES            169
+
+  CHAPTER XII
+  ANOTHER BIRTHDAY                186
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+                                                             PAGE
+  '----and--oh, Alie, I have so torn my frock, and it's my
+  afternoon one--my new merino'                               27
+
+  'Little girl,' she called, when she got close to the
+  other child                                                 75
+
+  'It's like a magic-lantern; no, I mean a peep-show'         89
+
+  'I would like to go there,' she said                       115
+
+  A secret                                                   148
+
+  ----carrying between them a little dripping figure, with
+  streaming hair, white face, and closed eyes                161
+
+  'Now, Biddy. Open your eyes'                               195
+
+
+
+
+          'O little hearts! that throb and beat,
+           With such impatient, feverish heat,
+           Such limitless and strong desires.'--LONGFELLOW.
+
+
+
+
+THE RECTORY CHILDREN
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE PARLOUR BEHIND THE SHOP
+
+          'I was very solitary indeed.'
+                   (_Visit to the Cousins_).--MARY LAMB.
+
+
+The blinds had been drawn down for some time in the back parlour behind
+Mr. Fairchild's shop in Pier Street, the principal street in the little
+town of Seacove. And the gas was lighted, though it was not turned up
+very high. It was a great thing to have gas; it had not been known at
+Seacove till recently. For the time of which I am writing is now a good
+many years ago, thirty or forty at least.
+
+Seacove, though a small place, was not so out-of-the-way in some
+respects as many actually larger towns, for it was a seaport, though not
+a very important one. Ships came in from all parts of the globe, and
+sailed away again in due course to the far north, and still farther off
+south; to the great other world of America, too, no doubt, and to the
+ancient eastern lands. But it was the vessels going to or coming from
+the strange mysterious north--the land of everlasting snow, where the
+reindeer and, farther north still, the white bear have their home, and
+where the winter is one long, long night--it was somehow the thought of
+the north that had the most fascination for the little girl who was
+sitting alone in the dull parlour behind the shop this late November
+evening. And among the queer outlandish-looking sailors who from time to
+time were to be seen on the wharf or about the Seacove streets, now and
+then looking in to buy a sheet of paper and an envelope in her father's
+shop, it was the English ones belonging to the whalers or to the herring
+smacks bound for the north who interested Celestina by far the most.
+
+This evening she was not thinking of sailors or ships or anything like
+that; her mind was full of her own small affairs. She had got two new
+dolls, quite tiny ones--Celestina did not care for big dolls--and long
+as the daylight lasted she had been perfectly happy dressing them. But
+the daylight was gone now--it was always rather in a hurry to say
+good-night to the back parlour--and the gas was too dim for her to see
+clearly by, even if she had had anything else to do, which she had not,
+till mother could give her a scrap or two for the second dolly's frock.
+It was mother she was longing for. She wanted to show her the hats and
+cloaks she had made out of some tiny bits for both the dollies--the
+cloaks, that is to say, for the hats were crochet-work, crocheted in
+pink cotton. Celestina's little fingers were very clever at crochet.
+
+'Oh, mother, mother,' she said half aloud, '_do_ come.'
+
+She had drawn back the little green baize curtain which hung before the
+small window between the shop and the parlour, and was peering in, her
+nose flattened against the glass. She was allowed to do this, but she
+was not allowed to run out and in of the shop without leave, and at this
+time of the day, or evening, even when there were few customers, she
+knew that her father and mother were generally busy. There were late
+parcels to put up for the little errand-boy to leave on his way home;
+there was the shop to tidy, and always a good many entries to make in
+the big ledger. Very often there were letters to write and send off,
+ordering supplies needed for the shop, or books not in stock, which some
+customer had asked for.
+
+It was a bookseller's and stationer's shop; the only one worthy of the
+name at Seacove. And Mr. Fairchild did a pretty good business, though
+certainly, as far as the actual _book_ part of it was concerned, people
+read and bought far fewer books thirty years ago than now. And books
+were much dearer. People wrote fewer letters too; paper and envelopes
+were dearer also. Still, one way and another it was not a bad business
+of its kind in a modest way, though strict economy and care were
+required to make a livelihood out of it. And some things had made this
+more difficult than would otherwise have been the case. Delicate health
+perhaps most of all. Mr. Fairchild was not very strong, and little
+Celestina had been fragile enough as a baby and a tiny girl, though now
+she was growing stronger. No wonder that a great share of both work and
+care fell on Celestina's mother, and this the little girl already
+understood, and tried always to remember.
+
+But it was dull and lonely sometimes. She had few companions, and for
+some months past she had not gone to school, as a rather serious illness
+had made her unable to go out in bad weather. She did not mind this
+much; she liked to do lessons by herself, for father or mother to
+correct when they had time, and there was no child at school she cared
+for particularly. Still poor Celestina was pining for companionship
+without knowing it. Perhaps, though mother said little, she understood
+more about it than appeared.
+
+And 'Oh, mother, mother, _do_ come,' the child repeated, as she peered
+through the glass.
+
+There were one or two customers in the shop still. One of them Celestina
+knew by sight. It was Mr. Redding, the organist of the church. He was
+choosing some music-paper, and talking as he did so, but the pair of
+ears behind the window could not hear what he said, though by his manner
+it seemed something not only of interest to himself but to his hearers
+also.
+
+'I wish I could hear what he's saying,' thought the little maiden, 'or
+most of all, I _wish_ he'd go and that other man too--oh, he's going,
+but Mr. Redding is asking for something else now! Oh, if only mother
+would come, or if I might turn on the gas higher. I think it would be
+nicer to have candles, like Fanny Wells has in her house. Gas is only
+nice when it's very high turned on, and mother says it costs such a lot
+then. I _do_ so want to show mother the cloaks and hats.'
+
+She turned back at last, wearied of waiting and watching. The fire was
+burning brightly, that was some comfort, and Celestina sat down on the
+rug in front of it, propping her two little dolls against the fender.
+
+'To-morrow,' she said to herself, 'as soon as I've made a frock for
+Eleanor, I'll have a tea-party. Eleanor and Amy shall be new friends
+coming to tea for the first time--if _only_ the parlour chairs weren't
+too big for the table!' she sighed deeply. 'They can't look nice and
+_real_, when they're so high up that their legs won't go underneath.
+People don't make our tables and chairs like that--I don't see why they
+can't make doll-house ones properly. Now, if I was a carpenter I'd make
+a doll-house just like a real house--I could make it so nice.'
+
+She began building doll-houses--her favourite castles in the air--in
+imagination. But now and then she wanted another opinion, there were
+knotty points to decide. As 'all roads,' according to the old proverb,
+'lead to Rome,' so all Celestina's meditations ended in the old cry, 'If
+only mother would come.'
+
+The door opened at last--gently, so gently that the little girl knew it
+could be no one else but mother. She sprang up.
+
+'Oh, mother, I am so glad you've come. I've been so tired waiting. I do
+so want to show you the cloaks and hats, and _can_ you give me a bit to
+make Amy's frock? She looks so funny with a cloak and hat and no frock.'
+
+'I will try to find you a scrap of something when I go upstairs,' mother
+replied. 'But just now I must see about getting tea ready. Father is
+tired already, and he has a good deal to do this evening still. Yes, you
+have made the cloaks very nice, and the little hats too. I'll turn up
+the gas so as to see better.'
+
+Celestina gave in without a murmur to waiting till after tea for the
+piece of stuff she longed for so ardently, and she set to work in a
+neat, handy way to help her mother with the tea-table. They understood
+each other perfectly, these two, though few words of endearment passed
+between them, and caresses were rare. People were somewhat colder in
+manner at that time than nowadays perhaps; much petting of children was
+not thought good for them, and especially in the case of an only child,
+parents had great fear of 'spoiling.' But no one who looked at Mrs.
+Fairchild's sweet face as her eyes rested lovingly on her little girl
+could have doubted for a moment her intense affection. She had a very
+sweet face; Celestina thought there never could be anybody prettier than
+mother, and I don't know that she was far wrong. If she ever thought of
+herself at all--of her looks especially--it was to hope that some day
+she might grow up to be 'like mother.'
+
+Tea was ready--neatly arranged on the table, though all was of the
+plainest, a little carefully-made toast to tempt father's uncertain
+appetite the only approach to luxury--when Mr. Fairchild came in and sat
+down in the one arm-chair rather wearily. He was a tall thin man, and he
+stooped a good deal. He had a kindly though rather nervous and careworn
+face and bright intelligent eyes.
+
+'Redding is full of news as usual,' he said, as Mrs. Fairchild handed
+him his tea. 'He is a good-natured man, but I wish he wouldn't talk
+quite so much.'
+
+'He had some excuse for talking this evening,' said Celestina's mother;
+'it is news of importance for every one at Seacove, and of course it
+must affect Mr. Redding a good deal. I shall be glad if the new
+clergyman is more hearty about improving the music.'
+
+Celestina so far had heard without taking in the drift of the
+conversation, but at the last words she pricked up her ears.
+
+'Is there going to be a new clergyman--is old Dr. Bunton going away,
+mother?' she asked eagerly, though the moment after she reddened
+slightly, not at all sure that she was not going to be told that 'little
+girls should not ask questions.' But both Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild were
+interested in the subject--I think for once they forgot that Celestina
+was only 'a little girl.'
+
+'Yes,' the mother replied; 'he is giving up at last. That has been known
+for some weeks, but it is only to-day that it has been known who is to
+succeed him. Mr. Vane, that is the name, is it not?' she added, turning
+to her husband.
+
+'The Reverend Bernard Vane, at present vicar of St. Cyprian's, somewhere
+in the west end of London--that is Redding's description of him,' Mr.
+Fairchild replied. 'I don't know how a fashionable London clergyman
+will settle down at Seacove, nor what his reasons are for coming here,
+I'm sure. I hope the change will be for good.'
+
+But his tone showed that he was not at all certain that it would prove
+so.
+
+'Is he married?' asked Celestina's mother. 'Oh yes, by the bye, I
+remember Mr. Redding spoke of children, but old Captain Deal came in
+just as he was telling more and I could not hear the rest.'
+
+'There are several children and Mrs. Vane a youngish lady still, he
+said. The old Rectory will want some overhauling before they come to it,
+I should say,' remarked Mr. Fairchild. 'It must be nigh upon forty years
+since Dr. Bunton came there, and there's not much been done in the way
+of repairs, save a little whitewashing now and then. The doctor and Mrs.
+Bunton haven't needed much just by themselves--but a family's different;
+they'll be needing nurseries and schoolrooms and what not, especially if
+they have been used to grand London ways.'
+
+Celestina had been turning her bright brown eyes from one parent to
+another in turn as they spoke.
+
+'Is London much grander than Seacove?' she asked. 'I thought the Rectory
+was such a fine house.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild smiled.
+
+'It might be made very nice. There's plenty of room any way. And many
+clergymen's families are very simple and homely.'
+
+'I wonder if there are any little girls,' said Celestina. 'And do you
+think they'll go to Miss Peters's to school, mother?'
+
+Her father turned on her rather sharply.
+
+'Dear me, no, child. Of course not,' he said. 'Miss Peters's is well
+enough for plain Seacove folk, but don't you be getting any nonsense in
+your head of setting up to be the same as ladies' children. Mrs. Vane
+comes of a high family, I hear; there will be a French ma'amselle of a
+governess as like as not.'
+
+Celestina looked at her father with a world of puzzle in her eyes, her
+little pale face with a red spot of excitement on each cheek. But she
+was not the least hurt by her father's words. She simply did not
+understand them: what are called 'class distinctions' were quite unknown
+to her innocent mind. Had she been alone with her mother she might have
+asked for some explanation, but she was too much in awe of her father to
+question him.
+
+Her mother turned to her somewhat abruptly.
+
+'I want some more water; the kettle, Celestina love,' she said; and as
+the little girl brought it, 'I will explain to you afterwards, but don't
+say any more. Father is tired,' she whispered.
+
+And Celestina quickly forgot all about it; the sight of Eleanor and Amy
+still reposing on the hearthrug as she replaced the kettle drove out of
+her mind all thoughts of the possible little Misses Vane.
+
+After tea, when the things were cleared away and Celestina had helped
+her mother to make the room look neat and comfortable again, for the
+little servant in the kitchen was seldom seen in the parlour, as she
+fidgeted Mr. Fairchild by her awkward clattering ways, Mrs. Fairchild
+went upstairs to fetch some sewing that needed seeing to.
+
+'I will look for a scrap or two for you,' she said to Celestina as she
+went. 'But I'm not sure that you should sew any more to-night. It's
+trying for your eyes.'
+
+'And what about your sums, child?' said her father. 'Have you done all I
+set you?'
+
+'Yes, father, and I've read the chapter of _Little Arthur's History_
+too,' Celestina replied.
+
+'Well, then,' said Mr. Fairchild, drawing his chair nearer to the table
+again--he had pushed it close to the fire--'bring your slate and your
+books. I'll correct the sums and set you some more, and then we'll have
+a little history. I will question you first on the chapter you have read
+to yourself.'
+
+Celestina could not help an appealing glance at her mother--she had the
+two little dolls in her hand, poor Amy still looking very deplorable in
+her skirt-less condition. Mrs. Fairchild understood her though no word
+was spoken.
+
+'I thought you were going back to write in the shop,' she said gently to
+her husband. 'The stove is still hot.'
+
+'I am too tired,' he replied, and indeed he looked so. 'There is nothing
+so very pressing, and it's too late for the London post. No--I would
+rather take Celly's lessons; it will be a change.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild said no more, nor did Celestina--father's word was law.
+The little girl did not even look cross or doleful, though she gave a
+tiny sigh as she fetched her books. She was a docile pupil, thoughtful
+and attentive, though not peculiarly quick, and Mr. Fairchild, in spite
+of his rather nervously irritable temper, was an earnest and intelligent
+teacher. The sums were fairly correct and the multiplication table was
+repeated faultlessly. But when it came to the history Celestina was less
+ready and accurate in her replies.
+
+'My dear,' said her mother, who had sat down beside them with her sewing
+by this time, 'you are not giving your full attention. I can see you are
+thinking of something else. If it is anything you do not understand ask
+father to explain it.'
+
+'Certainly,' Mr. Fairchild agreed. 'There is nothing worse than giving
+half attention. What are you thinking about, child?'
+
+Celestina looked up timidly.
+
+'It wasn't anything in the lesson--at least not exactly,' she said. 'But
+when father asked me who was the king of France then, it made me think
+of what father said about a French ma'amselle, and I wondered what it
+meant.'
+
+'Ma'amselle,' said her father, 'is only our English way of saying
+"mademoiselle," which means a miss, a young lady.'
+
+'But those young ladies, the Rectory young ladies, aren't French,'
+Celestina said.
+
+'Of course not. What I meant was that very likely they have a French
+governess. It's the mode nowadays when every one wants to speak French
+well.'
+
+'Oh,' said Celestina, 'I didn't understand. I'd like to hear somebody
+speak French,' she added. 'Did you ever hear it, mother?'
+
+'Yes,' Mrs. Fairchild replied. 'When I was a girl there was a French
+lady came to live near us that I was very fond of; and she was very kind
+to us. She sent me a beautiful present when I married. I called you
+after her, you know, Celestina--I'm sure I've told you that before. Her
+name was Célestine.'
+
+'I remember,' the little girl replied; 'but I forgot about her being
+French. I would like to see her, mother.'
+
+'I do not know if she is still alive,' said Mrs. Fairchild. 'She must be
+an old lady by now, if so. She went back to France many years ago; she
+was in England with her husband, who had some business here. They had no
+children, and she was always asking mother to let her adopt me. But
+though there were so many of us, mother couldn't make up her mind to
+spare one.'
+
+'Things would have turned out pretty different for you, Mary, if she
+had. You'd have been married to a French "mounseer" by now,' and he
+laughed a little, as if there was something exceedingly funny in the
+idea. Mr. Fairchild did not often laugh.
+
+'Maybe,' his wife replied, smiling.
+
+'I do hope they'll have a French governess,' said Celestina.
+
+'Who? oh, the Miss Vanes,' said her father. 'Why, you _are_ putting the
+cart before the horse, child! We don't even know that the new clergyman
+has any daughters--his family may be all boys. Besides, I don't know
+when you'd be likely to see them or their governess either.'
+
+'They'd be sure to come to the shop sometimes, father,' Celestina
+replied eagerly. 'Even old Mrs. Bunton does--I've often seen her. And
+there's no other shop for books and stationery at Seacove.'
+
+Mr. Fairchild smiled at the pride with which she said this.
+
+'It would be a bad job for me if there were,' he said, 'for as it is
+there's barely custom for a shop of the kind,' and an anxious look came
+over his face. But Mrs. Fairchild reminded him that if they did not
+finish the chapter of _Little Arthur_ quickly, it would be Celestina's
+bedtime, so the talk changed to the Black Prince and his exploits.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THOSE YOUNG LADIES
+
+          'Leave me alone--I want to cry;
+             It's no use trying to be good.'--ANON.
+
+
+Six weeks or so later--Christmas and New Year's day were past; it was
+the middle of January by this time--a little group of children might
+have been seen standing on the shore about half a mile from Seacove.
+
+Though midwinter, it was not very cold. There is a theory that it never
+is very cold at the seaside. I cannot say that I have always found this
+the case, but it was so at Seacove. It lay in a sheltered position, out
+of the way of the east wind, and this was one reason why Mr. Vane had
+decided to make it for a time the home of himself and his family.
+
+These were his children--the group on the seashore. Rumour had
+exaggerated a little in saying he had 'several.' There were but three of
+them, and of these three two were girls. So Celestina Fairchild's
+thoughts about them had some foundation after all.
+
+'It looks just a little, a very little dreary,' said the eldest of the
+three, a girl of thirteen or so, slight and rather tall for her age,
+with a pretty graceful figure and pretty delicate features; 'but then of
+course it's the middle of winter. Not that spring or summer would make
+much difference here; there are so very few trees.'
+
+She glanced round her as she spoke. It was a bare, almost
+desolate-looking stretch of country, down to the sea, which was still
+and gray-looking this morning. Yet there was a strange charm about it
+too--the land, though by no means hilly, was undulating. Not far from
+where the children stood there was a grand run of sand-hills, with
+coarse, strong grass and a few hardy thistles, and, in its season,
+bindweed with its white and pinky flowers, growing along their summit.
+Farther off was a sort of skeleton-like erection, looking not unlike the
+gaunt remains of a deserted sail-less ship: this was a landmark or
+beacon, placed there to point out a sudden turn in the coastline. And
+out at sea, a mile or so distant, stood a lighthouse with a revolving
+lantern; three times in each minute the bright light was to be seen as
+soon as night fell. A kind of natural breakwater ran out in a straight
+line to the lighthouse, so that in low tides--and the tides are
+sometimes very low at Seacove--it was difficult to believe but that you
+could get on foot all the way to the lighthouse rock.
+
+But all these interesting particulars were not as yet known to Mr.
+Vane's children. They had arrived at Seacove Rectory only the night
+before.
+
+The boy--he was next in age to his elder sister Rosalys--followed the
+direction of her glance.
+
+'No,' he said, 'there's very few trees, certainly. But I think it's
+going to be very jolly all the same. When I get my pony _I'll_ be all
+right any way; and on Saturdays, or odd half-holidays--there always are
+odd half-holidays at every school, you know--I'll take you girls out a
+drive in that funny little donkey-chaise, or whatever it is, that's
+standing in the coach-house.'
+
+'I don't fancy there are many places to drive to,' Rosalys replied.
+'Papa said there would be no use in having any sort of proper carriage.
+The only good road is the one to your school, Rough, and you'll have
+enough of that morning and evening.'
+
+'Papa said Seacove was a--I can't remember the word--something
+French--cool--cul----'
+
+'_Cul-de-sac_,' said Rosalys; 'leading to nowhere, that means.'
+
+'Except to the sea, I suppose,' added the little girl who had stumbled
+at the French word. 'It would be nice to have a ship of our own instead
+of a carriage. Don't you think we might ask papa to get us one?'
+
+'A _ship_, Biddy--I suppose you mean a boat,' said Rosalys, in a rather
+'superior' tone. 'No; I don't fancy papa would trust us to go about in a
+boat. Mamma would be frightened out of her wits about us.'
+
+'The sea looks _so_ quiet,' said Bridget, gazing out at it. 'I don't
+think it could ever be tossy and soapy here like it used to be at
+Rockcliffe.'
+
+'Couldn't it just?' said Randolph. 'Wait a bit, Bride. It may look quiet
+on a day like this, and inside the shelter of the bay, but I can tell
+you there's jolly rough work outside there sometimes. I was talking to
+an old sailor this morning when I ran out before breakfast.'
+
+'I'd like to see a shipwreck--I mean,' as she caught sight of a shocked
+expression on her sister's face--'I mean of course one that nobody would
+be drowned in.'
+
+'But how could any one be sure of that? You should be more careful what
+you say, Bride; you are so heedless.'
+
+Bridget's face puckered up. It was rather given to puckering up, funny
+little face that it was. She was eight years old, short and rather
+stout, with thick, dark hair and a freckled complexion. Her nose turned
+up and her mouth was not small. But she was not ugly; she had merry gray
+eyes and very white teeth. Somehow, thorough little English girl though
+she was, she reminded one of the small Savoyard boys one sees with a box
+of marmots slung in front of them, or a barrel organ and a monkey.
+
+'I didn't mean to say anything naughty, Alie,' she began, in a plaintive
+tone. 'I'm always----'
+
+'Oh, come now, Biddy, stop that, do,' said her brother; 'don't spoil the
+first morning by going off into a howl for nothing. No one supposes you
+wanted to drown a lot of people for the sake of watching a shipwreck,
+only, as Alie says, you should be more careful. Strangers might think
+you a very queer little girl if they heard you say such a thing.'
+
+Bridget still looked melancholy, but she did not venture to complain any
+more. She was a good deal in awe of Rough, who was twelve and a big boy
+for his age. He had been at school for two years, and now he was going
+as a day-scholar to a large and very excellent public school, which was
+only about two miles from Seacove, quite in the country. Mr. Vane had
+bought a pony for him to ride backwards and forwards, so Randolph was in
+capital spirits. But he was not an unkind or selfish boy, and though his
+pet name 'Rough' suited him sometimes as regarded his manners, his heart
+was gentle. And indeed the name had been given to him at first on
+account of his thick shaggy hair, as a very little boy.
+
+'It's rather cold standing about,' said Rosalys. 'Don't you think we'd
+better walk on or take a run?'
+
+'Let's have a race,' said Rough. 'The sand's nice and firm about here.
+I'll give you a good start, Alie, and Biddy can run on in front and wait
+till we call to her that we're off.'
+
+Bridget trotted off as she was told, obediently. She did not care much
+for running. Her legs were short and she was rather fat, but she did
+not like to complain. She ran on, though slowly, till at last Randolph
+shouted to her to stop. Then she stood still waiting till he called to
+her again, for he and Rosalys took some time to settle how much of a
+start Alie was to have--from where she stood, Biddy heard them talking
+and measuring.
+
+'I wish they wouldn't run races,' thought the little girl. 'They're so
+big compared with me--they've such much longer legs. I shan't like
+Seacove if they're going always to run races. In London they couldn't in
+the streets; it was only when we went in the gardens, and that wasn't
+every day, it was too far to go. I wish I had a brother or a sister
+littler than me; it's too much difference between Alie and me, thirteen
+and eight. I wish----'
+
+But here came a whoop from behind.
+
+'Off, Biddy; look sharp--one, two, three.'
+
+Poor Biddy--off she set as fast as she _could_ go, which is not saying
+much. She puffed and panted, for she was not without a spirit of her own
+and did not want to be overtaken _too_ soon. And for a time Rough's
+cries of encouragement, 'Gee-up, old woman,' 'Famous, Biddy,' 'You'll
+win yet,' and so on, spurred her to fresh exertions. But not for long;
+she felt her powers flagging, and as first Alie and then Rough, both
+apparently as fresh as ever, passed her at full speed, she gave in.
+
+'It's no use. I can't run races. I wish you wouldn't make me,' she said,
+as in a minute or two the two others came flying back again to where she
+stood, a convenient goal for their return race.
+
+'But you ran splendidly for a bit,' said Randolph; 'and I'll tell you
+what, Biddy, it would be a very good thing for you to run a good deal
+more than you do. It'll make you grow and stop you getting too fat.'
+
+'I'm not fatter than you were when you were as little as me, Roughie.
+Nurse says so--you were a regular roundabout till you had the measles;
+mamma says so too,' replied Bridget philosophically.
+
+'I'm quite hot,' said Rosalys; 'fancy being hot in January! But we'd
+better not stand still or we'll get a chill. Isn't it nice to come out
+alone? I'd like to walk to Seacove--I want to see what it's like, but of
+course we mustn't go so far. Mamma said we must stay on the shore.'
+
+'If it was summer we might dig and make sand-castles,' said Biddy
+regretfully. Digging in the sand was an amusement much more to her taste
+than running races.
+
+'I think that's stupid--it's such baby play,' Rosalys replied. 'But come
+on, do. I'm going to climb up to the top of that bank--that's the
+sand-hills papa was speaking about.'
+
+It was more tiring work than she had expected. Before they got to the
+top of the bank Alie had decided that they would have done better to
+remain where they were, on the smooth firm sand down below, but once at
+the top she changed again. What fun can be more delightful than playing
+in sand-hills, jumping from a miniature summit to the valley beneath
+with no fear of hurting one's self even if one comes to grief and rolls
+ignominiously as far as one can go! How helplessly one wades in the
+shifting, unstable footing--tumbling over with a touch, like a house
+built of cards! The children's laughter sounded merrily in the clear
+cold air; Bridget plunged about like a little porpoise in the water, and
+Rosalys quite forgot that she had attained the dignity of her teens.
+
+But a bell ringing suddenly some little way off caught their ears.
+
+'That's papa ringing,' said Randolph. 'He said he'd have the big
+dinner-bell rung when it was time for me to go in. I'm going to walk to
+the town or the village, or whatever it is, with him. Good-bye,
+girls. It's only three o'clock--you can stay another half-hour,' and off
+he ran.
+
+'Let's go down to the shore again,' said Alie. 'Mamma said _perhaps_
+she'd come out a little, and she'd never see us up here.'
+
+Bridget hung back a little.
+
+'I daresay she won't come out,' she said. 'Do stay up here, Alie. If
+mamma comes out she'll only talk to you and I'll be all alone. I don't
+want her.'
+
+'Oh, Bride, that's not nice. I'm sure mamma likes to talk to you too,
+only you see I'm older, and there's often things you wouldn't understand
+about perhaps, and----'
+
+'I know--it's always the same. I'm too little to be any use. I know
+you're older and sensibler, and I don't mean that mamma's not kind. But
+families should be settled better--and--oh, Alie, I have so torn my
+frock, and it's my afternoon one--my new merino.'
+
+[Illustration: '--and--oh, Alie, I have so torn my frock, and its my
+afternoon one--my new merino.' P. 27.]
+
+Rosalys looked much concerned.
+
+'_What_ a pity!' she exclaimed. 'I wish we hadn't played in the sand.
+But really, Biddy, you are very unlucky. I've been jumping just as much
+as you, and I've got no harm.'
+
+'You never do--I don't know how it is that I always get torn,' said
+Bride dolefully. 'And oh, Alie, there is mamma'--they were down on the
+shore by this time, coming down being a much speedier affair than
+climbing up,--'she will be so vexed, for I've got this frock new, extra
+to yours, you know, because of the stain on the other the day I spilt my
+tea all down it. I am so sorry, Alie. Could you pin it up?'
+
+Rosalys stooped to examine the damage. It was not _very_ great, still
+under the circumstances of its being a new frock, it was vexing enough.
+
+'You've got it so sandy, too--that makes it look worse,' said the elder
+sister, giving the unlucky skirt a shake as she spoke.
+
+'I wish mamma hadn't come out,' said Bridget. 'Then I could have got it
+brushed and mended before I told her, but perhaps it's best to tell at
+once,' and she gave a little sigh.
+
+'Much best,' her sister agreed, and they went on to meet their mother.
+Suddenly Bride gave a little cry of satisfaction.
+
+'Oh, Smut's with mamma,' she exclaimed. 'I'm so glad. You can walk with
+mamma alone then, Alie, and Smut and I will come after you. I'm always
+quite happy with Smuttie--I wish he was my very own.'
+
+It was rather unlucky that just as they got up to Mrs. Vane, Bridget was
+so occupied in calling to Smut, who came careering forward to meet the
+girls, that the dilapidated frock went quite out of her mind. At the
+first moment her mother did not notice it.
+
+'Well, dears, here I am!' she began brightly. 'I got my letters finished
+more quickly than I expected. What a quantity of things there are to
+order when one first comes to a new house! And I do so miss M'Creagh!
+Did you see me coming, Alie darling?'
+
+'Yes, mamma--not very far off though. We were up on the sand-hills when
+papa rang for Rough, and----'
+
+But Mrs. Vane interrupted her.
+
+'Oh, Bridget,' she exclaimed in a tone of vexation, 'what have you been
+doing to yourself? Do you see, Alie? Her skirt is torn from top to
+bottom--the stuff torn, not the seam. And so dirty. Your new frock
+too--really, child, you are too provoking.'
+
+Biddy's round rosy face grew longer and redder, and her eyes filled with
+tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but Rosalys came before her.
+
+'It isn't so very bad, dear mamma,' she said eagerly. 'I've been
+looking at it. It looks worse because of the sand, but it isn't really
+dirty; it will brush off. She rolled down one of the sand-hills. I'm
+afraid it was my fault. It was my idea to play about there.'
+
+Mrs. Vane glanced at Alie's own garments.
+
+'Your frock is none the worse,' she said. 'I do not see that Bride need
+have hurt hers if she had been the least careful. But you are so
+incorrigibly heedless, Bridget, and _so_ thoughtless. Why, you were
+dancing and jumping and calling to Smut when I met you as if there was
+nothing the matter! I suppose you had forgotten all about your frock
+already.'
+
+Mrs. Vane's voice was rather sharp as she spoke thus to the little girl.
+It sounded quite differently from the bright sweet tone in which she had
+greeted them. And it did not seem to suit her to speak sharply. She was
+very pretty and sweet-looking, and she seemed young to be tall Alie's
+mother; indeed, people often said they looked more like sisters: stout,
+sturdy little Bridget was quite unlike them both.
+
+Rosalys looked up at her mother anxiously. She could not bear her to be
+troubled, and though she was sorry for Bridget, she was vexed with her
+too. She slipped her arm inside Mrs. Vane's and drew her on.
+
+'It's too cold to stand still, mamma dear,' she said. 'Let us walk on to
+that beautiful smooth piece of sand--it's rather stony just here. Biddy,
+take care of Smut.'
+
+That meant, 'You may stay behind and keep out of the way a little.'
+Biddy had no objection to do so.
+
+'Come, Smuttie, stay by me,' she said coaxingly to the little shaggy
+black dog. Smut was very fond of Bridget, who had a very big heart for
+all dumb animals. He wagged his tail and looked up in her face with
+inquiring sympathy, for he saw quite well that Biddy was in trouble.
+This was nothing new; many and many a time had the little girl buried
+her tearful face in his rough coat and sobbed out her sorrows to him.
+They were never very big sorrows really, but they were big to her, and
+rendered bigger by the knowledge in her honest little heart that they
+were generally and mostly, if not entirely, brought about by her own
+fault.
+
+She could not stoop down to cry on Smut's back now; it would have risked
+considerable more dirtying of her poor frock. But she stayed some way
+behind her mother and sister, so that she might talk without being
+overheard by any one save her four-legged companion.
+
+'Smuttie,' she said, 'I'm very unhappy. This is only the second day at
+Seacove and I've vexed mamma already. I made good resol---- never mind;
+_you_ know what I mean, Smut--to begin new here, and it's all gone. I
+don't know what to do, Smuttie, I truly don't. Alie means to be kind,
+but it's quite easy for her to be good, I think. And it's no good me
+trying. It really isn't, so I think I'll just leave off and be
+comfortable.'
+
+Smut looked up and wagged his tail. He was quite ready to agree with
+anything Biddy proposed, so long as she spoke cheerfully and did not
+cry.
+
+'Good little Smuttie, kind little Smut,' said the child; 'you're so nice
+and understanding always.'
+
+But Smut seemed restless; he fidgeted about in front of Bride, first
+running a step or two, then stopping to wag his tail and look back
+appealingly at her in an insinuating doggy way of his own. Biddy
+pretended not to know what he meant, but she could not long keep up this
+feint.
+
+'I do know what you want,' she said at last with a sigh. 'It's a scamper,
+and I hate running, and I'm sure you know I do. But I suppose I must do
+it to please you. You won't roar after me like Rough, anyway.'
+
+And off she set, her short legs exerting themselves valiantly for
+Smuttie's sake. He of course could have run much faster, but he was far
+too much of a gentleman to do so, and he stayed beside her, contenting
+himself every now and then by stopping short to look up at her, with a
+quick cheery bark of satisfaction and encouragement.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A TRYING CHILD
+
+          'I think words are little live creatures,
+             A species of mischievous elves.'
+                                _Child Nature._
+
+
+Bride and Smuttie did not overtake Mrs. Vane and Rosalys, for they were
+running towards the sea, whereas the others were walking straight along
+the shore. But the dog's bark and the sound once or twice of the child's
+voice speaking to him came clearly through the still winter air.
+
+Mrs. Vane stopped for a moment and looked after them. She and Alie had
+been talking about Bridget as they walked.
+
+'There she is again,' said her mother, 'as merry and thoughtless as can
+be. That is the worst of her, Alie, you can make no impression on her.'
+
+'I don't think it's quite that, mamma,' Rosalys replied, 'though I know
+it often seems so. She was really very, very sorry about her frock. And
+she's so young--she's not eight yet, mamma.'
+
+'You were quite different at eight,' answered Mrs. Vane. 'Just
+think--that time I was so ill and papa was away. You were barely seven,
+and what a thoughtful, careful little body you were! I shall never
+forget waking up early one morning and seeing a little white figure
+stealthily putting coal on the fire, which was nearly out; taking up the
+lumps with its own little cold hands not to make a noise. My good little
+Alie!' and she stroked the hand that lay on her arm fondly.
+
+Rosalys smiled up at her. She loved her mother to speak so to her, but
+still her heart was sore for Biddy.
+
+'I believe--I _know_ Biddy would be just as loving to you, mamma, if she
+knew how,' she said. 'But it is true that she's very provoking. Perhaps
+it would be different if she had brothers and sisters younger than
+herself--then she'd _have_ to feel herself big and--as if it mattered
+what she did.'
+
+'Responsible, you mean,' said Mrs. Vane. 'Yes, that is the best
+training. But we can't provide small brothers and sisters ready-made for
+Biddy, and I am very well contented with the three I have got! It might
+be a good thing if she had some companions nearer her own age, but even
+that has its difficulties. Just think of the scrapes she got into that
+time I sent her to your aunt's for a fortnight! Why, she was sent home
+in disgrace for--what was it for--I forget? Biddy's scrapes are so
+many.'
+
+'For taking the two smallest children to bathe in the pond before
+breakfast, wasn't it?' said Alie.
+
+'Oh yes--after having half killed their valuable Persian cat by feeding
+it with cheese-cakes, or something of the kind,' added Mrs. Vane.
+
+But she could not help smiling a little. Alie had already seen that she
+was softening; whenever mamma called Bridget 'Biddy,' she knew it was a
+good sign.
+
+'There is one comfort,' said the elder sister, in her motherly way,
+'Biddy has a _terribly_ kind heart. She is never naughty out of--out of
+_naughtiness_. But oh, mamma, let us wait a minute; the sunset is
+beginning.'
+
+And so indeed it was. Over there--far out, over the western sea, the
+cold, quiet, winter sea, the sun was growing red as he slowly sank, till
+he seemed to kiss the ocean, which glowed, blushing, in return. It was
+all red and gray to-night--red and gray only, though there were grandly
+splendid sunsets at Seacove sometimes, when every shade and colour which
+light can show to our eyes shone out as if a veil were drawn back from
+the mysterious glory we may but glimpse at. But the red and gray were
+very beautiful in their way, and the unusual stillness, broken only by
+the soft monotonous lap, lap, of the wavelets as they rippled themselves
+into nothing on the sand, seemed to suit the gentle tones of the sky.
+And some way off, nearer the sea, seeming farther away than they really
+were, as they stood right in the ruddy trail of light, were two little
+figures, both looking black by contrast, though in point of fact only
+one was so. They were Bridget and Smut, both apparently absorbed in
+admiring the sunset.
+
+'Isn't it beautiful, Smuttie?' Biddy was saying. 'It's the sun going to
+bed, you know, dear.'
+
+Smut wagged his tail.
+
+'It's so pretty,' she continued, 'that it makes me think I'd like to be
+good. P'raps I'd better fix to try again after all--what do you think,
+Smut?'
+
+Repeated and more energetic tail-wagging, accompanied this time by a
+short sharp bark. Smut has had enough of the sunset and standing still;
+he wants to be off again. But Bride interprets his response in her own
+way.
+
+'You think it would be better?--thank you, dear, for saying so. You are
+so nice, Smut, for always understanding. Well, I will then, and I'll
+begin by telling mamma I'm dreadfully sorry about my frock. Good-night,
+sun--I wish I lived out in the lighthouse--one could see the sun right
+down in the sea out there, I should think. I wonder if he stays in the
+sea all night till he comes up at the other side in the morning? No--I
+don't think he can though, for it says in my jography that it's sunshine
+at the other side of the world when it's night here, so he can't stay in
+the sea. I must ask Alie--p'raps it's not the same sun as in London.'
+
+She turned, followed by Smut, who, failing to persuade her to another
+scamper, consoled himself by poking his nose into the sand in search of
+unknown dainties which I fear were not to be found. The pair came up to
+Mrs. Vane and Rosalys, who seemed to be waiting for them.
+
+'Mamma,' Biddy began, in a very contrite tone, 'I've been thinking and
+I want to tell you I am truly and really very, _very_ sorry about my
+frock. I didn't mean not to seem sorry. I can't think how it got torn,
+for Alie didn't tear hers, and she was playing about just the same.'
+
+'I don't know either, Biddy,' said her mother. 'It is just the old
+story, you must be more careful. Perhaps, to go back to the beginning,
+it would have been better to change to an old frock if you meant to romp
+about; _or_, it would have been better still perhaps, not to romp when
+you knew you had a good frock on.'
+
+'That was my fault, mamma,' Alie put in.
+
+'Well, we must try and get the mischief repaired, and let us hope it
+will be a reminder to you, Biddy, every time you wear this frock.'
+
+Bridget murmured something; she meant to be very good. But when she got
+a little behind her mother and Alie again she gave herself a shake.
+
+'I shouldn't like that at all,' she thought. 'I should hate this frock
+if it was always to remind me. I think mamma is rather like the mamma in
+_Rosamund_ when she speaks that way, and I'm like Rosamund on her day of
+misfortunes, only all my days are days of misfortunes. But I do think
+I'm nicer than she was.'
+
+As they reached the edge of the shore, where a gate opened into a
+pathway through a field to the Rectory itself, Mrs. Vane stopped to look
+across once more at the sunset.
+
+'Yes, he is just going--just. Look, children.'
+
+Alie turned too, but Biddy walked on.
+
+'I don't want to look again,' she said. 'I've said good-night to him
+once.'
+
+Mrs. Vane glanced at Rosalys.
+
+'What's the matter now?' her glance seemed to say.
+
+Rosalys smiled back.
+
+'It isn't naughtiness,' she whispered. 'It's only some fancy.'
+
+And so it was.
+
+'I said good-night to him when I'd fixed to try to be good,' Bride was
+saying to herself, 'and if I look at him again now it'll undo the
+fixing. Besides, I've begun to feel a little naughty again already--I
+don't like Rosamund's mamma.'
+
+As they walked up the path, Smut, who was really Mrs. Vane's dog and had
+got his own ideas as to etiquette, returned to his mistress's side and
+trotted along gravely. He knew that his chances of scampers were over
+for the day, for not even the most ardent runner could have crossed the
+field at full speed without coming to grief. It was rough and stony,
+and to call it a field was a figure of speech; the soil was nothing but
+sand, and the grass was of the coarsest. But the Rectory stood on rather
+rising ground, and old Dr. Bunton and his wife had fortunately been fond
+of gardening. The lawn on the farther side of the house was very
+respectable, and more flowers and shrubs had been coaxed to grow than
+could have been expected. Still, to newcomers fresh from a comfortable
+town-house--and there is no denying that as far as comfort goes a
+town-house in winter has many advantages over a small country one--it
+did look somewhat dreary and desolate. All the brightness had gone out
+of the sky by now; it loomed blue-gray behind the chimneys, and a faint
+murmuring as of wind in the distance getting up its forces began to be
+heard.
+
+Mrs. Vane shivered a little.
+
+'I do hope your father and Randolph will be in soon,' she said. 'It may
+be very mild here, but it strikes me as chilly all the same. I really
+don't think it is wise to stay out so late, and it has been so almost
+unnaturally still all day, I shouldn't wonder if it was setting in for
+stormy weather.'
+
+Biddy's eyes sparkled.
+
+'I would so like,' she was beginning, but she suddenly checked herself.
+'Are there always shipwrecks when there's storms?' she asked.
+
+'I fear so,' her mother replied.
+
+'Then I mustn't like storms, I suppose,' said the child. 'It's very
+tiresome--everything's made the wrong way.'
+
+'Bridget, take care what you're saying,' Mrs. Vane said almost sternly.
+
+Biddy's face did not pucker up, but a dark look came over it, taking
+away all the pleasant brightness and the merry eagerness of the gray
+eyes. She did not often look like that, fortunately, for it made her
+almost ugly. And though her face cleared a little after a while, still
+it was gloomy, like the darkening sky outside, when she followed Alie
+downstairs to tea, after they had taken off their things and the torn
+frock had been changed.
+
+Things had hardly got into their regular order yet at Seacove Rectory.
+The Vanes had only been there three days, and every one knows that the
+troubles of a removal, especially to a considerable distance, are very
+much aggravated when it takes place in midwinter. It was not to be
+wondered at that 'mamma' felt both tired and rather dispirited. She was
+a little homesick too, for mammas can feel homesick as well as both boys
+and girls; and indeed I would not take upon myself to say that 'papas'
+are quite above this weakness either. Christmas time had been spent at
+Mrs. Vane's old home, a warm, cheery, old-fashioned country-house, where
+grandpapa and grandmamma were still hale and hearty, and never so happy
+as when surrounded by their grandchildren. This old home of mamma's was
+within easy access of London too; no wonder, therefore, that the remote
+seaside rectory seemed a kind of exile to Mrs. Vane, though the reasons
+that had made Mr. Vane accept the offer of Seacove had been very
+important ones.
+
+Rosalys, and Randolph too, though in a less thoughtful way, understood
+all this, and both of the elder children were anxious to help and cheer
+their parents to the best of their ability. And as all children love
+change, and most children enjoy, for a time at least, the freedom and
+independence of the country, it was much less trying for them than for
+their father and mother. To Bridget the idea of coming to live
+altogether at the seaside was one of unmixed pleasure. She dearly loved
+the sea, and all she had hitherto known of it was in pleasant summer
+weather, and at a bright amusing little place called Rockcliffe.
+Seacove was certainly not exactly what she had expected; still,
+sand-hills and a great stretch of splendid shore were not to be
+despised. I feel sure, however, that young as she was she would have
+sympathised with her mother, and tried 'extra' hard not to vex her, had
+she known more about it all. But very little had been explained to her;
+indeed, Rosalys had been forbidden to say much about the reasons for the
+change to her little sister. 'She is such a baby for her age, and so
+heedless,' said Mrs. Vane. In treating Bride thus, I think her mother
+made a mistake.
+
+The children's tea was laid out in the dining-room, for the schoolroom
+was still in a chaotic state, and Miss Millet, the governess, was not
+coming back for another week yet. And in the meantime mamma, and papa
+too, sometimes had tea with the little girls and Randolph.
+
+The fire was burning brightly and the table looked inviting when Mrs.
+Vane came downstairs. Alie had hurried down to see to it all; she knew
+what a difference a little care makes sometimes--how a crumpled-looking
+table-cloth or untidily placed dishes will add to low spirits when any
+one is not feeling as bright and cheerful as usual. There were still
+some of grandmamma's good things, which she had had packed in a hamper
+for the first start at the new rectory--home-made cakes and honey and
+fresh butter, the very sight of which made one hungry!
+
+Rosalys glanced at her mother, and was pleased to see that the sweet
+face looked rather brighter and less anxious as she stood for a moment
+at the fire warming her hands.
+
+'There is one comfort in this house, inconvenient though it is in many
+ways,' said Mrs. Vane, 'the chimneys don't smoke. And close to the sea
+as it is, one could scarcely have wondered if they had done so. If only
+it really does your father as much good as the doctors said, I am sure
+I shall get to like it.'
+
+'Yes indeed,' Alie agreed. 'Mamma dear, won't you sit down and let me
+pour out your tea?'
+
+'The wind is really rising,' said Mrs. Vane. 'I wish they would come
+in--papa and Rough. It would be such a pity if he caught cold,' she
+added with a little sigh.
+
+Something in the tone and the sigh caught Biddy's attention. She was
+sitting at the table more silent than usual, very much absorbed, in
+fact, with her own grievances. What did mamma mean?
+
+'Is papa ill?' she asked abruptly.
+
+Alie glanced at her, frowning slightly. Her mother turned quickly.
+
+'What a strange question to ask, Bride,' she said; 'it is just like
+you--you cannot but know that papa is not at all strong.'
+
+Biddy looked puzzled. 'Strong' to her meant vaguely being able to lift
+heavy weights, or things of that kind.
+
+'I didn't know he was _ill_,' she replied. 'I didn't know big people
+were ill except for going to die, like our 'nother grandmamma. Papa's
+had the measles and chicken-pox when he was little, hasn't he? I thought
+it was only children that could be ill to get better like that.'
+
+Mrs. Vane glanced at Rosalys in a sort of despair. But before Alie could
+say anything to smooth matters, her mother called Bridget from her seat
+and made her stand before her.
+
+'Bridget,' she said, 'I don't know what to say to you. Have you no heart
+or feeling at all? How _can_ you say such things. I do not believe in
+your not understanding; you can understand when you choose, and you are
+nearly eight years old. You must know how miserably anxious I have been
+and still am about your father; you _must_ know it is for his health we
+have come to this strange, dreary place, away from every one we care
+for, and you can talk in that cold-hearted, cold-blooded way about dying
+and not getting better and--and----' Mrs. Vane's voice trembled and
+quivered. She seemed almost as if she were going to cry. Alie came and
+stood beside her, gently putting her arm round her mother and looking
+daggers at Bride. Mamma was nervous and over-tired, she knew; she had
+had so much to go through lately. How could Biddy be so naughty and
+unfeeling? And yet, as the words passed through her mind, Rosalys
+hesitated. Biddy was not really unfeeling--it was not the word for her.
+It was more as if she would not take the trouble to feel or to
+understand anything that was not her own special concern; there was a
+queer kind of laziness about her, which led to selfishness. It was as if
+her mind and heart were asleep sometimes.
+
+But she could feel. Her face was all puckered up now; there was no
+temper or sullenness about it, but real pale-faced distress.
+
+'Mamma,' she said brokenly, 'I didn't, oh, truly, I didn't mean it that
+way. I know papa isn't old enough to die; but I thought he was too big
+to be ill like that.'
+
+'Biddy,' said Alie sternly, 'you are talking nonsense again. You know
+big people are ill often, and sometimes they get better and sometimes
+they die. Don't you remember Mrs. Hay--Meta Hay's mamma? She was ill
+and----'
+
+'Yes, I quite forgot,' exclaimed Biddy eagerly; 'I didn't think. Yes,
+Meta's mamma was very ill, and she died. I wish I'd remembered; and she
+wasn't at all old like Grandmamma Vane.'
+
+She spoke almost cheerfully. Again Mrs. Vane glanced at her elder
+daughter.
+
+'It's no use,' she was beginning, but Alie interrupted. How she wished
+the unfortunate Mrs. Hay had not been the first instance to occur to
+her!
+
+'_Children_ get ill and die too sometimes,' Alie went on, 'and big
+people very often get better. There was Captain Leonard next door to us
+at home----'
+
+'And--I know--the boy-that-brought-the-potatoes' papa,' cried Biddy. 'I
+_am_ so glad I thought of him. I was in the kitchen one morning fetching
+sand for Tweetums's cage and he came in, and cook asked how was his
+papa, and he said, "Finely better, I thank ye, mum." I think cook said
+he was a _Hirish_ boy,' Bridget hurried on in her excitement--and when
+she was excited I am afraid her 'h's' were apt to suffer--Mrs. Vane
+gasped! 'I am _so_ glad I thought of him. Papa will get better like the
+potato boy's father. I'll say it in my prayers. Dear mamma, I won't
+forget. And I _will_ try to be good and not tear my frocks nor speak
+without thinking.'
+
+The tears were coming now, but Biddy knew mamma did not like her to
+begin to cry, and truly it was no wonder, for once she began it was by
+no means easy to say when she would leave off! She choked them down as
+well as she could. And the little face, hot and flushed now, was timidly
+raised to her mother's for a kiss of forgiveness.
+
+It was not refused, but a sigh accompanied it, which went to the child's
+heart. But there was no time for more, as at that moment the hall door
+was heard to open and Mr. Vane's and Rough's voices sounded outside.
+
+Quite subdued, desperately penitent, Bridget went back to her place. Her
+head was full as well as her heart. She had so many things to think over
+that she felt as if she could not eat. First and foremost was the
+strange newly awakened anxiety about her father. She looked at him as he
+came in as she had never looked at him before, almost expecting to see
+some great and appalling change in his appearance. But no--he seemed
+much as usual--his face was indeed reddened a little by his brisk walk
+in the chill air, and his voice was as cheery as ever. Biddy gave a
+loud, most audible sigh of relief. Mr. Vane started and interrupted
+himself in the middle of a lively account of the adventures he and
+Randolph had met with in their walk.
+
+'My dear Biddy,' he said. 'What _can_ you have to sigh about in that
+appalling way?'
+
+Bridget opened her mouth as if to speak, but Rosalys, trembling as to
+what she might not be going to say, interrupted.
+
+'Please, papa, don't ask her just now,' she said; 'do go on telling us
+about what sort of a place Seacove is,' and she added in a whisper, as
+she gave a little private tug to his sleeve, 'Biddy's been
+rather--tiresome, and if she begins to cry----'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+BIDDY HAS SOME NEW THOUGHTS
+
+          'O, children take long to grow.'
+                           JEAN INGELOW.
+
+
+Mr. Vane nodded in token of comprehending Alie's hint.
+
+'You must walk to Seacove to-morrow and see it for yourselves,' he said.
+
+'That is to say if it is fine,' said Mrs. Vane. 'Doesn't it look stormy
+to-night?'
+
+'The wind is getting up, but that one must expect at this time of the
+year, and a good blow now and then won't hurt the girls. I feel ever so
+much the better for the touch of it we had this afternoon. I'm certain
+it is a very healthy place.'
+
+Mrs. Vane smiled a little.
+
+'I have noticed that that is generally said of places that have nothing
+else to recommend them. But no,' she went on, 'I must not begin by
+finding fault. If it proves to us a health-giving place I certainly
+shall like it, whatever else it is or is not. Did you go into the church
+this afternoon?'
+
+'Just for a moment. Rough wanted to glance at it,' Mr. Vane replied, his
+tone sounding rather less cheerful.
+
+'It looked very dingy and dismal,' Randolph said. 'It's all high pews
+and high-up windows, you know, mamma. Papa says it must have been built
+at the very ugliest time for churches, before they began to improve at
+all.'
+
+'And there is nothing to be done to it,' said Mr. Vane. 'Even if we
+could attempt it and had the money, there would be endless difficulties
+in the way of prejudice and old associations to overcome.'
+
+'And it is not as if we were really settled here,' said the children's
+mother. 'You must not take the church to heart, Bernard; you could
+scarcely expect anything better in a place like this.'
+
+'No--it will be slow work to bring about any improvement in outlying
+places of this kind certainly,' Mr. Vane agreed. Then he brightened up a
+little. 'There is a very good organ, and I met the organist. He seems
+very hearty and eager.'
+
+'That's a good thing. How did you come across him?' asked Mrs. Vane.
+
+'We went to the stationer's to order the newspapers. I might of course
+have had them straight from town, but I think it is right to get what
+one can in the place, and it helps me to get to know the people a
+little. The organist--Redding is his name--was in the shop; I fancy he's
+a bit of a gossip, for he looked rather guilty when we went in, just as
+if they had been talking about us, and then he introduced himself. He's
+coming up to have a talk with me to-morrow.'
+
+'It is quite a nice shop,' said Randolph. 'I expect it has some of the
+College custom. I saw some books with the College crest on lying about.
+You can get painting things there, Alie,' he added.
+
+Rosalys looked interested, and Biddy's face grew some degrees less long.
+
+'Is there a toy-shop?' she asked.
+
+'There's better than a toy-shop--a wonderful sort of place they call a
+bazaar,' Rough replied. 'You may walk all round and look at the things
+without having to buy, and there's one part where all the toys are only
+a penny.'
+
+Biddy clasped her hands in ecstasy.
+
+'Oh, mamma,' she said, '_may_ we go and see it to-morrow? Oh, I'm sure
+Seacove is ever so much nicer than London!'
+
+Mr. Vane smiled.
+
+'How many pennies have you got to spend, Biddy?' he said.
+
+Biddy's face sobered again, and the corners of her mouth went down.
+
+'I've got two,' she said in a very meek voice, 'and there would have
+been another to-morrow, that's Saturday, if--I--hadn't----'
+
+'What?' asked Mr. Vane.
+
+'Tore my frock,' said Biddy very slowly.
+
+'_Torn_, if you please,' said her father. 'Well, suppose mamma lets you
+off as it's the first Saturday at Seacove, that will be threepence, and
+suppose I give you three pennies more, that will be sixpence--with
+sixpence you could make important purchases at the penny counter, could
+she not, Rough?'
+
+'Certainly, I should say,' Randolph replied.
+
+Bridget's face crimsoned with pleasure. She got up from her seat and ran
+round to the arm-chair by the fire where Mr. Vane was quietly sipping
+his tea, and at the imminent risk of throwing it all over him, flung her
+arms round his neck.
+
+'Oh, thank you, papa, _dear_ papa,' she said, 'dear, dear papa, and I do
+_so_ hope you'll be like the boy-that-brought-the-potatoes' papa, and
+I'm going always to be good now, always.'
+
+Poor Mr. Vane disengaged himself and his tea-cup with some difficulty
+from his little daughter's embraces. To his surprise, when he could
+manage to see her face, there were tears in her eyes. He was touched but
+at the same time rather apprehensive; it was ticklish work when Biddy's
+floodgates were opened.
+
+'My poor little woman,' he said; 'yes, it's quite right to make good
+resolutions. But, remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, Bride; you'll
+have to keep up your courage and go on trying. But what's all that about
+boys and potatoes?'
+
+Biddy grew red; she felt by instinct that she must not tell over all the
+conversation; mamma would be vexed.
+
+'I only meant----' and she hesitated.
+
+'Biddy knew a little greengrocer boy in London who was very fond of his
+father,' said Rosalys quickly.
+
+'Never mind about that just now,' Mrs. Vane added. 'I have several
+things I want to ask you about your study. If you have finished your
+tea, will you come in there with me? The work-people about here are
+rather stupid, I'm afraid, Bernard. They don't the least understand
+about the book-shelves.'
+
+'Don't worry yourself about it,' Mr. Vane replied. 'Things will get
+straight by degrees. I'm afraid you have much more trouble now that
+M'Creagh's gone.'
+
+M'Creagh was Mrs. Vane's 'old maid,' as the children called her. She had
+been with her since Mrs. Vane's childhood, and had lately given up her
+right to the title by getting married, to the great regret of everybody
+except, I _fear_, Biddy. For M'Creagh had 'managed' the little girl in a
+wonderful way; that is to say, she had kept her in order, and Biddy very
+much preferred being left to her own devices.
+
+Mrs. Vane sat down on the low couch--one end of which was covered with
+piles of books,--they were in the study by this time.
+
+'Yes,' she said, 'I miss M'Creagh, but my real trouble just now,
+Bernard, is Biddy. I am afraid I don't take the right way with her,
+somehow. She is so tiresomely heedless and provoking, and sometimes
+I really wonder if she has any heart.'
+
+Mr. Vane looked up in surprise, in which there was a little touch of
+indignation, at this. Fresh from Bridget's loving hugs and the sight of
+the tears in her eyes, he could hardly be expected to agree with this
+opinion of her.
+
+'My dear,' he said, 'I think you are not fair upon her. I really can't
+help saying so. The poor child is heedless and provoking to a degree,
+but she is very affectionate.'
+
+Mrs. Vane did not seem annoyed; she was, on the contrary, rather glad of
+what Mr. Vane said.
+
+'Yes, she seems so sometimes, and I hope it is only her
+childishness--but it is so impossible to make any lasting impression on
+her. And I don't see how things are to improve with her. Rosalys was a
+perfect little woman at her age. Bridget thinks of _nothing_--I have
+seen it so much since we came here and during the bustle of the removal
+from London. She lives like a complete baby--perhaps it is partly that
+Alie is so unusually thoughtful and helpful, a real right-hand to me,
+and Rough too for a boy is very sensible. So Biddy goes her own way,
+nothing is expected of her, and she certainly fulfils the expectation,'
+she wound up with a half smile.
+
+Mr. Vane sat silent.
+
+'She might be better with some companionship of her own age,' he said
+in a few minutes. 'The give-and-take of even childish companionship is a
+kind of training and discipline. As it is, she is almost like an only
+child. Now, if Alie were away for a while, Bridget would have to try to
+take her place.'
+
+'I could not do without Alie, not just now certainly,' said Mrs. Vane
+decidedly. 'We must just hope that somehow time will improve Bridget.'
+
+'And don't be too hard on her,' said her father. 'I feel sure she means
+well.'
+
+'When she means anything,' replied Mrs. Vane; 'but she seldom thinks
+enough for that.'
+
+'I don't know about that,' said Mr. Vane doubtfully, 'still----'
+
+But then something in the arrangement of the book-shelves caught his
+eye, and no more was said of Biddy for the time.
+
+Papa did not forget. Bridget got her fourpence the next day, a penny
+from mamma and threepence from papa. And all troubles were thrown to the
+winds, torn frocks and everything disagreeable forgotten, when she set
+off with Rosalys and Randolph, under their maid's charge, for a visit to
+Seacove, the wonderful bazaar being the real object of the walk.
+
+Only a very slight misgiving came over her as papa stooped to kiss her
+in the doorway; they met him on their way out.
+
+'Be a sensible little woman to-day, my Biddy,' he said, 'and don't get
+into any scrapes to worry your mamma.'
+
+The child looked up into his face. Was it the yellowish morning light
+from over the sea--for it was clear and bright though cold--that made
+papa's face so pale? And yesterday he had looked so nice and rosy--Biddy
+felt rather strange; for the first time in her little life there came
+over her a faint, very faint shadow of _the_ shadow which, as we grow
+older, we learn cannot be avoided; the wings of the solemn angel seemed
+for an instant to brush her softly. Biddy trembled without understanding
+why.
+
+'Papa, dear papa,' she said, but somehow no other words would come.
+
+He kissed her again, and he smiled. It seemed to brighten up his face.
+Bridget gave a sigh of relief: the potato boy's papa had got well, and
+very likely he too looked pale sometimes. Still that strange breath of
+feeling had left some result.
+
+'Alie,' she said, as she trotted down the garden path beside her sister,
+the sixpence tightly clasped in her hand, 'is there anything I could get
+for a present for two of my pennies? I want to get some of the toys for
+myself with papa's three pennies, and I want to get a thimble with one,
+'cos I've lost mine, and my workbox is messy-looking.'
+
+'You can't get a proper one for a penny, not a silver one, and mamma
+says imitation ones are bad to wear,' said Rosalys. 'I've got my first
+thimble that's too small now--it's real silver. I'll give it you, and
+that'll leave you threepence for your present. But who's it for?'
+
+'Three pennies won't do,' said Biddy. 'It must be two pennies, 'cos it's
+for papa, and he gave me three pennies, and it would just be like giving
+it him back again.'
+
+Rosalys and Randolph glanced at each other. They could scarcely believe
+it was thoughtless Biddy speaking.
+
+'Yes, I quite understand,' said Alie. 'Let's see--what could you get for
+papa? Can't you help us, Rough?'
+
+Rough considered deeply.
+
+'A purse--no, that would be too dear--or an inkstand?' he said.
+
+'I'm sure an inkstand would be far dearer,' said Alie sharply. 'You're
+no good, Rough. I daresay we'll see something there, Biddy dear. I'll
+not forget.'
+
+Bride felt very pleased. She was in high favour with Rosalys, she could
+see. She began jumping up and down the little grass-covered sandy
+hillocks that bordered the road, scarcely more than a cart-track, across
+the common between the Rectory and the little town.
+
+'There's a shorter way if we turn, a little farther on,' said Rough. 'We
+can either get on to the road above the shore--it's a proper road--or
+cut across a very sandy place, much sandier than the common.'
+
+'No,' said Alie, 'I'd rather go along the road even if it's farther.
+Walking on sand is so tiresome, and spoils one's boots so. Biddy, I
+think you'd better walk quietly: remember what papa said, and you know
+you are rather unlucky.'
+
+It was pleasant walking along the firm, hard road, and the fresh air was
+exhilarating--the sunshine, thin and wintry though it was, gilded palely
+the little shallow lakes and pools left by the outgoing tide along the
+shore, for it was almost low water now. Even the bare stretches of sand
+did not look ugly, as they sometimes do--a touch of sunshine makes all
+the difference! And the even stony path--a sort of natural breakwater
+running out towards the lighthouse--here and there caught a gleam or two
+from the sky.
+
+'It looks quite different to last night,' said Alie. 'That's one thing
+I like the seaside for; it's always changing.'
+
+'And the wind's gone down with the tide,' said Randolph, 'though it did
+blow last night. There'll be rough weather before long, everybody says.'
+
+'I _would_ so like to be in the lighthouse if there was a storm,' said
+Biddy. 'That isn't naughty to wish, Alie, for the lighthouse is to keep
+away shipwrecks. And if there just _was_ one, you know, it _would_ be
+nice to be there to help the poor wet people, and carry them in to the
+fire, and rub them dry with hot blankets, like in that story, you know.'
+
+'A lot you'd be able to carry,' said Rough contemptuously. 'Why, you're
+so fat and roundabout, and your legs are so short you can scarcely carry
+yourself.'
+
+'Rough,' began Rosalys warningly. And
+
+'_Alie_,' began Bridget at the same moment in her whining tone, 'do
+listen to him.'
+
+But a peremptory 'Hush' from Randolph checked her. Both the girls looked
+up. A short, rather stout, pleasant-faced man was at that moment
+overtaking them.
+
+'Good-morning, sir,' he said as he passed, and 'Good-morning, Mr.
+Redding,' returned Rough courteously, as the other lifted his hat.
+Rough had very nice manners.
+
+'That is Redding, the organist,' said Rough. 'He's something else as
+well--a tailor or a draper----'
+
+'"A butcher, a baker, or candlestick-maker,"' interrupted Rosalys
+laughingly. She did not mean to make fun of good Mr. Redding, but she
+wanted to make the others laugh too, to restore their good humour.
+
+'Well, something, any way,' Randolph went on. 'Papa says he's an awfully
+good sort of man; he gives all his spare time to the organ for nothing.'
+
+'That's very nice,' said Alie approvingly.
+
+They were near the actual town of Seacove by this time--town or village,
+it was difficult to say which, though the rows of tall masts a little
+way off in the docks and the paved streets hardly seemed to suit the
+idea of a village. And a few minutes more brought them to what was
+ambitiously called the 'Parade,' where stood the long low bazaar, with a
+large placard at the door announcing that 'entrance' was 'free.'
+
+In summer the bazaar blossomed out into twice its winter size, thanks to
+a tentlike canvas front; at present it was a building of not very
+imposing appearance. But it was long in proportion to its width, and one
+or two gas-jets lighted up the innermost end, even in the daytime. This
+gave it a rather mysterious air, and added much to Biddy's admiration.
+
+'It's a _lovely_ place,' she whispered to the others in an almost
+awestruck tone. Rough felt much gratified; he considered the bazaar his
+own 'find.' He set to work very graciously to do the honours of it, and
+led the way slowly between the two sloping-upwards counters or tables at
+each side, on which were arranged the more important and expensive
+wares--china vases, glass, English and foreign, some of it really quaint
+and uncommon, such as was not, in those days at least, to be often met
+with in regular shops, workboxes and desks of various kinds;
+papier-mâché writing-books, a few clocks; jewelry, a little real, a
+great deal imitation, in glass-lidded cases; and so on. And down the
+centre stood groups of walking-sticks, camp-stools, croquet-sets, and
+such like.
+
+'Usefuller' things, as Biddy afterwards told her mother, were not
+wanting either. Hair-brushes and combs, metal teapots, and lots of gaily
+painted trays were among them. And some very magnificent dolls gazed
+down with their bright unblinking eyes at the whole from a high
+position, where they and the larger, more costly toys were placed.
+
+It was all very imposing, very breath-taking-away, and Biddy's eyes
+were very eager and her mouth wide open as she trotted after Alie. For
+London shops were not as magnificent forty years ago as they are now;
+and, besides it was not often that the little Vanes had paid a visit to
+Cremer's or the arcades, which are children's delight. And then it was
+here so delightfully uncrowded and quiet. The shopwoman, knowing who
+they were, felt not a little honoured by their prompt visit, and beyond
+a civil 'Good-morning, young ladies,' left them free to stare about and
+admire as they chose.
+
+But they did not linger long before the objects which they knew to be
+quite beyond their reach. It was the penny counter for which they were
+really bound, and to which Rough piloted them with an air of great
+pride.
+
+'There, now,' he said, waving his hand like a show-man; 'what do you say
+to that, girls? All these things--everything you can see as far as
+here--for a penny!'
+
+Biddy gasped; even Alie was impressed.
+
+'They're really very nice, Biddy,' she said. 'And oh, look, what nice
+dolls' furniture! What a pity, Biddy, you don't care for dolls!'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+CELESTINA
+
+          'Little china tea-things and delightful dinner-sets;
+           Trumpets, drums, and baby-horses; balls in coloured nets.'
+                                      _What the Toys do at Night._
+
+
+Just as she said these words Rosalys became conscious that some one else
+was standing beside her. She looked round. A little girl, simply but
+neatly dressed, had come into the bazaar, and had made her way
+noiselessly up to where the Rectory children stood. She was a slight,
+delicate-looking child, taller than Bridget, though not seemingly much
+older. She had large, earnest, perhaps somewhat wistful, brown eyes,
+which made her face attractive and interesting when you looked at it
+closely, though at first sight it was too small and pale to catch one's
+attention. She stood there quietly and very grave, her eyes fixed on
+Alie Vane's lovely and sweet face, yet without the slightest shadow of
+forwardness or freedom in her gaze. An expression of great surprise,
+mingled with a little pity, flitted across her when she heard the elder
+girl's words--'What a pity, Biddy, you don't care for dolls!' and it was
+with intense interest she listened to Bridget's reply.
+
+'I would care for them, Alie, if I had any one to play at them with me.
+But you think you're too big--I think you've always thought yourself too
+big--and Rough's a boy. So how could I care for dolls all alone?'
+
+Bride's voice had taken the peculiar little whine it always did when she
+was at all put out. It was comical and yet a little irritating; but just
+now neither Rosalys nor Randolph was inclined to be irritated. Alie only
+laughed.
+
+'Well, I'm not forcing you to play with dolls, nor to buy them,' she
+said. 'Only these little tiny chairs are so funny.'
+
+A voice behind her made her start. Yet it was a very soft, rather timid
+little voice.
+
+'You can play much nicer with little dolls alone--a good many little
+dolls--than with one or two big ones,' it said.
+
+Biddy turned round and stared at the small maiden. She did not mean to
+be rude; she was only surprised and curious; but her rosy cheeks and
+round eyes looked much less sweet and gentle than Alie's pretty face and
+soft long-lashed blue eyes, which had always a rather appealing
+expression. Biddy opened her mouth but did not speak. The little
+stranger grew very red. Rosalys spoke to her gently.
+
+'Yes,' she said, 'I should think little dolls would be much more amusing
+to play with alone. You could make them act things, and you could make
+houses for them. Biddy, wouldn't you like to furnish our old doll-house
+fresh?'
+
+'I don't know,' said Biddy rather surlily. 'You'd call me a baby.'
+
+'Indeed I wouldn't,' said Alie eagerly. 'It would be such a nice play
+for you. You might buy two or three of those sweet little chairs as a
+beginning.'
+
+'They are particular nice,' put in the shopwoman. 'It isn't often
+they're made so small, not so cheap. And what were you wanting this
+morning, my dear?' she went on to the little newcomer.
+
+'If you please, I want two of them--of the chairs,' the child replied,
+holding out two pennies. Her face was still rather red, but she glanced
+with admiration mingled with gratitude at Rosalys.
+
+The shopwoman handed her the two little chairs, but she did not seem
+quite satisfied.
+
+'Would you like to choose for yourself?' said the woman with a smile.
+She seemed used to the ways and manners of small customers--of this
+small customer especially, perhaps--and she made way for her as the
+little girl, well pleased, came close to the counter. Then for a minute
+or two the child stood absorbed, weighing the comparative merits of blue
+and pink cotton chair seats, and of dark and light coloured wood. At
+last, with a little sigh of mingled anxiety and satisfaction, she held
+out two to the woman.
+
+'These, please,' she said; and, without waiting for her purchases to be
+wrapped up, she turned, and with a glance at the other children, a
+shadowy smile for half an instant wavering over her face, she quietly
+made her way out of the shop.
+
+'Poor little girl,' said Rosalys. 'You quite frightened her when she
+spoke, Bridget. Why did you glare at her so?'
+
+'I didn't glare at her; you're very unkind, Alie, to say so,' said
+Biddy, in her complaining tone.
+
+'Oh, I say, Biddy, don't be so grumpy,' Randolph put in, 'and do fix
+what you're going to buy. There's something over here that papa would
+like, I know. A whistle, such a jolly strong one, and only two-pence. It
+would do for him to call me in by, and much less trouble than ringing
+that clumsy bell.'
+
+Biddy went off to look at the whistle. It was a very neat one, in the
+shape of a dog's head, and she at once decided upon it, for she had
+great faith in Rough's opinion as to what papa would like. Then ensued
+another weighty consultation at the penny stall, where Alie had meantime
+bought a pair of tiny dolls, which she meant to dress in secret as a
+'surprise' for her little sister--'it would be so nice if she took to
+dressing dolls for herself,' she thought--and a yard measure for
+herself. Bridget's perplexities ended in the purchase of one of the neat
+little chairs and a small table and a tiny china dog.
+
+'They'd be pretty as ornaments on my mantelpiece even if I never have a
+doll-house,' she said. 'And if I did have the doll-house done up, it
+_must_ have a dog, to keep watch, you know, Alie.'
+
+At the entrance of the bazaar they ran against Mr. Redding. He looked
+hot and hurried and was walking very fast, but at sight of them he
+stopped suddenly, and then, came up to Randolph.
+
+'_Would_ you excuse me, sir,' he began, 'if I were to ask you a great
+favour? I have just been at the Rectory to see Mr. Vane and I am
+hurrying off to Brewton by the next train, for unfortunately there is
+something wrong with one of the organ stops and I must get a man to come
+over at once. It would never do not to be able to use the organ properly
+the first Sunday Mr. Vane is here. I find it later than I thought, and
+I had undertaken to leave this note at Mr. Fairchild's in Pier Street for
+the rector. You will pass there on your way home, unless you
+particularly want to go by Sandy Common?'
+
+'Oh no,' said Rough, 'we don't mind. Of course I'll leave it for you,
+Mr. Redding. Is there an answer?'
+
+But Mr. Redding, having thrust the note into the boy's hands, was
+already some paces off. He called out some rather incoherent reply, of
+which 'thank you, thank you,' were the only intelligible words.
+
+'What a fussy little man,' said Alie. 'But papa said he was proud of his
+organ, and it would be horrid at church without it. Which is Pier
+Street, Rough, do you know?'
+
+'Not a bit of it--nor which is Mr. Fairchild's shop, or if it is a shop.
+He only said at Mr. Fairchild's,' replied Randolph. 'I suppose any one
+can tell us however; it's not like London.'
+
+The 'Parade' at its farther end turned into the docks. The children
+walked on, tempted by the sight of the tall masts in front of them.
+
+'Wouldn't I like to see over some of those ships,' said Rough. Just then
+a little group of sailors, looking little more than boys for the most
+part, in spite of their bronzed and sunburnt skin, passed them,
+chattering and whistling cheerily. They belonged to a vessel but newly
+arrived from some southern port. One could see how happy they were to be
+on English ground again--some of them maybe belonged to Seacove itself.
+
+'Would you like to be a sailor, Rough?' said Alie.
+
+Randolph hesitated.
+
+'No, I don't think so, but I like seeing ships and hearing about
+voyages.'
+
+'_I'd_ like to be a sailor,' said Bridget suddenly. Rosalys and her
+brother could not help laughing.
+
+'What a funny sailor you'd make,' they said. And indeed it was not easy
+to imagine her short, compact, roundabout figure climbing up masts and
+darting about with the monkey-like swiftness of a smart little middy.
+
+'I don't think you'd like it for long, Miss Biddy,' said Jane, the
+young maid. 'I came once, in my last place, from Scotland by sea, and
+though I wasn't at all ill, it was dreadful rough work. I was glad to
+feel my feet on firm land again.'
+
+'Was it very stormy?' asked all the children together. 'And how long
+were you in the ship? Oh, do tell us about it, Jane.'
+
+Jane's value rose immensely on the spot. She was not a particularly
+lively girl generally, but this was quite a discovery.
+
+'Was it a very big ship?' asked Bridget, 'or quite a teeny-weeny one,
+just big enough to hold all of us like?'
+
+'You stupid little goose,' said Rough. 'You mean a boat--a _ship_ is
+never as little as that.'
+
+'Boats and ships is all the same,' Biddy persisted; 'and I heard papa
+say there was a Scotch boat to Seacove twice a week--there now, Rough.'
+
+'Oh well--but that's only a way of speaking. Papa didn't mean a real
+boat--a little boat. Now, if we could go down those steps right among
+all the ships I'd soon show you the difference.'
+
+'But we mustn't, Rough,' said Alie anxiously. 'Not without papa or
+somebody big--any way we must ask leave first.'
+
+'Well, I suppose it would hardly do for you girls,' Rough replied. 'But
+of course papa would let _me_ go. He and I walked all round the docks
+last night, and we should have gone to the end of the pier if----'
+
+'Oh, that reminds me,' said Rosalys. 'Haven't we passed Pier Street?
+I believe that must be it opposite. Yes, I see it put up. Now we must
+find out Mr. Fairchild's. Can't you ask somebody, Rough?'
+
+Randolph, though he would not have confessed it, was a little shy of
+accosting any of the few passers-by. Just because there were so few and
+the place was so quiet, the children felt themselves rather
+uncomfortably conspicuous, and they could not help noticing that here
+and there the inhabitants came rather unnecessarily to their doors to
+look at them as they passed. It was not done rudely, and indeed it was
+only natural that the arrival of a new rector and his family at Seacove
+should attract a good deal of attention, considering that old Dr. Bunton
+and his wife had been fixtures there for more years than Mr. Vane
+himself had been in the world.
+
+'Oh yes,' said Rough in an off-hand way, 'I can ask any one. But we
+may as well walk on a little and look about us. If it is a shop we'll
+see the name.'
+
+Just then there came out of a shop in front of them--a baker's, I think
+it was--a small figure which walked on slowly some paces before them.
+
+'That's the little girl of the dolls' chairs,' exclaimed Bridget. 'Shall
+I run on and ask her? I don't mind.'
+
+'You never do,' said Alie, and indeed Biddy was most comfortably
+untroubled with shyness.
+
+'Yes, run on and see if she knows where it is.'
+
+Off trotted Biddy, her precious purchases tightly clasped in her hands.
+
+'Little girl,' she called, when she got close to the other child.
+
+[Illustration: 'Little girl,' she called, when she got close to the
+other child. P. 75.]
+
+The little girl turned, and looked at Biddy full in the face with her
+grave earnest eyes without speaking. And for half a moment Bridget did
+feel something approaching to shyness, but it gave her a comfortable
+fellow-feeling to see that the small stranger was also still carrying
+the little chairs she had bought. They were not done up in paper like
+Biddy's--she had not waited for that,--but she had covered them loosely
+with a very clean, very diminutive pocket-handkerchief, and Bridget saw
+quite well what they were.
+
+'Please,' Biddy went on, slightly breathless--it did not take much to
+put Biddy out of breath--'please can you tell us where Mr. Fairchild's
+is in this street? Rough's got a letter for him, but we don't know if
+it's a shop or only a house.'
+
+'Mr. Fairchild's,' repeated the little girl, 'he's my father; it's our
+shop. I'll show it you,' and a faint pink flush of excitement came into
+her pale face. These were the Rectory young ladies, she had been sure of
+it when she saw them in the bazaar. Fancy--wouldn't mother be surprised
+to see them coming in with her? And father, who had said she'd maybe
+never see them. Was that the French ma'amselle with them?--and Celestina
+glanced back at honest Jane Dodson, from 'grandmamma's' village, walking
+along in her usual rather depressed fashion--if so, French ma'amselles
+were very like English nurse-maids, thought her little observer.
+
+'How funny!' said Biddy, quite interested. And Celestina began to like
+her better--she had been rather disappointed in Biddy at the bazaar. She
+was not pretty, and Celestina, though she scarcely knew it, was very
+much taken by beauty, and she had been rather, almost a little rude--at
+least Celestina knew that _she_ would have been told she was rude had
+she behaved as Bridget had done. But now she seemed so bright and
+natural--'She is quite a little girl,' thought Celestina; 'and perhaps
+if she's the youngest she's treated rather like a baby.' 'How _very_
+funny!' Biddy repeated. 'I must run back and tell Alie and Rough. And
+have you a doll-house, little girl, and will you show it me? I've bought
+a chair too and a table. Perhaps if I saw your doll-house and
+teeny-weeny dolls I'd get to like to play with them too. We have a----
+Oh, Alie,' as Alie, surprised at the length and apparent friendliness of
+the conversation proceeding between the two children, hastened up. 'Oh,
+Alie, _isn't_ it funny? She's his little girl. The note's for her
+house.'
+
+Rosalys turned her soft blue eyes full on Celestina.
+
+'How like an angel she is!' thought Celestina.
+
+'Who's?' said Alie. 'Do you mean Mr. Fairchild's? Why don't you explain
+properly, Biddy?'
+
+'Yes, that's it,' said the stranger child. 'I'm Celestina Fairchild.
+I'll show you the shop.'
+
+'Thank you,' said the elder girl. But Biddy would scarcely let her say
+the two words. Her eyes were very open, looking rounder than ever.
+
+'_What_ a funny name!' she exclaimed. Biddy's collection of adjectives
+did not seem to be a very large one. 'Do say it again; oh, please do.'
+
+'Biddy, I think you are rather rude,' said Alie severely. 'You wouldn't
+like any one to say your name was funny.'
+
+'I didn't mean----' began Bridget as usual, but Celestina quietly
+interrupted.
+
+'I don't mind; she's only a little girl. Don't be vexed with her,' she
+said to Alie with a sort of childish dignity that seemed to suit her. 'I
+think my name _is_ funny; mother called it me 'cos--, but p'raps we'd
+better go on. I've been out a good while and mother might be wondering
+what I was doing, and then if the letter for father matters much----'
+
+'Yes,' said Alie; 'you're quite right; we'd better be quick.'
+
+So the little party set off again up the street. Biddy and
+Celestina--for now that Biddy's interest was awakened in the stranger
+child she had no idea of giving her up to the others--in front; Rosalys
+and her brother following; Jane Dodson, discreet and resigned, bringing
+up the rear.
+
+They had not far to walk, but Bridget's tongue made the most of its
+opportunities.
+
+'Have you got a doll-house, then?' she inquired of Celestina; and as the
+little girl shook her head rather dolefully in reply, 'What do you get
+furniture' (Biddy called it 'fenniture') 'for, then? Is it for
+ornaments?'
+
+'No; I've got a room, though not a doll-house,' Celestina replied. 'It
+once was a kitchen, but I played with it too much when I was little, and
+the things got spoilt. So father did it up for me with new paper like a
+parlour--a best parlour, you know. Not a parlour like you use every
+day.'
+
+'I don't know what a parlour is,' said Biddy; 'we haven't got one at the
+Rectory, and we hadn't one in London either. We've only got a
+schoolroom, and a dining-room, and a droind-room, and a study for papa,
+and----'
+
+'I forgot,' said Celestina. 'I remember mother told me that they don't
+call them parlours in big houses. It's a drawing-room I mean; only the
+dolls have their dinner in it, because I haven't got a dining-room. They
+haven't any bedroom either; but I put them to bed in a very nice little
+basket, with a handkerchief and cotton-wool. It's very comfortable.'
+
+'Yes?' said Bridget, greatly interested, 'and what more? Tell me,
+please. It sounds so nice.'
+
+'Sometimes,' Celestina went on--'sometimes I take them to the
+country--on the table, you know--and then I build them a house with
+books. It does very well if it's only a visit to the country, but it
+wouldn't do for a always house, 'cos it has to be cleared away for
+dinner.'
+
+Biddy's mouth and eyes were wide open.
+
+'We have dinner in the dining-room with papa and mamma,' she said; 'so
+we don't need to clear away off the schoolroom table except for tea.
+That's in London. I don't know where we're to have tea here, when Miss
+Millet comes back. Don't you have dinner with your papa and mamma--when
+they have luncheon, you know?'
+
+In her turn Celestina stared.
+
+'I don't know how you mean. We all have dinner in the parlour,' she
+said, 'like--like everybody. But this is our shop,' she added, stopping
+and turning so as to face the others. 'If you please, miss,' she went on
+to Rosalys, 'this is father's shop. If you'll come in, he'll be there.'
+
+Not a little surprised was Mr. Fairchild to see his daughter showing the
+way in to the three children, whom he rightly and at once guessed to be
+the new rector's family. Celestina looked quite composed; though so very
+quiet and silent a child, she was neither shy nor awkward. She was too
+little taken up with herself to have the foolish ideas which make so
+many children bashful and unready: it never entered her head that other
+people were either thinking of or looking at her. So she was free to
+notice what she could do and when she was wanted, and her simple kindly
+little heart was always pleased to render others a service, however
+small.
+
+'Father,' she said in her soft voice; 'it is young Master Vane and the
+young ladies with a letter for you.'
+
+Mr. Fairchild came forward, out from behind the counter. He made a
+little bow to Rosalys, who was the foremost of the group, and a little
+smile brightened his thin face as his eyes rested on hers. Every one was
+attracted by Alie, and her voice was particularly gentle as she spoke to
+Mr. Fairchild, for the first thought that darted through her mind was,
+'How very ill he looks, poor man--much worse than papa.'
+
+'It is a letter for you, Mr. Fairchild,' she said. 'Mr. Redding asked my
+brother to give it to you. It is from pa--from Mr. Vane.'
+
+'But I don't know if there is any answer,' said Rough. 'Redding didn't
+say. Please see, will you?'
+
+Rosalys and Randolph and Jane in the doorway stood waiting while he
+read. But Biddy's eyes were hard at work. She caught Celestina as she
+was disappearing through an inner door.
+
+'Oh, please,' she said, 'don't go away. Won't you show me your dolls?
+And oh, please, what _is_ that funny little window up there in the wall?
+I would so like to look through it.'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE WINDOW IN THE WALL
+
+          'Will you step into my parlour?'
+                     _The Spider and the Fly._
+
+
+Celestina hesitated. She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she
+had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took
+away her breath. Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop
+and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a
+little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly. She had
+heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there,
+though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out,
+she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
+
+'Celestina,' she exclaimed, surprised and not quite sure if she should
+be pleased, 'what are you doing? You should have come in at once. I have
+been expecting you.'
+
+Then her eyes fell on the three--or four--three and a half, one might
+say, to be very correct--strangers in the shop, for Jane was still
+wavering on the doorstep, one foot on the pavement outside and one
+inside.
+
+'Won't you come in?' said Mrs. Fairchild to her civilly; 'it is a cold
+morning--and then I could shut the door.'
+
+Jane moved inwards, though without speaking, and Rough darted forward
+and shut the door carefully.
+
+'Thank you, sir,' said Mrs. Fairchild, with a little smile that lighted
+up her whole face. She gave a half unconscious glance at her
+delicate-looking husband, which explained her anxiety. Bridget drew near
+her and looked up in her face. Somehow since Mrs. Fairchild had come in
+every one seemed more friendly and at ease.
+
+'Are you Ce--Cel--the little-girl-in-the-bazaar's mamma?' asked Biddy.
+
+Mrs. Fairchild smiled again.
+
+'Yes,' she said, touching Celestina on the shoulder, 'I am _her_ mother.
+Did you see her at the bazaar?'
+
+'She was buying chairs, and that made me buy one too,' replied Biddy
+rather vaguely.
+
+'The young ladies met me after that in the street and asked me the way
+here. I showed them. That was why I was in the shop,' explained
+Celestina, on whose brow a little wrinkle of uneasiness had remained
+till she could tell her mother the reason of her moment's lingering.
+
+'I see,' said Mrs. Fairchild, who would indeed have found it difficult
+to believe that Celestina had been careless or disobedient; and at the
+words Celestina's face recovered its usual quiet, thoughtful, but
+peaceful expression.
+
+Bridget pressed up a little closer to Mrs. Fairchild.
+
+'You're not vexed with her then,' she said. 'She was quite good.
+I thought at first you were going to be rather a cross mamma.'
+
+'_Bridget_,' said Rosalys, colouring, and in an awful tone. When Alie
+said 'Bridget' like that it meant a great deal.
+
+'I didn't mean,' began Biddy as usual.
+
+Celestina's mother turned to Rosalys.
+
+'Please do not be vexed with her, miss,' she said, with again that
+winning smile. And the smile that stole over Alie's face in response
+made Mrs. Fairchild's gaze linger on the lovely child. 'No, my dear,'
+she went on, speaking now to Biddy, 'it was quite right of Celestina to
+show you the way; and I am glad you happened to meet her.'
+
+During this time, which was really only a minute or so, for it takes
+much longer to relate a little scene of this kind than for it actually
+to pass, Mr. Fairchild had been busy with the contents of the envelope
+Randolph had given him. It contained, besides a note, a list of some
+books which Mr. Vane wished to have sent as soon as possible. After
+knitting his brows over this for some moments, the bookseller came
+forward.
+
+'I find that Mr. Vane would like this order executed at once,' he said,
+addressing Randolph.
+
+'I don't know, I'm sure,' said Rough; and indeed how was he to know,
+seeing that the letter had only been given over to his charge by Mr.
+Redding?
+
+Mr. Fairchild looked perplexed.
+
+'Oh,' he said, 'I thought that possibly you could have explained a
+little more fully'--then he considered again. 'I think perhaps I could
+send specimens of some of the hymn-books, and I can make out a list of
+the prices, etc., so that Mr. Vane would have no trouble in selecting
+what he requires. It will only take me a few minutes, and it would save
+time if----' he hesitated. 'My errand-boy has gone some distance away
+this morning.'
+
+'If you mean that it'll save trouble for me to carry the parcel, I don't
+mind,' said Rough in his boyish way.
+
+Mr. Fairchild thanked him.
+
+'I will see to it at once,' he said, and turning to his desk he began
+writing down the details of some books which he took down from the
+shelves behind.
+
+The four children, Mrs. Fairchild, and Jane Dodson stood together in the
+middle of the shop; it was quite small, and with these six people it
+seemed crowded. There was only one chair, pushed up in a corner by the
+counter.
+
+'It is draughty near the door, even when it is shut. Will you not come
+farther in, Miss Vane? or,' with a little hesitation, 'would you step
+into the parlour--there is a nice fire--and sit down for a few minutes?'
+said Mrs. Fairchild to Rosalys.
+
+Rosalys began to thank her, but before she had time to do more than
+begin Bridget interrupted.
+
+'Oh yes, Alie, please do,' she said eagerly. 'I do so want to see what a
+parlour's like. But, please,' she went on to Mrs. Fairchild, 'would you
+first tell me what that dear little peep-hole window up in the wall is
+for? I would so like to look through it.'
+
+Alie's face grew red again; she really felt ashamed of Biddy.
+
+'And it's worse,' she said to herself, 'to be so forward to people who
+are not quite the same as us, though I'm sure Mrs. Fairchild is as nice
+as any lady.'
+
+And Mrs. Fairchild confirmed this feeling of Alie's by coming again to
+the rescue.
+
+'Certainly, my dear,' she said, smiling. 'You shall look through the
+window from the other side. There's pretty sure to be a chair in front
+of it, if you are not tall enough. My little girl is very fond of
+looking through that funny window.'
+
+She led the way through another door--a door facing the street
+entrance--into a very small passage, whence a narrow staircase ran up to
+the first floor. The children could scarcely see where they were, for
+the passage was dark, till Mrs. Fairchild opened another door leading
+into the parlour, and even then it was not very light, for the parlour
+window, as I think I said before, looked on to a little yard, and there
+were the walls of other houses round this yard.
+
+It was a very neat, but to the children's eyes a rather dreary-looking
+little room.
+
+Biddy turned to Celestina.
+
+'I think I like droind-rooms better than parlours,' she said, returning
+to their conversation in the street, 'except for the sweet little
+window,' and in another instant she had mounted the chair and was
+peering through. 'Oh, it _is_ nice,' she said. 'I can see Roughie'--for
+Rough, had considered it more manly to stay in the shop--'and Mr.--your
+papa, Celestina. It's like a magic-lantern; no, I mean a peep-show. I
+wish we had one in our house. Alie, do look.'
+
+[Illustration: 'It's like a magic-lantern; no, I mean a peep-show.'
+P. 89.]
+
+Rosalys came forward, not so eager to take advantage of Biddy's obliging
+offer as to seize the chance of giving her a little private admonition.
+
+'Biddy,' she whispered, 'I'm ashamed of you. I never knew you so free
+and rude before.'
+
+Bridget descended dolefully from the chair.
+
+'I'm very sorry,' she said; 'please, ma'am,' and she turned to Mrs.
+Fairchild, 'I didn't mean to be free and rude.'
+
+The babyishness of her round fat face, and her brown eyes looking quite
+ready to cry, touched Mrs. Fairchild, though it is fair to add that she
+approved of Alie's checking the child. She would have been perfectly
+shocked if Celestina even when younger than Biddy had behaved to
+strangers as the little visitor was doing. Children were kept much more
+in the background forty years ago than now. On the whole I don't know
+that it was altogether a bad thing for them, though in some cases it was
+carried too far, much farther than you, dear children of to-day, would
+find at all pleasant, or than I should like to see.
+
+'No, my dear, I am sure you did not mean any harm,' said Mrs. Fairchild.
+'We all have to learn, but it is very nice for you to have a kind elder
+sister to direct you.'
+
+Biddy did not seem at that moment very keenly to appreciate this
+privilege.
+
+'I'd rather have a littler sister,' she said; but as she caught sight of
+Celestina's astonished face, 'I don't mean for Alie to be away--Alie's
+very kind--but I'd like a littler one too. It's very dull playing alone.
+And oh, please,' as the word 'playing' recalled the bazaar and their
+purchases, 'mayn't I see her dolls' house?' and she pointed to
+Celestina.
+
+Rosalys sighed. Bridget was incorrigible.
+
+'It isn't a house,' said Celestina, 'it's only a room. May I get it,
+mother? I do so want to see if the new chairs will do,' she went on, for
+the first time disengaging the toys from her handkerchief. 'The others
+are so big that when the dolls sit on them their legs go all over the
+top of the table instead of underneath.'
+
+'I know,' said Alie, 'that's how mine used to do when I was a little
+girl and played with our doll-house. But mamma got some for me from
+Germany all the proper size, on purpose. The doll-house was really very
+pretty then.'
+
+Celestina looked up with eager eyes.
+
+'Oh, I would like to see it,' she said. 'It must be beautiful.'
+
+'No' said Rosalys, 'it isn't now. Some of the furniture's broken, and
+nearly all the chair-seats need new covers. But it might be made very
+nice with a little trouble, only you see Bridget has never cared to play
+with it.'
+
+Biddy had drawn near and was standing listening.
+
+'I daresay I would care if I had anybody to play with me,' she said.
+'You know you're too big, Alie. I wish Celestina could come and play
+with me. Won't you let her, if mamma says she may?' she went on, turning
+to Mrs. Fairchild.
+
+Celestina's eyes sparkled, but her mother looked rather grave.
+
+'My dear young lady,' she said to Biddy, 'you are rather too young to
+plan things of that kind till you have talked about them to your mamma.
+Besides Celestina almost never goes anywhere.'
+
+'I went to tea at Miss Bankes's once,' said Celestina. 'That's where I
+used to go to school, but I didn't like it much--they played such noisy
+games and they were all so smart. And once I went to Nelly Tasker's, and
+that was nice, but they've left Seacove a long time ago.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild looked at Celestina in some surprise. It was seldom the
+little girl was so communicative, especially to strangers. But then, as
+she said to her husband afterwards--
+
+'Miss Vane is a very sweet girl, and the little one chatters as if she'd
+known you for years. They certainly have a very friendly way with them:
+I couldn't exactly wonder at Celestina.'
+
+'I'll ask mamma. You'll see if I don't,' said Biddy, nodding her head
+with determination. 'And please, Celestina, do let me see your
+doll-room, if that's what you call it?'
+
+'May I fetch it, mother?' asked the child. But at that moment Randolph
+put his head in at the door.
+
+'We must be going,' he said. 'Come along, girls. I've got the parcel.
+Thank you,' he added to Mrs. Fairchild, 'and good-morning.'
+
+Alie and Biddy turned to follow him. But first they shook hands with
+Celestina and her mother.
+
+'I'm so sorry,' said Biddy, 'not to see the dolls' room. Wouldn't Rough
+wait a minute, Alie?'
+
+'No,' the elder sister replied. 'We've been out a good while and there's
+no reason for waiting now the parcel's ready.'
+
+'Well I'll come again. You'll let me, won't you?' said Bride, and not
+content with shaking hands, she held up her round rosy mouth for a kiss.
+
+'Bless you, love,' kind Mrs. Fairchild could not resist saying, as she
+stooped to her.
+
+'She is a very nice mamma, isn't she, Alie?' said Biddy with
+satisfaction, when they found themselves out in the street again.
+
+'Yes,' said Rosalys. But she spoke rather absently. She was wondering
+what made Bridget so nice sometimes, and sometimes so very tiresome and
+heedless.
+
+'I wonder if it would have been better for her if she was more like that
+little Celestina,' she thought. 'I'm sure they're very strict with her,
+and yet I'm sure she's very fond of her mother and very obedient. But it
+must be rather a dull life for a little girl, only she seems so womanly;
+as if she really felt she was useful.'
+
+It was almost dinner-time--their dinner-time, that is to say--when the
+children reached the Rectory, and there was something of a scramble to
+get hands washed, hair smoothed, and thick boots changed so as to be in
+time and not keep papa and mamma waiting. Randolph came into the
+dining-room, carrying the parcel of books.
+
+'Papa,' he said, 'these are the books you told Redding to order for
+you--at least there are some of them, and if they are right, or if
+you'll mark down which of them are not right, Fairchild the bookseller
+will order what you want at once.'
+
+'I'll look at them immediately after luncheon,' Mr. Vane replied. 'But
+how did they come into your hands, my boy? Has Redding been here again?'
+
+'No,' Rough explained, 'we met him,' and then he went on to tell the
+history of the morning.
+
+'And she 'avited us--the little-girl-in-the-bazaar's mother, I mean,'
+Biddy hastened to add, 'to step into the parlour. I never saw a parlour
+before; it's not as nice as a droind-room, except for the dear little
+window up in the wall. Couldn't we have a little window like that in our
+schoolroom, mamma? And I'm to go another day to see the room; it's not a
+proper doll-house, she says; only a room, and I said I was sure I might
+ask her to come here, but she said I must ask my mamma first. I thought
+at first she was going to be rather a cross sort of a mamma, but I don't
+think she is--do you, Alie?'
+
+Biddy ran off this long story so fast that Mrs. Vane could only stare at
+her in amazement.
+
+'My dear Biddy!' she said at last. 'Alie, you were there? You don't mean
+to say that you let Bride run into the toy-shop people's house and make
+friends with their children, and--and----' Mrs. Vane stopped short, at a
+loss for words.
+
+Mr. Vane looked up.
+
+'My dear child,' he said too, to Bridget, 'you must be careful. And
+here--where everybody is sure to know who you are, and when you should
+set a good example of nice manners--you must not behave in this wild
+sort of way.'
+
+'I didn't mean,' began Biddy plaintively.
+
+But this time she was not chidden for her doleful tone--both Alie and
+Rough came to the rescue.
+
+'Please, mamma, oh please, papa, you don't understand,' began Rosalys.
+
+'It wasn't the bazaar people at all,' said Rough, chiming in; 'it was
+all right. Only, Biddy, you are really too stupid, the muddley way you
+tell things----'
+
+'Yes,' agreed Alie, with natural vexation, 'you needn't make it seem as
+if we had all gone out of our minds, really.'
+
+'I didn't mean,' started Biddy again, and still more lugubriously.
+
+'Stop, Bride,' said Mr. Vane authoritatively, laying down his knife and
+fork as he spoke. 'Now, Rosalys, tell the whole story properly.'
+
+Alie did so, and as Randolph had already explained about meeting Mr.
+Redding, it was not long before his father and mother understood the
+real facts clearly.
+
+'We couldn't have refused to go into the parlour when Mrs. Fairchild
+asked us like that--could we, mamma?' Rosalys wound up.
+
+'And she asked us to step in so nicely. And there were no chairs in the
+shop, 'cept only one. And I did so want to see a parlour,' added Biddy,
+reviving under Alie's support.
+
+'No, you did quite right,' said Mrs. Vane to the elder ones. 'But Biddy
+must not begin making friends with every child she comes across and
+inviting them to come here. You are not a baby now; you should have more
+sense.'
+
+The tears collected in Bridget's eyes; they were very obedient to her
+summons, it must be allowed. Rosalys felt sorry for her.
+
+'Mamma,' she said, 'of course Biddy shouldn't invite anybody without
+your leave first, but still this little Celestina isn't _at all_ a
+common child. She's so neat and quiet, and she speaks so nicely. And her
+mother is _nearly_ as pretty as you, not quite of course.'
+
+'She's awfully jolly,' put in Rough.
+
+Mrs. Vane smiled.
+
+'What an uncommon name,' she said. '"Célestine," did you say? It is
+French.'
+
+'No, mamma, not "Célestine,"' said Alie, '"Celestina." I suppose it's
+the English of the other.'
+
+'I never heard it in English before,' said Mrs. Vane, 'though I once had
+a dear old friend in France called "Célestine"--you remember Madame
+d'Ermont, Bernard? I've not heard from her for ever so long.'
+
+'Celestina was going to tell us about her name, but something
+interrupted her and then she forgot,' said Alie. 'Perhaps they've got
+some French relations, mamma.'
+
+'It isn't likely,' her mother replied. 'But some day when I am in the
+village, or town--should we call it "town," Bernard?'
+
+'It is a seaport, so it must be a town, I suppose,' said Mr. Vane.
+
+'I should like to see the little girl and her mother,' Mrs. Vane
+continued.
+
+'And oh, mamma,' cried Biddy, jumping up and down in her chair as her
+spirits rose again, 'when you do, _mayn't_ I go with you, and then
+Celestina would show me her dolls' room?'
+
+'We shall see, my dear,' her mother replied.
+
+Biddy was not at all fond of the reply, 'We shall see.' 'It's only a
+perlite way of saying "no,"' she once said, but she dared not tease her
+mother any more.
+
+'Nobody cares about what I like,' she said to herself disconsolately.
+
+Perhaps she would not have thought so if she had heard what her mother
+and Rosalys were talking about later that afternoon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ON THE SEASHORE
+
+          'The sands of the sea stretch far and fine,
+             The rocks start out of them sharp and slim.'
+                                     _A Legend of the Sea._
+
+
+'Oh dear,' exclaimed Mrs. Vane one morning at breakfast two or three
+days after the children's walk in to Seacove. Everybody looked up--the
+two girls and Rough were at table with their father and mother. Mrs.
+Vane had just opened and begun to read a letter. What could be the
+matter?
+
+'It is from Miss Millet,' she said; 'her sister's children have got
+scarlet fever, and she has got a bad sore throat herself from nursing
+them. They had no idea what it was at first,' she went on reading from
+the letter; 'but of course she cannot come back to us for ever so long
+on account of the infection.'
+
+'Poor Miss Millet,' said Rosalys.
+
+'_I_ don't mind,' said Biddy; 'I like having holidays.'
+
+Alie, who was sitting next her, gave her a little touch.
+
+'Hush, Biddy,' she said, 'that's just one of the things you say that
+sound _so_ unkind.'
+
+She spoke in a whisper, and fortunately for Bridget her father and
+mother were too much taken up with the letter to notice what she had
+said.
+
+'I didn't mean,' Biddy was beginning as usual, but Mrs. Vane was
+speaking to Alie by this time, and no one listened to Biddy.
+
+'I must write to Miss Millet at once,' their mother said, 'though I
+shall ask her not to write often till the infection is gone--she says
+this letter is disinfected. And, Alie, you had better put in a little
+word, and Biddy too, if she likes. It would be kind.'
+
+'Yes, mamma,' said Alie at once, but Bridget did not answer.
+
+It was not usual for Mrs. Vane to discuss plans and arrangements for the
+children before them, but this morning her mind was so full of the
+unexpected turn of affairs that she could not help talking about them.
+
+'It will be a question of several weeks--even months, I fear,' she said
+to Mr. Vane; 'there are such a lot of those children, and Miss Millet
+is sure to wish to nurse them all. We must think over what to do.'
+
+'Perhaps you and I can manage the girls between us,' said Mr. Vane.
+
+'Alie perhaps,' began Mrs. Vane doubtfully.
+
+'Yes,' said Bridget suddenly, to every one's astonishment, 'if it was
+only Alie. But it would never do for me. I'd be too much for you and
+papa, mamma.'
+
+She spoke quite gravely, but the others had hard work not to laugh.
+
+'How do you mean, Biddy?' asked her father.
+
+'I'm very tiresome to teach; often I'm very cross indeed,' replied the
+child complacently.
+
+'But you _need_ not be; you can help being so if you try,' said Mr.
+Vane.
+
+'Well, I don't like trying, I suppose it's that,' she answered.
+
+For the moment her father thought it wiser to say no more.
+
+Mr. Redding happened to call that morning, and at luncheon Mrs. Vane
+told Alie and Bride that she was going to Seacove, and they might go
+with her.
+
+Alie's eyes sparkled.
+
+'Are you going to----' she began, and her mother seemed to understand
+her without any more words.
+
+'Yes,' she said, 'I have got all the measures.'
+
+'And oh, mamma,' asked Biddy, too full of her own ideas to notice
+these mysterious sayings, '_will_ you go to Pier Street and let us
+show you where Celestina lives. And if you _could_ think of something
+you wanted to buy, just any little thing, a pencil or some envelopes
+or anything--they've got _everything_--we might go into the shop, and
+I _daresay_ if the nice mamma saw you, she'd ask you to step into the
+parlour too.'
+
+'We shall see,' mamma replied.
+
+But 'We shall see' was this time accompanied by a little smile, which
+made Bridget think that the 'We shall see' was perhaps a way of saying
+'Yes.'
+
+Mamma had several messages to do at Seacove, and though Biddy was in a
+great hurry to get to Pier Street, she was rather interested in the
+other shops also. At the draper's, Mrs. Vane made some small purchases,
+as to which Alie showed great concern. One was of pretty pink glazed
+calico and of some other shiny stuff called 'chintz'--white, with tiny
+lines of different colours; she also bought some red cotton velvet and
+neat-looking white spotted muslin, and several yards of very narrow
+lace of a very small and dainty pattern, and other things, all of which
+interested Alie very much indeed, though after a while Biddy got tired
+of looking on, and went and stood at the doorway of the shop.
+
+'I am sorry to give you the trouble of taking down so many things when
+I only want such a short length of each,' said Mrs. Vane civilly to the
+shopman--or shopwoman, I think it was. 'But the fact is I am buying all
+these odds and ends for my little girl's'--and here she glanced round to
+make sure that Bridget was out of hearing--'for my little girl's
+doll-house, which needs doing up;' by which information Mrs. Cutter, the
+draper's wife, was much edified, repeating it to her special cronies at
+Seacove, together with her opinion that the new rector's wife was a most
+pleasant-spoken lady.
+
+One or two other shops Mrs. Vane and Rosalys went into; a paper-hanger's
+for one, or rather a painter's, where wall-papers were sold; and an
+iron-monger's, where she bought two or three different kinds of small
+nails, tin tacks, and neat little brass-headed nails. Bridget stayed at
+the door of both these shops: she thought them not at all interesting,
+and mamma and Alie did not press her to come in. The little girl was in
+a great fidget to get to Pier Street, and stood murmuring to herself
+that she didn't believe they'd _ever_ come; Alie might make mamma be
+quick, she knew how she, Biddy, wanted to see Celestina and her dolls'
+room.
+
+'But nobody cares about what _I_ want,' she added to herself, with the
+discontented look on her face which so spoilt its round rosy
+pleasantness.
+
+Just then out came Mrs. Vane and Alie. They both looked pleased and
+bright, and this made Biddy still crosser.
+
+'Well, now,' said her mother consideringly, 'is that all, Alie? Yes--I
+think it is. I must call at the grocer's on the way home, but I think we
+pass that way. No--I don't remember anything else.'
+
+At this Bridget could no longer keep silent.
+
+'Oh, mamma,' she exclaimed, 'and you said you'd come to Celestina's
+house. It's too bad.'
+
+Mrs. Vane looked at her in surprise.
+
+'I did not say so, Biddy; I said we should see. And we are going there
+now. You have no reason to be so impatient and to look so cross,' and
+she turned and walked on quickly.
+
+'Biddy,' said Alie, 'you're too bad really. You spoil everything.'
+
+Then she ran after her mother, and Bridget followed them at some little
+distance.
+
+They went directly down the street which a little farther on ran into
+Pier Street, Biddy feeling more and more ashamed of herself. How she
+wished she had been less hasty, and not spoken so rudely and crossly to
+her mother. It did seem true, as Alie said, that she spoilt everything.
+But she did not appear as sorry as she felt; indeed, her face had a
+rather sulky look when at last she came up to the others, who were
+waiting for her at the door of the shop.
+
+'I am going in to see Mrs. Fairchild,' said her mother. 'I have
+something to ask her. You may come in too, Biddy, and I will ask to see
+the little girl too.'
+
+A naughty spirit came over Biddy, even though in her heart she was
+sorry.
+
+'No,' she said. 'I don't want to see the little girl, and I don't want
+to come in,' and her face grew still more sullen.
+
+'Very well,' said her mother, 'stay there then.'
+
+But as she entered the shop with Alie she whispered to her, 'I really
+don't know what to do with Biddy. She has such a _very_ bad temper,
+Alie. Just when I am doing everything I can for her too.'
+
+'Only she doesn't know about it, you see, mamma,' Alie replied. 'Still
+she is very cross, I know.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild was herself in the shop as well as her husband. As soon
+as she caught sight of Rosalys she seemed to know who Mrs. Vane was, and
+came forward with her gentle smile.
+
+'I hope you will excuse my troubling you, Mrs. Fairchild,' said the
+rector's wife, 'but Mr. Redding, whom I saw this morning, thought you
+would be the best person to apply to about a little difficulty I am in.'
+
+She half glanced round as if to see that no one was in the way, and with
+quick understanding Celestina's mother turned towards the inner door.
+
+'Will you please step into the parlour a moment?' she said. 'We should
+be less interrupted.'
+
+Bridget, standing by the half-open shop door, heard the words. She felt
+almost inclined to run forward and beg leave to go in too. But she knew
+she must first ask pardon of her mother for her naughtiness, and the
+idea of doing so before Mrs. Fairchild was not pleasant.
+
+'If Celestina would come out herself I could ask her to ask mamma to
+speak to me,' thought Bridget. But no Celestina appeared.
+
+'They will be so comfortable in that nice warm parlour,' thought Biddy;
+'and I daresay Celestina will be showing Alie all her dolls and things,'
+for she had not noticed that just as Mrs. Vane went into the parlour she
+had said a word to Rosalys, who had stayed behind.
+
+So Biddy stood outside, very much put out indeed. The ten minutes during
+which she had to wait seemed to her like an hour; and when Celestina's
+mother came to the door to show her visitors out, it was not difficult
+for her to see that the little girl was not in at all a happy frame of
+mind.
+
+'Good-morning, Miss Bridget,' said Mrs. Fairchild.
+
+'Good-morning,' Biddy could not but reply.
+
+She did not even wonder how Mrs. Fairchild knew her name; she was so
+taken up with her own thoughts. She would have been rather surprised had
+she known that it was about her, poor little neglected, uncared for girl
+as she chose to fancy herself, that the two mothers had been speaking
+those long ten minutes in the parlour--'Mayn't I see Celestina at all?'
+Biddy went on. 'I think Alie's very----'
+
+'Very what?' said her mother. 'Alie has been quietly waiting in the shop
+for me as I told her.'
+
+Alie came forward as she spoke.
+
+'And Celestina is not in this morning,' said Mrs. Fairchild. 'She had a
+headache, so I have sent her out a walk.'
+
+Thus all Biddy's temper and jealousy had been thrown away. She felt
+rather foolish as she followed her mother and Rosalys down the street.
+
+After stopping for a moment at the grocer's, Mrs. Vane turned to go home
+by the Parade, the same way by which the children had come to Seacove
+that Saturday. It was a fine bright afternoon, still early--a little
+breeze blew in from the sea--the tide was far out.
+
+'Mayn't we go home by the shore, mamma?' Alie asked. 'It is nice firm
+walking nearly all the way.'
+
+Mrs. Vane consented: they all turned down a sort of short cart-track,
+leading through the stony shingle to the smooth sands beyond. The sun
+was still some height above the horizon, but the cold frosty air gave it
+already the red evening look. Glancing upwards at it Biddy remembered
+the day she had watched it setting and the good resolutions she had then
+made. She almost felt as if the sun was looking at her and reminding
+her of them, and a feeling of shame, not proud but humble, crept over
+her. She went close up to her mother and slipped her hand through her
+arm.
+
+'Mamma,' she said very gently, 'I'm sorry for being so cross.'
+
+'I am glad to hear you say so, Bride,' said her mother. She spoke very
+gravely, and at first Bridget felt a little disappointed. But after a
+moment's--less than a moment's--hesitation, the fat little hand felt
+itself clasped and pressed with a kindly affection that, truth to tell,
+Biddy was scarcely accustomed to. For there is no denying that she was a
+very trying and tiresome little girl. And Mrs. Vane was quick and
+sensitive, and of late she had had much anxiety and strain, and she was
+not of a nature to take things calmly. Rosalys was of a much more even
+and cheery temperament: she 'took after' her father, as the country-people
+say. It was not without putting some slight force on herself that Biddy's
+mother pressed the little hand; and that she did so was in great part
+owing to a sudden remembrance of some words which Mrs. Fairchild had said
+during their few minutes' conversation, which, as I told you, had been
+principally about Bridget.
+
+'Yes,' Celestina's mother had replied in answer to a remark of the
+rector's wife, 'I can see that she must be a child who needs careful
+management. Firmness of course--but also the greatest, the very greatest
+gentleness, so as never to crush or repress any deeper feeling whenever
+it comes.'
+
+And the words had stayed in Biddy's mother's mind. Ah, children, _how_
+much we may do for good, and, alas, for bad, by our simplest words
+sometimes!
+
+So in spite of still feeling irritated and sore against cross-grained
+Biddy, her mother crushed down her own vexation and met the child's
+better mind more than half-way.
+
+A queer feeling came over the little girl; a sort of choke in her
+throat, which she had never felt before.
+
+'If mamma was always like that _how_ good I would be,' thought Biddy, as
+she walked on quietly, her hand still on her mother's arm.
+
+Suddenly she withdrew it with a little cry, and ran on a few steps. Some
+way before them a small figure stood out dark against the sky, from time
+to time stooping as if picking up something. Bridget had excellent eyes
+when she chose to use them.
+
+'It's Celestina, mamma,' she exclaimed, running back to her mother and
+Alie. 'Mayn't I go and speak to her? She's all alone. Come,
+Smuttie--it'll be a nice run for you. I may, mayn't I, mamma?'
+
+'Very well,' said her mother, and almost before she said the words Biddy
+was off.
+
+'She must be a nice little girl,' said Mrs. Vane; 'her mother seems such
+a sweet woman. But, Alie, did you ever see anything like Bride's
+changeableness?' and she gave a little sigh.
+
+'But, mamma dear, she did say she was sorry very nicely this time--very
+_real_-ly,' said Rosalys.
+
+'Yes, darling,' her mother agreed.
+
+A minute or two brought them up to where the two children were standing
+talking together, greatly to Bridget's satisfaction, though Celestina
+looked very quiet and almost grave.
+
+'How do you do, my dear?' said Mrs. Vane, shaking hands with her. 'I
+have just seen your mother; she said you were out a walk, but we did not
+know we should find you on the shore. Is it not rather lonely for you
+here by yourself?'
+
+'I was looking for shells, ma'am,' Celestina replied. 'There's very
+pretty tiny ones just about here sometimes, though you have to look for
+them a good deal; they're so buried in the sand.'
+
+'But she has found such beauties, and she takes them home for her dolls
+to use for dishes, and some of them for ornaments,' said Biddy. 'Do show
+mamma how _sweet_ they are, Celestina. And oh, mamma, mayn't I stay a
+little with Celestina and look for them too?'
+
+Mrs. Vane hesitated.
+
+'I'm afraid not, Biddy,' she said. 'I must be going in--and Alie too.
+She must write to grandmamma to-day.'
+
+'Oh, but mayn't _I_ stay?' asked Biddy entreatingly. 'It's quite safe
+for me if it's safe for Celestina, and she says her mamma often lets her
+come out on the shore alone.'
+
+Mrs. Vane looked round; the seashore was perfectly quiet except for one
+or two old fishermen mending their nets at some distance. One could have
+thought it miles away from the little port and the ships and the
+sailors. Then, too, the Rectory was a very short distance off, and
+indeed from its upper windows this sheltered stretch of sand could be
+clearly seen.
+
+'Well, yes,' she said. 'You may stay for half an hour or so--not longer.
+And indeed by then it will be quite time for you too to be going home,
+will it not, my little girl?' she added to Celestina.
+
+'Yes, ma'am. I must be home by half-past four, and it takes twenty
+minutes from here. I can go past the Rectory and see Miss----' she
+hesitated over the name, 'Miss Biddy in at the gate, if you please,'
+said Celestina, in her womanly little way.
+
+Mrs. Vane thanked her; then she and Rosalys walked on, and the two small
+damsels were left alone.
+
+'Why must you be in by half-past four?' asked Biddy.
+
+'It's getting dark by then,' said Celestina. 'Besides there's things to
+do. I get the tea ready very often. When mother's not very busy it waits
+for her till she can leave the shop, but to-day I know she's busy, 'cos
+father's got a great many letters to write. So I'll get the table all
+ready.'
+
+Bridget gazed at her.
+
+'Do you like doing it?' she asked. 'You're such a little girl, you
+see--not much bigger than me, and you play with dolls.'
+
+'I like to be useful to mother,' said Celestina simply.
+
+This was rather a new idea to Bridget, and she was sometimes very lazy
+about thinking over new ideas.
+
+'Alie's useful to mamma, I suppose,' she said, 'but then she's the
+eldest. And you're the only one--that's why, I daresay. Is it nice to be
+the only one?'
+
+'Sometimes it's very alone,' said Celestina, 'some days when mother's
+very busy and I scarcely see her, and I've nobody to show the dolls to.'
+
+'I know,' said Biddy. 'I'm rather alone too, for Alie's so big, you see.
+Oh, Celestina, do look, isn't this a beauty? Look, it's all pinky
+inside. Now I've got six and this beauty. I think that'll do for to-day.
+I'm tired of looking.'
+
+'Sometimes I look for ever so long--a whole hour,' said Celestina,
+rather taken aback by Biddy's fitfulness. 'But perhaps we'd better run
+about a little to keep warm. It isn't like as if it was summer.'
+
+'I'm not cold and I don't like running,' said Biddy. 'Let's just walk,
+Celestina, and you tell me things. Oh, look at the sun--he's getting
+redder and redder--and look at the lighthouse, it's shining red too. Is
+it a fire burning inside, do you think, Celestina?'
+
+'No, it's the sun's redness shining on the glass. The top room is all
+windows--I've been there once,' she said. 'It's a good way to walk
+though it looks so near, and there's some water too between. Father
+took us once in a boat, mother and me, when the tide was in, and we
+had dinner there; we took it with us, and there was a nice old man
+father knew. And when the tide went out we came over a bit of water till
+we got to the stones, in the boat, and then the boatman took it back,
+and we walked home right along the stones--you see where I mean?'
+
+She pointed to the rocky ridge which I told you ran out from the shore
+to the lighthouse. Bridget listened with the greatest interest.
+
+'How nice,' she said. 'Couldn't you have walked the whole way? I'm sure
+there isn't any water between now--_I_ can't see it. It must have gone
+away.'
+
+'Oh no, it hasn't,' said Celestina. 'It's always there: it couldn't go
+away. You couldn't ever get to the lighthouse without a boat; once one
+of the men had to come in a hurry, and father said he had to wade to
+over his waist.'
+
+But Bridget was not convinced. She stood there gazing out seawards at
+the lighthouse.
+
+'I would like to go there,' she said. 'Can't you see a long way from the
+top room that's all windows, Celestina? I should think you could see to
+the--what do they call that thing at the top of the world--the north
+stick, is it?'
+
+[Illustration: 'I would like to go out there,' she said. P. 115.]
+
+Celestina was not very much given to laughing, but this was too funny.
+
+'The North Pole, you mean,' she said. 'Oh no, you couldn't see to
+_there_, I'm quite sure. Besides, there isn't anything to see like
+that--not a pole sticking up in the ground--it's just the name of a
+place. Father's told me all about it. And so did the old man at the
+lighthouse. Oh, I would like to go there--better than anywhere--just
+think how strange it must be, all the snow and the ice mountains and
+everything quite, _quite_ still!'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+A NICE PLAN
+
+          'Up where the world grows cold,
+             Under the sharp north star.'
+                       _A North Pole Story._
+
+
+Biddy stared at Celestina. The little girl's face was quite flushed with
+excitement.
+
+'Go on,' said Biddy. 'Tell me some more. I never heard about it.'
+
+'It's what they call the arctic regions,' said Celestina. 'The old
+sailor at the lighthouse has been there. Once he was there in a ship
+that got fastened into the ice, and they thought they'd never get out
+again, and they'd scarcely nothing to eat. Oh, it was dreadful; but I
+did so like to hear about it. And fancy, in the summer it never gets
+night up there--the sun never goes away; and in the winter it never gets
+day, the sun doesn't come up at all.'
+
+'How very funny!' said Biddy. 'What makes it like that? Is it the same
+sun as ours?'
+
+'Oh yes, but I can't quite explain,' said Celestina, looking rather
+puzzled. 'Father showed it me with the candle and a little round globe
+we've got, but I'm afraid I couldn't tell you.'
+
+'Could the old man tell it?' asked Biddy. 'I would so like to go to see
+him. Don't you think we might some day?'
+
+'Perhaps,' said Celestina. 'When the summer comes perhaps your papa
+would take you in a boat. Lots of ladies go out to the lighthouse in the
+summer. It's too cold in a boat in winter.'
+
+'But I don't mean in a boat,' said Bridget; 'I mean walking. I'm quite
+_sure_ we could jump over the little bit of water if we gave a great big
+jump. I once jumped over a whole brook at grandmamma's--I did really.'
+
+'It's much bigger than that--it is indeed. You don't understand,' said
+Celestina. 'If you'd ask your papa he'd tell you, I daresay. But I think
+we must be going home now. I'm sure it's time.'
+
+'I'm sure it isn't,' said Biddy crossly. 'We haven't talked about the
+dolls at all yet, and I want you to tell me more about that funny place
+where the snow is.'
+
+'I'll try to think of more to tell you if your mamma will let you go out
+with me another time, and I'd like dearly to show you my dolls' room if
+you could come to our house one day,' said Celestina. 'But we must go
+home now, Miss Biddy.'
+
+Bridget flounced about, looking very much put out.
+
+'I'm not going yet. I don't want to go in,' she said.
+
+Celestina began to look troubled. Then her face cleared.
+
+'_I_ must go home,' she said, 'whether you do or not. I wouldn't for
+anything have mother worrying about me. You wouldn't like your mamma to
+be worrying about you, would you, Miss Biddy?'
+
+'I daresay she wouldn't care; I'd only get a scolding, and I don't mind
+much,' said Biddy, who had got on to a very high horse by this time.
+
+Celestina stopped short and looked at her. She could not understand
+Biddy at all.
+
+'Mother never scolds me, but I'm very unhappy when she's not pleased
+with me,' she said gently; 'and I'm sure your mamma's very kind and
+good. I'm sure she does care about you a great deal.'
+
+Her words reminded Bridget of what had happened that very afternoon.
+Perhaps what Celestina said was true: mamma had pressed her hand when
+she said she was sorry. With one of the quick changes of mood which
+seemed so strange to Celestina she turned suddenly.
+
+'I'll go home,' she said. 'Come on, Celestina, before I get naughty
+again. But it isn't all for being good. It's a great deal that I want to
+come out with you again, and perhaps I mightn't if I was late to-day.'
+
+'No. Very likely your mamma would think I made you disobedient,'
+Celestina replied; 'and I shouldn't like her to think so.'
+
+'If I might go into the kitchen and get the tea ready for papa and mamma
+like you do, I'd never want to stay out late,' said Bridget
+thoughtfully.
+
+Celestina considered.
+
+'You don't need to do that,' she said. 'It wouldn't be any good to your
+mamma, for she's got servants to do it. But there must be other things
+you could do if you want to help her.'
+
+'No,' said Biddy, shaking her head, 'there's nothing. And I don't think
+I want very much; it's just sometimes. Alie helps mamma because she's
+the eldest.'
+
+Celestina scarcely knew how to answer this, though she felt there was
+something wrong about her little companion's way of looking at things.
+But Celestina had not much power of putting her thoughts and feelings
+into words. Her solitary life had made her a very silent child, not
+intentionally, but by habit. She found it difficult to express her
+meaning even to herself. Just now she gazed at Biddy without speaking,
+so that Biddy began to laugh.
+
+'What are you looking at me so for?' asked the younger child.
+
+'I don't know,' said Celestina. 'I was only thinking.'
+
+'What?' asked Biddy again.
+
+'You should help too, even though you're the youngest,' said Celestina
+bluntly.
+
+'Oh, bother,' was all Biddy's reply.
+
+They were at the Rectory gate by this time.
+
+'Good-bye, Miss Biddy,' said Celestina. 'I must run home fast. But
+I don't think it's late.'
+
+'Good-bye,' said Biddy. 'I've got my shells; have you got yours? Oh
+yes,' as Celestina held up a tiny little basket she was carrying. 'How
+dreadfully careful you are! Good-night. I'll ask mamma to let me come
+and see you very soon.'
+
+On her way up the short drive to the house Bridget came face to face
+with Randolph.
+
+'Oh, you're there, are you?' he said. 'Mamma was just asking if you'd
+come in, so I came to look out for you.'
+
+Biddy was silent. This did not seem very like mamma's 'not caring,' as
+she had been saying to Celestina.
+
+'It isn't late,' she remarked at last. 'Mamma said I might stay half an
+hour.'
+
+'She was beginning to worry about you a little, all the same,' said
+Rough. 'Were you with the little Fairchild girl?'
+
+'Yes,' said Biddy.
+
+'Is she a nice little girl?' asked Rough.
+
+'Yes,' said Biddy again.
+
+'Then why don't you like her? Why are you so cross?' asked her brother.
+
+'I'm not cross, and I never said I didn't like her,' replied Bridget
+impatiently.
+
+Rough began to whistle.
+
+'I can't say I agree with you,' he said. 'Well, I'll run on and tell
+mamma you're all right;' and off he set.
+
+Biddy followed him slowly, feeling rather depressed.
+
+'I didn't mean to be cross,' she said to herself in her usual way,
+though she really did feel what she said this time. 'It was kind of
+Roughie to come to meet me. They're all good 'acept me. Celestina's good
+too. I'm made all the wrong way,' and she sighed deeply.
+
+She brightened up again, however, when she met her mother at the door.
+
+'That's right, Biddy dear,' said Mrs. Vane. 'You've not stayed too
+late.'
+
+Rough was there too; he had not told about her being cross evidently,
+and Biddy felt grateful to him. It was very nice when mamma spoke like
+that; it reminded her of the way her hand had been pressed that
+afternoon. But a sudden thought rather chilled her satisfaction. Biddy
+was beginning to be troubled with thoughts, and thoughts too that would
+not be driven away and forgotten, as she had been accustomed to drive
+away and forget anything that made her feel at all uncomfortable. This
+thought teased and pricked her for a few seconds, and though she
+wriggled herself about and stamped her feet down with hard thumps on the
+gravel, it would not go.
+
+'Biddy,' it said, 'Biddy, you know what you should do.'
+
+So that at last, in sheer impatience of its teasing, she gave her
+mother's sleeve a little tug.
+
+'Mamma,' she said, 'it was _her_ that made me not stay longer than you'd
+said. I wanted to. I wasn't very good, but she's good.'
+
+Mrs. Vane turned with real pleasure in her face.
+
+'I'm very glad you've told me, Biddy,' she said. 'Yes, it was nice and
+good of Celestina to remind you. I think she must really be a very
+conscientious child.'
+
+'I don't know what that is,' said Bridget. 'At least, p'raps I do know,
+but it's such a trouble to think. But Celestina _is_ good. I almost
+think she's a little too good.'
+
+Her tone was very melancholy. Rough burst out laughing, but Mrs. Vane
+looked rather disappointed.
+
+'It will be so vexing if Biddy takes a dislike to her just when I was
+hoping it would be a good thing,' she thought to herself.
+
+Still, the remembrance of the little talk with Mrs. Fairchild was in her
+mind. She took no notice of Biddy's remark, only telling her cheerfully
+to run in quickly and get ready for tea, as it was almost ready.
+
+The children's mother went to Seacove again the next day, but this time
+she did not take either of them with her. She went straight to Pier
+Street, and as soon as Mrs. Fairchild saw her coming into the shop she
+came forward with a smile and showed her into the parlour. There
+Celestina was sitting quietly working at some new clothes for her little
+dolls: she wanted them to be very smart indeed, in case the Rectory
+young ladies came to see them. She rose from her seat at once when Mrs.
+Vane came in, but a shadow of disappointment crossed her face when she
+saw that the lady was alone.
+
+'I have not brought Biddy this time,' said Mrs. Vane kindly. 'I have
+come to see Mrs. Fairchild myself. But Biddy shall come some day soon.
+I want you to show her your doll-house, for I should be glad for her to
+get into the way of playing with one. She has always been a difficult
+child to amuse,' she went on; 'she is so restless, and never seems to
+get interested in her toys or games.'
+
+Celestina opened her lips as if she were going to speak, but said
+nothing.
+
+'What is it, my dear?' said Mrs. Vane, seeing the look in the little
+girl's eyes. Celestina grew pink.
+
+'It was only,' she began. 'It's not so nice to play alone.'
+
+'No, that is true,' said Biddy's mother, 'and true of other things as
+well as play.' Then she turned to Mrs. Fairchild: 'Have you been able
+to----' she was beginning, but with a little gesture of apology Mrs.
+Fairchild glanced at her daughter.
+
+'Go upstairs, Celestina, for a few minutes,' and in a moment Celestina
+gathered together her small concerns and noiselessly left the room.
+
+'How obedient she is,' said Mrs. Vane with a little sigh. 'I should have
+had quite an argument with Biddy, or at least cross looks.'
+
+'Children are very different,' said Mrs. Fairchild. 'Still there is not
+much you can do with them without obedience. And if they get the habit
+of it quite young, it costs them so much less; they obey almost without
+thinking about it.'
+
+'And have you seen Miss Neale?' asked Mrs. Vane after a little pause.
+
+'She came to see me yesterday, and I think it can be nicely arranged.
+She is a very good girl: I feel sure you will be pleased with her. The
+only difficulty would have been her promise about Celestina, which she
+would not have liked to give up; but what you have so kindly proposed
+puts this all right of course. It will be a great pleasure and interest
+to Celestina to learn with a companion. I feel that I cannot thank you
+enough.'
+
+'On the contrary,' said Mrs. Vane, 'I have to thank you. I am in hopes
+that your little daughter's companionship will be of great good to
+Bridget.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild's gentle face grew a little red.
+
+'I think I may at least assure you of this,' she said, 'little Miss
+Bridget will learn no harm from Celestina.'
+
+'I am sure of it,' said Mrs. Vane warmly. 'By the bye,' she added,
+'Celestina is a very uncommon name. I have never heard it except in its
+French form of "Célestine."'
+
+'Celestina was named after a French lady,' said Mrs. Fairchild--'a lady
+who was very kind to my sisters and me when we were young. She happened
+to be living near the town where our home was for some years. Her
+husband had an appointment there. They had only one child, a daughter
+named Célestine like her mother, who died, and my mother helped to nurse
+her in her last illness, which made Madame d'Ermont very fond of her.
+Indeed, I think she was very fond of us all,' she added with a little
+smile, 'and I think I was a special pet of hers. Through her kindness
+I had many advantages in my education. But when she and Monsieur, as we
+always called him, went back to France troublous times came on. We lost
+sight of them altogether. Still, I have never forgotten the dear lady,
+and I determined to give my little girl her name.'
+
+Mrs. Vane listened with the greatest interest.
+
+'"Madame d'Ermont," did you say?' she asked eagerly, and on Mrs.
+Fairchild's answering 'Yes'--'It must be the same,' she went on; 'our
+Madame d'Ermont's name was Célestine too. She was, or is, for I hope she
+is still living, a great friend of ours too, Mrs. Fairchild. We spent
+two winters in the south of France near her home, and we saw a great
+deal of her. It is a pity for you not to have kept up writing to her;
+she is very kind and very rich and childless--she might be a good friend
+to her little name-daughter.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild's face flushed again: I rather think Biddy had inherited
+something of her habit of hasty speech from her mother, kind-hearted and
+good as Mrs. Vane was.
+
+'It would not be from any motive of _that_ kind I should like to hear
+from Madame d'Ermont again,' said Celestina's mother. 'It is true our
+child has no one to look to but ourselves, and neither her father nor
+I can boast of very strong health--but still----'
+
+'Oh, I _beg_ your pardon,' interrupted Mrs. Vane impulsively; 'I quite
+understand your feeling, and I did not mean to say anything you could
+dislike. But still I will look out Madame d'Ermont's address, or get it
+from my mother, and when I write to her I may tell her of you, may I
+not?'
+
+'I should be very grateful if you would do so,' Mrs. Fairchild replied.
+
+Then they went on to speak of the details of the arrangement they had
+been making, and soon after Mrs. Vane left.
+
+That afternoon she called Bridget to her.
+
+'Bride,' she said, 'I have something to say to you.'
+
+'Yes, mamma,' Biddy replied, but without giving much attention. It was
+probably, she thought, only to reprove her for her way of sitting at
+table, or for having been cross to Jane, or for one of the hundred and
+one little misdemeanours she was always being guilty of. And Biddy was
+in a queerish mood just now: there was a good deal of battling and
+pulling two ways going on in her baby heart. Was the lazy little _soul_
+beginning to grow, I wonder?
+
+'Yes, mamma,' she said indifferently, with her peevish 'I didn't mean,'
+quite ready to trot out on the smallest provocation.
+
+'You must give your attention, my dear,' said Mrs. Vane; 'it is
+something rather particular I want to tell you about.'
+
+'I _am_ giving my attention,' said Biddy, though it did not look very
+like it.
+
+'Well, then,' her mother went on, determined not to notice Bride's
+evident wish to pick a quarrel, 'listen. You know that Miss Millet
+cannot come back to us for a good long while. Alie's lessons do not
+matter so much as yours, for she is very well on for her age and a
+little rest will do her no harm; besides, she will have some lessons
+with papa and some with me. But we have not time for you too.'
+
+'And you couldn't manage me if you had,' said Biddy gloomily.
+
+Mrs. Vane took no notice--'And besides, at your age it is most important
+to be very regular. So I have engaged a daily governess for you, my dear
+Biddy--that means a governess who will come every morning for three
+hours, just to teach you. But she won't live in the house with us as
+Miss Millet does.'
+
+'Won't she take us walks?' demanded Biddy.
+
+'Not every day, for some days she is engaged in the afternoons. But
+twice a week she will come back in the afternoons and take you a walk
+and stay to have tea with you. Her name is Miss Neale; she is very
+nice, though she is younger and--less experienced than Miss Millet.
+I hope you will be very good with her, Bride.'
+
+Bride gave herself a little shake.
+
+'No, mamma,' she said. 'I don't want to be naughty, but I can't help it.
+I'm sure I shall be very naughty with her.'
+
+Mrs. Vane kept her patience. She looked at Biddy quietly.
+
+'Why, Biddy?' she asked. 'You are old enough to understand that I have
+taken a good deal of trouble about this for you.'
+
+'I needn't have lessons till Miss Millet comes back; I'd be quite good
+without. I don't like having lessons quite alone without Alie or
+nobody,' said Biddy.
+
+'Would you like it better if you had some one to learn with you--some
+one nearer your age than Alie, who would do the very same lessons?'
+asked her mother.
+
+Biddy's eyes sparkled.
+
+'I should think I would,' she said, 'but there isn't nobody'--then she
+gave a sort of gasp. 'Oh, if only--if Celestina could do lessons with
+me,' she exclaimed. 'She knows lots, mamma, all about up at the top of
+the world, where there isn't _really_ that stick I thought there was,
+but lots of snow and always light--no, always dark, I forget which. I'll
+ask her--the old lighthouse man told her. I'm sure she'd help me with my
+jography, mamma, and she'd teach me to dress dolls and----' Biddy
+stopped, quite out of breath.
+
+Mrs. Vane smiled; she looked very pleased.
+
+'I am very glad you have thought of it yourself, Biddy,' she said, 'for
+it is the very thing I have planned. Celestina _is_ going to have
+lessons with you. Her mother had already settled for Miss Neale to give
+her lessons, as they don't care about Celestina going to school, so it
+would not have been fair for Miss Neale to give her up to come to us.
+And besides, both papa and I thought it would make our little girl
+happier to have a companion--eh, Biddy?'
+
+Mrs. Vane had hardly time to finish her sentence before she felt her
+breath nearly taken away by a pair of fat little arms hugging her so
+tightly that she could scarcely free her head.
+
+'Mamma, mamma,' cried Biddy, 'I love you, I do really love you now. I
+never thought I did so much. Oh, I am so glad. Thank you, dear mamma.'
+
+Never in her life had Biddy been so affectionate; never, at least, had
+she shown her affection so much. Mrs. Vane kissed her warmly.
+
+'I am very pleased too, dear,' she said. 'I do think you will be a good
+and happy little girl now.'
+
+'I'll try to be good, mamma, I will really. But it would take me a
+dreadfully long time to be as good as Celestina, I'm afraid.'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+A SECRET
+
+          'If the sun could tell us half
+             That he hears and sees,
+           Sometimes he would make us laugh,
+             Sometimes make us cry.'
+                       CHRISTINA ROSSETTI.
+
+
+'You must eat your breakfast properly, Celestina, my dear,' said Mrs.
+Fairchild to her little daughter one morning in the following week. 'You
+will be quite faint and tired before dinner-time if you don't, and that
+would be a bad beginning.'
+
+Celestina on this set to work once more on her bread and milk. She was
+too excited to feel hungry; her pale cheeks had each a bright spot of
+colour and her eyes were shining. It was the day on which she was to
+begin her lessons at the Rectory. Miss Neale was to call for her on her
+way there, and though she had three-quarters of an hour to wait till
+Miss Neale came, the little girl was sure she would not be ready in
+time.
+
+'I never saw her so taken up with anything before,' said her mother; and
+Mr. Fairchild, who was sometimes disposed to take rather a gloomy view
+of things, said he hoped they should not regret having agreed to the
+arrangement, and that it would not lead to disappointment, on which Mrs.
+Fairchild set to work, as she always did, to cheer him up.
+
+'It will give Celestina a little experience,' she said; 'and even if
+there should be a little disappointment mixed up with it in any way, it
+will do her no harm, and Celestina is a reasonable child.'
+
+She was very quiet but very happy as she set off with Miss Neale. It was
+a bright pleasant morning, 'quite spring-like,' said the young
+governess, and a walk at that early hour was of itself a pleasure to
+Celestina. She had not been inside the Rectory since the Vane family had
+replaced old Dr. Bunton and his wife, and scarcely was the door open
+when the little girl noticed a difference. The old, heavy, stuffy
+furniture was gone, and though it was still plain, the house looked
+lighter and brighter. The schoolroom was a nice little room looking
+towards the sea; there was a good strong table with a black oil-cloth
+cover and four hair-seated chairs, such as were much used at that time.
+But there were two or three pretty pictures on the walls, and a cottage
+piano, and in the bookcase were a few bright-coloured tempting volumes
+as well as the graver-looking school-books. Everything was very neat,
+and there was a bright fire burning, and in a pot on the window-sill a
+geranium was growing and evidently flourishing. To Celestina it was a
+perfect picture of a schoolroom, and she looked round with the greatest
+interest as she took off her hat and jacket, according to Miss Neale's
+directions, and hung them on a peg on the door.
+
+'You must be very neat here, you know, my dear,' she said; to which
+Celestina meekly replied, 'Oh yes,' quite agreeing with Miss Neale.
+
+In a moment or two the door burst open and in came Biddy. A very
+pleasant-looking Biddy, with a spotlessly clean apron, tidy hair, and
+smiling face, and just behind her appeared her mother.
+
+'Good-morning, Miss Neale,' said Mrs. Vane. 'Here is Bridget, whom, you
+have not seen before. Good-morning, Celestina. I hope you will be two
+very happy and good little girls, and that Miss Neale will have no
+trouble with you.'
+
+Then she went on to explain a little about the books Biddy used, saying
+that Rosalys would look out any that might possibly be missing, and
+after telling Miss Neale to keep up a good fire and one or two other
+small directions of the kind, she left the schoolroom.
+
+Everything went on most smoothly. Miss Neale could hardly believe that
+Bridget was the child she had been warned that she would find 'tiresome
+and trying and requiring great patience.' For, for once Biddy really did
+her best. She was interested in finding out how much Celestina knew
+'compared with me,' and anxious that neither her little friend nor her
+new teacher should think her stupid or backward. And though Celestina's
+habits of steady attention had made her memory better and her knowledge
+more thorough than Biddy's, still Miss Neale could hardly feel that
+either of her pupils was more satisfactory than the other; both were so
+obedient and attentive and intelligent.
+
+So the morning passed delightfully.
+
+'And won't it be nice?' said Biddy, as she stood at the gate, whither
+she had accompanied Miss Neale and Celestina on their way home; 'the day
+after to-morrow Miss Neale will come back to take us a walk in the
+afternoon, and you may come too, mamma says, and stay to tea if your
+mamma will let you.'
+
+How Celestina's eyes sparkled! To be invited to tea at the Rectory
+seemed to her far more enchanting than if she had received an invitation
+from the Queen of the Fairies to be present at one of her grandest
+festivals. She was _so_ delighted that she forgot to speak, and Miss
+Neale had to answer for her, and say that she would not forget to ask
+Mrs. Fairchild's consent.
+
+'And some day, Celestina,' Biddy went on, 'I want you to ask your mamma
+to ask _me_ to tea, for I want to see your dolls.'
+
+Celestina looked rather grave.
+
+'I'll ask mother,' she said, but there was a little hesitation in her
+manner. This did not come from any false shame--Celestina did not know
+what false shame was--but from very serious doubts as to what her father
+and mother would think of it. She had never had any friend to tea in her
+life; father was always tired in the evening, and she was far from sure
+that a chattering child like Biddy would not annoy him and make his head
+ache. So poor Celestina was rather silent and grave on the way home;
+Biddy's thoughtless proposal had taken the edge off her happiness.
+
+On her way back to the house Bridget met Rosalys.
+
+'Well,' said Alie, 'and how did you get on, Biddy? How do you like your
+new governess?'
+
+'_Ever_ so much better than Miss Millet,' Biddy replied. Her superhuman
+exertions had somewhat tired her; she felt rather cross now, and half
+inclined to quarrel. She knew that Alie was particularly fond of Miss
+Millet, and she glanced at her curiously as she made her speech. But
+Alie was a wise little woman.
+
+'I'm so glad,' she said. 'So glad you like Miss Neale, I mean. Of course
+I knew you'd like Celestina.'
+
+'I don't like her so very much as all that,' said Biddy contradictorily.
+'I like her well enough to do lessons with, but she's not very nice
+about my going there to tea.'
+
+'Going there to tea,' Alie repeated. 'What do you mean, Biddy?'
+
+'Mean what I say. She's coming here to tea two times every week if it's
+fine, so I think they might 'avite me sometimes, and when I said to her
+just now I'd like to come, she looked quite funny and only said she'd
+ask her mother. Not a bit as if she'd like it.'
+
+Rosalys felt very vexed.
+
+'Really, Biddy, you might know how to behave,' she said. 'People don't
+offer themselves to other people like that.'
+
+'They do,' Bride retorted. 'I've heard papa say he was going to "offer
+himself to luncheon" to Aunt Mary's, and----'
+
+'She's a relation,' Alie interrupted.
+
+'Well, and once mamma offered herself to tea to old Lady Butler--I know
+she did--just before we went away at Christmas.'
+
+'That's quite different; she knows old Lady Butler so
+well--and--and--mamma's grown up and knows what's right, and you're a
+little girl, and you shouldn't do things like that without asking
+leave,' said Rosalys decidedly.
+
+'You're a cross unkind thing,' said Biddy; 'and if you speak like that
+I'll not go on being good any more.'
+
+Then she turned away from her sister and ran down a side-path of the
+garden, leaving Rosalys looking after her in distress, and half inclined
+to blame herself for having spoken sharply to Biddy. 'It will vex mamma
+so if this new plan doesn't do,' she thought regretfully. 'But perhaps
+Biddy will be good again when she comes in.'
+
+The path down which the little girl had run led to a low wall from which
+you overlooked the sea. The tide was in, and though at some little
+distance from the Rectory, Biddy could clearly see the water shining in
+the morning sunshine, which was yellower and richer in colour now, for
+the season was getting on; the cold thin wintry look was giving place in
+this sheltered spot to the warmer feeling of spring. The little waves
+came lapping in softly; by listening intently and fancying a little,
+Biddy could almost hear the delicate sound they made as they kissed the
+shore.
+
+'I wish it was warm enough to bathe,' thought Biddy. 'But if it was
+_they'd_ be sure to say I mustn't, or that I was naughty or something,'
+and in her anger at the imaginary cruelty of 'they,' she kicked the
+little stones of the gravel at her feet as if it was their fault! But
+the little stones were too meek to complain, and Biddy got tired of
+kicking them, and seating herself astride on the wall, sat staring out
+at the sea. Somehow it reminded her of her good resolutions, though it
+was a quite different-looking sea from the evening tide, with the red
+sun sinking below the horizon, like that first time on the shore.
+
+What a pity it was that she had spoilt the fresh beginning of being so
+nice and good at her new lessons by being cross to Alie! And in her
+heart Biddy knew that her sister had not blamed her without reason--it
+was her old fault of heedlessness; she _was_ quite old enough to
+understand that she should not have asked Celestina to invite her, and
+she knew too that Celestina had been right in answering as she did. But
+all these 'knowings in her heart' did not make Biddy feel more amiable.
+
+'It's no good trying,' she said to herself as she got slowly down off
+the wall--Bridget was always deliberate in her movements--'I'll just not
+bother. I'll do my lessons, 'cos I don't want them to say I'm stupid,
+but I'm not going to try not to be cross and all that. I'm tired of
+trying.'
+
+Mrs. Vane noticed at luncheon that Biddy was quiet and silent and not
+particularly amiable looking, but Alie whispered that it had nothing to
+do with lessons, which had gone off well.
+
+'Don't notice her, mamma; it was only that she was vexed with me for
+something,' Alie added; so nothing was said to Biddy, and she was
+allowed to nurse her grievances in silence.
+
+She cheered up a little by tea-time, and told Randolph triumphantly that
+she had done all her lessons for Miss Neale 'by myself, without asking
+that nasty cross Alie or nobody to help me.' But she remained very surly
+to her sister, though Alie tried to prevent her father and mother
+noticing it.
+
+Next day was rainy and blowy. Miss Neale and Celestina arrived smothered
+up in waterproofs and goloshes, and there was quite a bustle to get them
+unpacked from their wrappings and warmed at the schoolroom fire. Biddy
+made herself very important, and forgot for the time about being vexed
+with Rosalys.
+
+Lessons went off well, thanks to Bridget's putting a good deal of
+control on herself, though there _were_ moments that morning which made
+the young governess say to herself that she could understand its being
+_sometimes_ true that Biddy was tiresome and trying. When Celestina was
+putting on her hat and jacket to go she gave Biddy a little touch on the
+arm.
+
+'I asked mother,' she whispered, 'about what you said, and mother says
+perhaps some day you would come early in the afternoon, and we could
+play with the dolls and have tea for ourselves out of mother's toy cups
+that she had when she was a little girl. They are so pretty. It wouldn't
+be quite a real tea, for we don't have real tea till past five, but I'm
+sure mother would get us some little cakes, and we might make it a sort
+of a feast.'
+
+Biddy's eyes sparkled.
+
+'Oh, that would be nice,' she exclaimed. 'Yes, please, tell your mother
+I'd like to come very much. And just fancy, Celestina, that horrid Alie
+said it was very rude of me to have asked you to ask me. I'm sure it
+wasn't, now, was it?'
+
+Celestina grew red and hesitated.
+
+'I'm sure you didn't mean to be rude, Miss Biddy,' she said. 'Mother
+said----' but here she stopped.
+
+'What did she say?' demanded Biddy.
+
+'I didn't mean to say that she said anything,' poor Celestina answered,
+'only when you asked me----'
+
+'_What_ did she say?' Biddy repeated, stamping her foot.
+
+'She didn't say you were rude; she said you were only a child,'
+Celestina answered quietly. Biddy's temper somehow calmed her. 'And
+I think so too,' she added.
+
+'Then, _I_ think you're very, very unkind, and I'll never come to your
+house at all,' said Biddy.
+
+And thus ended the second morning.
+
+Bridget was a queer child. By the next day she seemed to have forgotten
+all about it. She was just as usual with Rosalys, and met Celestina
+quite graciously. But it was not that she was ashamed of her temper or
+anxious to make amends for it. It was there still quite ready to break
+out again. But she was lazy, and very often she seemed to give in when
+it was really that keeping up any quarrel was too much trouble to her.
+I think, however, that Celestina's perfect gentleness did make her a
+little ashamed.
+
+Lessons were on the whole satisfactory. Celestina worked so steadily
+that she would soon have left Biddy behind had Biddy been as idle as had
+often been the case under Miss Millet. And Mrs. Vane was pleased to
+think that the plan had turned out so well.
+
+One day, about a week after Miss Neale had begun to teach the children,
+just as they were finishing lessons, Rosalys made her appearance in the
+schoolroom. It was one of the days on which Miss Neale and Celestina
+came back in the afternoon to take the girls a walk and to stay to tea
+afterwards. Rosalys looked pleased and eager.
+
+'Celestina,' she said, 'mamma has a little message for you. Please come
+into the drawing-room before you go home this morning.'
+
+Up started Biddy.
+
+'What is it, Alie? Do tell me. Mayn't I come into the drawing-room with
+Celestina?'
+
+Alie shook her head, though smilingly.
+
+'No,' she said; 'it's something quite private for Celestina.'
+
+'I'll come,' said the little girl, but Bridget's face darkened.
+
+'It's not fair,' she muttered, as Celestina, after carefully putting her
+books away, left the room.
+
+'Come now, my dear,' said Miss Neale, not very wisely, perhaps--she
+scarcely knew Biddy as yet--'you shouldn't be jealous. It's a very
+little thing for Celestina to have a message to do for your mamma. Some
+other time there will be one for you to do, I have no doubt.'
+
+Biddy wriggled impatiently.
+
+'They've no business not to tell me,' she said, taking not the least
+notice of Miss Neale's words. Then she banged down her books and ran out
+of the room without saying good-morning to her governess.
+
+Miss Neale did not see anything more of her till she and Celestina
+returned that afternoon. It was a lovely day, and so as not to lose any
+of the pleasant brightness of the afternoon, Mrs. Vane had made the
+girls get ready early and go a little way down the sandy lane to meet
+the two coming from Seacove. Bridget was gloomy, but Alie was
+particularly cheerful, and after a while the younger sister's gloom gave
+way before the sunshine and the fresh air and Alie's sweetness.
+
+'There they are,' she exclaimed, as two figures came in sight; 'shall we
+run, Biddy?' and almost without waiting for a reply off she set, Bridget
+following more slowly.
+
+When she got up to them Celestina and Alie were talking together
+eagerly. They stopped short as Biddy ran up, but she heard Celestina's
+last words, 'Mother says she'll be sure to get it by to-morrow or the
+day after.'
+
+'What are you talking about?' asked Bridget.
+
+Celestina grew red but did not speak. Rosalys turned frankly to her
+sister--
+
+'It's a message of mamma's we can't tell you about,' she said, 'but
+you'll know some time.'
+
+Alas, the brightness of the afternoon was over, as far as Biddy was
+concerned. She turned away scowling.
+
+'Why should you know if I don't?' she said; 'and what business has
+Celestina to know--she's as little as me nearly?'
+
+[Illustration: A SECRET. P. 148.]
+
+'Oh, Biddy,' said Alie reproachfully.
+
+But that was all. She knew that argument or persuasion was lost on her
+sister once she was started on her hobby-horse, ill-temper. She could
+only hope that she would forget about it by degrees. And after a while
+it almost seemed so. They went down to the shore, where it was so bright
+and pleasant that it did not seem possible for the crossest person in
+the world to resist the soft yet fresh breeze, the sunshine glancing on
+the sands, the sparkling water in the distance. And Miss Neale was full
+of such good ideas. She taught them a new play of trying to walk
+blindfold, or at least with their eyes shut, in a straight line, which
+_sounds_ very easy, does it not? but is, I assure you, very difficult;
+then they had a capital game of puss-in-the-corner, though the corners
+of course were only marks in the sand; and with all this it was time
+to go home to tea almost before they knew where they were.
+
+'How pretty it must be up in the lighthouse to-day,' said Celestina as
+they were turning away.
+
+This was the signal for Bridget's quarrelsomeness again.
+
+'Miss Neale,' she said, shading her eyes from the sun, as she gazed out
+towards the sea, 'Celestina does talk such nonsense. She says you can't
+walk over the sands to the lighthouse. Now _can't_ you? I can _see_ sand
+all the way.'
+
+Miss Neale was anxious not to contradict Biddy just as she seemed to be
+coming round again, and she was really not quite sure on the point.
+
+'I can't say, my dear,' she replied. 'It does look as if you could--but
+still----'
+
+'There now,' said Biddy to Celestina contemptuously, 'Miss Neale's
+bigger than you, and she thinks you _can_; don't you, Miss Neale?'
+
+'Yes, yes, my dear,' Miss Neale, who was on some little way in front
+with Alie, replied hastily; 'but come on--what does it matter?'
+
+But Biddy's tone had roused Celestina, gentle as she was.
+
+'I know you _can't_,' she said, 'and whether a big or a little person
+says you can, I just _know_ you can't,' and she turned from Biddy and
+walked on fast to join the others. Seeing her coming, Rosalys called to
+her.
+
+'Celestina, I want to ask you something,' and in a moment the two were
+talking together busily.
+
+'It's only the secret, Biddy,' said Alie laughingly; she did not know of
+Biddy's new ill-humour. 'You mustn't mind.'
+
+Down came the black curtain thicker and thicker over Bridget's rosy
+face; firmly she settled herself on her unmanageable steed.
+
+'I don't care,' she said to herself as she trudged along in silence
+beside Miss Neale; 'they're horrid to me--_horrid_. And I'll be as
+horrid as I can be to them. But I'll let that nasty Celestina see I'm
+right and she's wrong. I _will_.'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+BIDDY'S ESCAPADE
+
+          'And Dick, though pale as any ghost,
+            Had only said to me,
+          "We're all right now, old lad."'
+                  _Author of 'John Halifax.'_
+
+
+Miss Neale was rather in a hurry to get home that afternoon, so she and
+Celestina did not linger at the tea-table as they sometimes did. By
+half-past four they had gone, for on Miss Neale's account tea had been
+ordered half an hour earlier than usual.
+
+Rosalys disappeared--mamma wanted her, she said. So Bridget was left
+alone, for Rough had begun school some time ago. He rode over every
+morning, and got home again about six.
+
+'I wonder if papa is in,' thought Biddy idly, for a moment or two half
+inclined to see if she might pay him a visit in the study. But then she
+remembered that he had been out all day, and that he was not expected
+home till dinner-time. There were not many very poor people at Seacove,
+but there were a great many young men and boys always about the wharf,
+and some fishermen and their families living half-way between the little
+town and a fishing village called Portscale, some way along the coast.
+At Portscale there was a beautiful old church, and a vicar younger and
+much more active than Dr. Bunton. Mr. Vane and he had made friends at
+once, and to-day they had arranged to visit some of these outlying
+neighbours together, for even though Mr. Vane was not at all strong and
+had come to Seacove for a rest, he was far too good and energetic not to
+do all he possibly could.
+
+Biddy felt very cross when she remembered that her father was out. She
+strolled to the window; it was still bright and sunny--a sudden thought
+struck her. She hurried upstairs to the room where her hat and jacket
+were lying as she had just taken them off--her boots were still on her
+feet, and in less time than it takes me to tell, for Biddy _could_ be
+quick if she chose, a sturdy little figure might have been seen trotting
+down the sandy path which led to the shore.
+
+'If they leave me alone I'm forced to amuse myself and do things
+alone,' she said to herself, as a sort of excuse to her own conscience,
+which _was_ trying, poor thing, to make itself heard, reminding her too
+that there were plenty of things she could have done comfortably at home
+in the nursery, where Jane Dodson was not bad company when allowed to
+talk in her own slow way. There were to-morrow's lessons in the first
+place--pleasant, easy lessons to do alone, and not too much of them; and
+there was the kettle-holder she was making for grandmamma's birthday!
+But no, Biddy refused to listen. She was determined to carry out the
+wild scheme she had got in her head--'It _will_ be nice to put Celestina
+down,' she said to herself.
+
+A very few minutes' quick walking, or running rather, for Biddy could
+run too when she chose, brought her to the end, or the beginning,
+whichever you like to call it, of the long rough road, so to speak, of
+stones, stretching far out to sea. Biddy had gone some way along it two
+or three times when out with the others; it was a very interesting place
+to walk along, as the outgoing tide left dear little pools, which held
+all sorts of treasures in the way of seaweed and tiny crabs and
+jellyfish, besides which, the scrambling over the pools and picking
+one's way was very exciting, especially when there was a merry party of
+three or four together. Biddy found it amusing enough even by herself,
+for some little time, that is to say. But after a while she got rather
+tired of not being able to walk straight on, and once or twice sharp
+stones cut and bruised her feet, and she wished she had some one's hand
+to take to steady her. She was very eager to get to the other end of the
+tongue, or ridge of stones, for once there she felt sure it would be but
+easy walking over sand to the lighthouse. For the lighthouse as you will
+have guessed, was her destination!
+
+'I daresay the sand'll be rather wet,' she thought; 'it must be the
+wetness that Celestina thought was water, for it shines just like water
+sometimes. I'll run over it very quick and my boots are thick. What fun
+it'll be to tell Celestina I've been to the lighthouse all by myself!'
+
+But the stones grew rougher and rougher. The tongue was not really more
+than half a mile long, but it seemed much more. Several times before she
+got to the end of it Biddy looked back with a half acknowledged thought
+that perhaps it would be best to give up the expedition after all--no
+one need know she had tried it. But behind her by this time the rough
+stones seemed a dreary way, and in front it did not now look far. She
+felt as if she _could_ not go back, and she had a sort of vague hope
+that somehow or other the nice old man Celestina had told her of would
+help her to get home an easier way. Perhaps he would take her round in a
+boat!
+
+At last she got to the end of the stones, and then, oh joy! there lay
+before her a beautiful smooth stretch of ripple-marked sand--how
+delightful it was to run along it, so firm and pleasant it felt to her
+tired little feet. The lighthouse seemed still a good way off--farther
+than she had expected, but at first, in the relief of having got off the
+stones, she almost felt as if she could fly. She did get over the ground
+pretty quickly for some minutes, and even when she began to go more
+slowly she kept up a pretty good pace. And at last she saw the queer
+building--it reminded her a little of an old pigeon-house at
+grandmamma's, for it was not a very high lighthouse--almost close to
+her. But, Celestina had spoken truly, between it and her there lay a
+good-sized piece of water, stretching up to the rocks, or great rough
+stones round the base of the lighthouse--a sort of lake which evidently
+was always there, filled up afresh by each visit of the tide.
+
+Bridget gasped. But she was determined enough once she had made up her
+mind. She went close up to the water; it did not look at all deep and
+her skirts were very short. Down she sat on the sand, less dry than it
+looked, and pulled off her shoes and stockings, tying them up into a
+bundle as she had seen tramps do in the country. Then lifting her frock
+as high as she could, in she plunged. _Oh_, how cold it was! But the
+water did not come up very high, not over her knees, though now and then
+a false step wetted her pretty badly. She was shivering all over, but on
+she waded, till within a few yards only of the sort of little shore
+surrounding the lighthouse, when--what was the matter with the sand,
+what made it seem to go away from her all at once? She plunged about,
+but on all sides it seemed to be sloping downwards; higher and higher
+rose the water, till it was above her waist, and still every movement
+made it rise.
+
+'I'm drowning,' screamed Biddy. 'Oh, help me, help me! Man in the
+lighthouse, can't you hear me? Oh, oh, oh!'
+
+Biddy fortunately had good lungs and her screams carried well. But the
+water kept rising, or rather she kept slipping farther down. She was
+losing her head now, and had not the sense to stand still, and she was
+partly stupefied by cold. It would have gone badly with her but
+for--what I must now tell you about.
+
+It was what would be called, I suppose, a curious coincidence, the sort
+of chance, so to say--though 'chance' is a word without real
+meaning--that many people think only happens in story-books, in which
+I do not at all agree, for I have known in real life far stranger
+coincidences than I ever read of--well, it was by a very fortunate
+coincidence that that very afternoon Bridget's father happened to be at
+the lighthouse. He had gone out there by a sudden thought of Mr.
+Mildmay's, the Portscale clergyman I told you of, who had mentioned in
+talking that he had not been there for some time.
+
+'And it is a very fine mild day,' he said. 'It doesn't take twenty
+minutes in a boat. If you don't think it would hurt you, Mr. Vane?'
+
+Mr. Vane was delighted. There was a good deal of the boy about him
+still; he loved anything in the shape of a bit of fun, and he loved
+boating. So off the two came, and were most pleasantly welcomed by old
+Tobias and his second-in-command at the lighthouse. And by another happy
+chance, just as Biddy began to wade, Mr. Vane had come to the side of
+the lantern-room looking over in her direction.
+
+'What can that be, moving slowly through that bit of water?' he said to
+Tobias. 'I am rather near-sighted. Is it a porpoise?'
+
+'Nay, nay, sir, not at this season,' replied the old man; 'besides it's
+far too shallow for anything like that, though there is a deepish hole
+near the middle.'
+
+He strolled across to where Mr. Vane was standing as he spoke, and
+stared out where his visitor pointed to. Then suddenly he flung open one
+of the glazed doors and stepped on to the round balcony--perhaps that is
+not the right word to use for a lighthouse, but I do not know any
+other--outside, followed by Mr. Vane. Just then Biddy's screams came
+shrilly through the clear afternoon air, for it was a still day, and out
+at the lighthouse, when there was no noise of wind and waves, there was
+certainly nothing else to disturb the silence except perhaps the cry of
+a sea-gull overhead, or now and then the sound of the fishermen's voices
+as they passed by in their boats. And just now the waves were a long way
+out and the winds were off I know not where--all the better for the poor
+silly child, who, having got herself into this trouble, could do nothing
+but scream shrilly and yet more shrilly in her terror.
+
+Old Tobias turned and looked at Mr. Vane.
+
+'It's a child, 'pon my soul, it's a child,' he exclaimed, and he sprang
+inside again and made for the ladder leading downstairs. But quick as he
+was, his visitor was before him. People talk of the miraculous quickness
+of a mother's ears; a father's, I think, are sometimes quite as acute,
+and Bridget's father loved dearly his self-willed, tiresome,
+queer-tempered little girl. Long before he got to the top of the ladder
+he knew more than old Tobias, more than any of them--Mr. Mildmay or
+young Williams, the other lighthouse man--had any idea of. He knew that
+the voice which had reached him was that of his own Biddy, and before
+Tobias could give him a hint, or ever a word had been said as to what
+was best to do, he had pulled off his coat, tossed away his hat, and was
+up to his waist in the water. For though not _so_ deep close round the
+lighthouse as at the dangerous place where Biddy had lost her head, this
+salt-water lake even at low tide was never less than two or three feet
+in depth at the farther side.
+
+'I can swim,' was all Mr. Vane called out to the three hurrying after
+him. But so could Mr. Mildmay, and so could, of course, Tobias and
+Williams. And it was not so much the fear of his friend's drowning as
+the thought of the mischief that might come to him, delicate as he was,
+from the chill and exposure, that made Mr. Mildmay shout after him,
+'Come back, I entreat you, Vane; you are not fit for it,' while he
+struggled to drag off a very heavy pair of boots he had on--boots he had
+on purpose for rough shingly walking, but which he knew would weight him
+terribly in the water.
+
+A touch on his arm made him start. It was Tobias.
+
+'Stop you here, sir,' he said; 'Bill's off, and he's the youngest and
+spryest,' and sure enough there was Williams already within a few yards
+of Mr. Vane. 'I don't take it there's much danger of no drownding--and
+Bill knows the deep part. But it's cold for the gentleman, so delicate
+as he is--we two had best stay dry and be ready to give 'em a hand when
+they get in. But it beats me, it do, to think what child could be such a
+fool as to try to cross that there water--such a thing's ne'er happened
+before.'
+
+Mr. Mildmay did not like to give in, though he knew there was sense in
+what Tobias said. He stood hesitating, one boot half off, but there was
+not long to wait. Soon came a cheery cry from Williams, 'All right, sir,
+all right,' and in almost less time than it takes to tell it, the two
+men, half-swimming, half-wading, were seen returning, carrying between
+them a little dripping figure, with streaming hair, white face, and
+closed eyes.
+
+[Illustration: '----carrying between them a little dripping figure, with
+streaming hair, white face, and closed eyes.' P. 161.]
+
+It was thus that Biddy paid her long thought-of visit to the lighthouse.
+
+She was not drowned, nor anything approaching to it; she had only once,
+or twice perhaps, been thoroughly under the water; the whole had in
+reality passed very quickly, but not so had it seemed to Biddy. Unless
+you have ever been, or thought yourself in danger of drowning, you could
+not understand how in such a case seconds seem minutes, and minutes
+hours; and the ducking and the cold and the terror all combined had made
+things seem worse than they really were. Bridget was almost quite
+unconscious by the time her father had got hold of her--perfectly
+stupefied any way; her clothes were heavy too, and she was at no time a
+light weight. Altogether it was a very good thing indeed that strong
+hardy Bill was close behind Mr. Vane, whose powers would not have held
+out very long. As it was, he was whiter even than Biddy, his teeth
+chattering with cold and nervous excitement, when at last the whole
+party found themselves safe in the living-room or kitchen of the
+lighthouse.
+
+Old Tobias had hot blankets down before the fire and a steaming tumbler
+of brandy and water ready in no time. Biddy, deposited in front of the
+grate, sat up and looked about her in a dazed sort of way. She felt as
+if she were dreaming.
+
+'Biddy,' said her father, 'you must take off the wettest of your things
+at once.'
+
+Biddy began to finger her garments.
+
+'My frock's the worst,' she said; 'and oh, where's my hat gone?'
+
+'Never mind your hat, child,' said Tobias. 'Here, step this way,' and he
+led her to a sort of partition in the corner of the room, behind which
+was his own bed; 'take off your things, my dear, and get into bed with
+this blanket round you whiles I sees to the gentleman. You'll be none
+the worse of your drenching: salt water's a deal better for not catching
+cold. It's the gentleman we must see to. It's the new rector, and a
+delicate gentleman he is.'
+
+Biddy stared up at him.
+
+'It's my papa,' she said.
+
+It was the old man's turn to stare now.
+
+'Your papa!' he exclaimed. He had never dreamt but that Biddy was a
+Seacove child, tempted out too far by the fine afternoon--a fisherman's
+or boatman's daughter. But however curious he was to hear more, he had
+too much sense to cross-question her just then.
+
+'Get into bed, missie, and get to sleep for a bit, while your things
+dry.'
+
+Biddy had had her share of weak brandy and water; she had never tasted
+it before, and it soon sent her to sleep.
+
+Tobias went back to Mr. Vane.
+
+'She's all right, sir. I'd no notion as she was your young lady. Was she
+awaitin' for you on the sands, or how?'
+
+Mr. Vane shook his head.
+
+'I know no more about it than you,' he said. But he still looked so
+white and faint that the lighthouse man and the others gave all their
+attention to getting him warmed and dried, and at last they got him to
+look a little better, though he declared he could not go to sleep.
+
+'You can stay quiet any way,' said Mr. Mildmay. But Mr. Vane looked up
+anxiously.
+
+'My wife,' he said. 'She will be getting frightened, not about me
+merely, but the child.'
+
+'I will take the boat back at once and tell her,' said Mr. Mildmay; 'if
+Williams can come with me, it won't take long. I'll run up to the
+Rectory, and then we'll bring another man out to help to row us all back
+again. I'll bring some wraps too. You think you'll be fit to go home in
+an hour or so?'
+
+'Certainly,' said Mr. Vane decidedly. 'I could not stay here.'
+
+Mr. Mildmay reached the Rectory to find poor Mrs. Vane in a sad state of
+fright. Biddy's absence had not been discovered for some time, as
+Rosalys was busy with her mother, and Rough had not come in from school,
+and everybody, if they thought about her at all, naturally thought she
+was with some one else. For a girl of seven or eight should surely be
+sensible enough to be left to herself for an hour in her own nursery or
+schoolroom! But once the hue and cry after her began, it really did seem
+as if there were cause for alarm. Every one had some new idea to
+suggest, ending by Rough, who, as he came riding in on his pony and
+heard the news, declared she must be hiding out of mischief.
+
+But no--a very short search dispelled that possibility, and the pony had
+to be saddled again for Rough to set off as fast as he could to Seacove
+to inquire if the truant had perhaps followed Celestina home.
+
+'And your father not in yet either,' said Mrs. Vane. 'Oh, Alie, what
+_can_ be the matter? Can something have happened to him that Biddy has
+heard of, and that has made her run off to him--poor Biddy, she is very
+fond of papa. But if she has run away out of mischief, Alie--oh, _could_
+she be such a naughty, naughty girl?'
+
+Mrs. Vane was dreadfully excited. Alie had hard work to keep back her
+own tears.
+
+'Just as we were _so_ happy about the doll-house for her too,' Mrs. Vane
+went on.
+
+Rosalys gave a little sob.
+
+'I _think_ perhaps she's at Celestina's,' she said. But in less time
+than could have been expected back dashed Rough. No, Biddy was not, had
+not been at Pier Street, but Celestina and her mother were following him
+as fast as they could to the Rectory--Celestina had an idea--she would
+explain it all--but she begged Mrs. Vane to send down to the shore; the
+sea was out, and it was still light enough to see any one there a good
+way off.
+
+A party was at once despatched to the sands, in vain, as we know, for
+by this time Mr. Mildmay had landed from his boat and was hurrying along
+to calm Mrs. Vane's anxiety. He arrived there a quarter of an hour or so
+after Mrs. Fairchild and her daughter, so Celestina had had time to
+explain the idea which had struck her--we know what it was, and that it
+was the true one--and to relate to Mrs. Vane all her reasons for
+imagining it possible that self-willed, obstinate Biddy had set out on
+her own account to walk to the lighthouse.
+
+So when Mr. Mildmay appeared and told his strange story, his hearers
+were able to explain what to him and Mr. Vane had seemed a complete
+mystery.
+
+'How _could_ she be so naughty?' Mrs. Vane exclaimed. But Alie touched
+her gently.
+
+'Only, dear mamma,' she whispered, 'think; she might have been drowned.'
+
+'And so might your father, and as it is, I tremble to think what the
+consequences may be for him. I do feel as if I could not forgive
+Bridget,' said Mrs. Vane excitedly.
+
+Mrs. Fairchild was very, very sorry for her, but she was a brave woman.
+She managed to draw Mrs. Vane aside.
+
+'Dear madam,' she said, 'I do feel for you. But we must be just.
+Remember the child had no idea of what would be the result of her folly.
+It was really but a piece of childish folly or naughtiness. And it may
+be a lesson for all her life; it may be the turning-point for
+her--if--if only you would--if you can meet her--gently--if nothing is
+said to harden her.'
+
+'I will try. I promise you I will try,' said Mrs. Vane very softly. 'But
+oh, Mrs. Fairchild, if it has made my husband ill!' and her voice broke.
+
+'We must hope not--hope and pray,' said Celestina's mother in a low
+voice.
+
+'And there was something so interesting I wanted to tell you; I had a
+letter to-day from Madame d'Ermont--such a nice letter. And now all this
+has spoilt everything,' went on poor Mrs. Vane.
+
+'Never mind. You will tell me about it another time,' said Mrs.
+Fairchild soothingly. 'Would it--excuse my suggesting it--would I be in
+the way if I stayed till they come? I have some experience as to chills
+and accidents of all sorts--and I would like to see how they are.'
+
+'Oh, thank you,' said Mrs. Vane fervently. 'I should be most grateful.
+I have no one now with any head about me since my last maid left.'
+
+And Mrs. Fairchild stayed--not that evening only, but all night, sending
+Celestina home to explain matters to her father.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
+
+          '"Love will make the lesson light.
+            ... Teach me how to learn it right,"
+              Through her tears smiled Daisy.'--ANON.
+
+
+For Mrs. Vane's troubles came thickly just then. Before night it was
+evident that both Biddy and her father were not to escape all bad
+results from the chill and wetting; and the Seacove doctor, who was sent
+for at once, looked grave, shook his head as he murmured that it was no
+doubt most unfortunate. He would say nothing decided beyond giving some
+simple directions till he should see how the patients were the next day.
+Biddy, after a violent fit of crying, which came on when she found her
+father could not come 'to say good-night,' and begging, among her sobs,
+to be forgiven, fell asleep, and slept heavily, to wake again in an hour
+or two, feverish, restless, and slightly delirious. This, however, was
+on the whole less alarming, for very little will make a child
+light-headed, than Mr. Vane's condition. There was no sleep for him,
+poor man; he was racked with pain and terribly awake--nervously anxious
+to know the ins and outs of Biddy's escapade, and to soften it as much
+as possible in her mother's eyes. Mrs. Vane kept her promise of being
+very gentle with Biddy, and indeed, when in her room, and seeing the
+poor little thing so ill, it was not difficult to be so. But once away
+from her, and in sight of her husband's sufferings, the irritation
+against Biddy grew almost too great to keep down. And Mrs. Vane was not
+very good at keeping down or keeping in her feelings, and each time she
+burst out it seemed to make Mr. Vane worse. There was no going to bed
+for either her or Mrs. Fairchild that night; indeed, what she would have
+done without Celestina's wise and gentle mother I do not know. It was
+she who sensibly made the best of it all, soothing Mrs. Vane, who really
+needed it almost as much as Biddy and her father; and the only snatches
+of sleep Mr. Vane got were when her soft and pleasant voice had been
+reading aloud to him.
+
+'I don't know how to thank you,' said Biddy's mother tearfully the next
+morning early, when she at last persuaded Mrs. Fairchild to lie down a
+little. 'Can't you stay all day to rest?'
+
+But Mrs. Fairchild shook her head, smiling.
+
+'I must go home,' she said. 'At the latest I must go home by ten
+o'clock. It will be all right till then. I can trust Celestina to see to
+her father's breakfast and everything, and there's not much doing in the
+shop before then. Celestina will have let Miss Neale know not to come.'
+
+'How well you have brought your little girl up--how thoughtful and
+womanly she is; and to think that she is only a year or two older than
+Bridget!' said Mrs. Vane sadly.
+
+'It has not been exactly my doing,' Celestina's mother replied. 'I often
+think the very things I would have wished different for her have been
+the best training. She has _had_ to be helpful and thoughtful; she has
+had her own duties and share of responsibility almost all her life.'
+
+'Biddy never feels responsible for anything--not even for learning her
+lessons or being ready for meals,' said her mother.
+
+'Well, that is just what wants awaking in her. This lesson may show her
+that even a child is responsible, that a child may cause sad trouble.
+One would rather she had learnt it the other way, but it may be what she
+needed.'
+
+Mrs. Vane sighed. She wanted to be patient, but she could hardly bring
+herself to feel that a lesson which was to cost Biddy's father such
+suffering, nay, even to risk his life perhaps, would not be too dearly
+bought.
+
+The doctor came, but he was not much more outspoken than the night
+before. Biddy was to be kept very quiet, the more she could sleep the
+better; as for Mr. Vane, he _hoped_ it would not be rheumatic fever, but
+it was plain he feared it. And he advised Mrs. Vane to get a trained
+nurse.
+
+A trying time followed. For some days it seemed almost certain that Mr.
+Vane was in for rheumatic fever; in the end he just managed to escape
+it, but he was sadly weakened, and the cough, which had disappeared
+since his coming to Seacove, began again. It would be weeks before he
+could leave his room.
+
+And Biddy, too, did not get well as had been expected. She lay there
+white and silent as if she did not want to get better, only seeming
+thoroughly to wake up when she asked, as she did at least every two
+hours, how papa was, and sinking back again when the usual answer came
+of 'No better,' or 'Very little better.' Her mother was very kind to
+her, but she could not be much with Biddy, and perhaps it was as well,
+for it would have been almost impossible for her to hide for long her
+great unhappiness about Mr. Vane.
+
+Mrs. Fairchild came to the Rectory as often as she could; sometimes she
+sat with Biddy for an hour or more at a time, but Biddy scarcely spoke,
+and Celestina's mother was both sorry for her and anxious about her.
+
+'There seems no one able to pay much attention to her,' she said one
+evening at home; 'poor Mrs. Vane is so taken up, and no wonder, with her
+husband, and Rosalys is as busy as she can be, helping and seeing to
+everything.'
+
+There came a little voice from the other side of the table: the
+Fairchilds were at tea.
+
+'Mother, do you think I might go to see her?' it asked. 'I'd be very
+quiet.'
+
+'I'll ask,' Mrs. Fairchild answered. 'You might come with me to-morrow
+and wait outside while I find out if it would do.'
+
+Mrs. Vane had no objection--Biddy was really not ill now, she said. It
+was just one of her queer ways to lie still and refuse to get up.
+Perhaps Celestina would make her ashamed of herself. So Celestina was
+brought upstairs, and tapped gently at the door.
+
+'Come in,' said Bridget, though without looking up. But when the neat
+little figure came forward, close to the bedside, and she glanced round
+and saw who it was, a smile came over her face--the first for a long
+time.
+
+'Celestina!' she exclaimed joyfully. But then the smile died away again,
+and a red flush covered her cheeks and forehead. 'No,' she said, turning
+on the other side, 'I don't want to see you. Go away.'
+
+Celestina felt very distressed. But she wanted to do Biddy good, so she
+put back her own feelings.
+
+'Please don't say that,' she said. 'I'll stay as quiet as anything, but
+please don't send me away. I've been so wanting to see you.'
+
+There was a slight turning towards her on this, and at last Biddy lifted
+her head from the pillow a little.
+
+'Did you truly want to see me?' she said.
+
+'Of course I did. I've been very sorry about you being ill,' Celestina
+replied.
+
+Biddy did not speak. Then Celestina heard a faint sound, and going up a
+little closer still, she saw that Biddy was crying.
+
+'Dear Miss Biddy,' she whispered. Then a pair of hot little arms, not so
+fat as they had been, were stretched out and thrown round her neck.
+
+'Will you kiss me, Celestina?' whispered Bridget. 'Do you really love
+me? If you do, you're the only one. I'm too naughty--I've been too
+naughty. I've as good as killed papa--I know he's going to die. I heard
+them saying the first night I'd as good as killed him, though I pretended
+not to hear. And I've been trying to die myself; I thought p'raps if I
+prayed a great, great lot to be forgiven, God would forgive me before I
+died. But I want to die, because I'm so naughty I'm only a trouble. And
+I _couldn't_ live without papa, knowing I'd as good as killed him. Oh,
+Celestina,' and here the voice grew so low that Celestina could scarcely
+hear it, 'are you quite sure that papa hasn't died already and they
+won't tell me?' and Celestina felt her shiver.
+
+'I heard him speaking as I came upstairs,' said Celestina, so quietly
+that Biddy believed her perfectly; 'the door of his room was open.
+I think he must be a little better to-day.'
+
+'Oh,' said Biddy with a gasp, 'I do wonder if he is.'
+
+'And----' Celestina began, then stopped again, 'I don't think you should
+talk about trying to die like that,' she said. 'I--I think it would be
+rather a lazy way of being sorry for what we'd done wrong just to try to
+die.'
+
+'I suppose it's because I'm lazy then. They all say I'm very lazy,'
+Biddy replied. 'But I can't help it. I'm not going to try and be good
+any more. I fixed that before--before that day. It's no use.'
+
+Celestina considered a little.
+
+'I should think,' she said at last--'I should think you would want to
+get better to help to take care of your papa and make him better.'
+
+Biddy started at this. It was a new idea.
+
+'Do you think they'd let me?' she said in a half whisper. 'I thought I
+was too little. Did you ever help to take care of your papa when he was
+ill? But p'raps he's never been ill?'
+
+'Oh yes, he has,' said Celestina, with a sigh. 'I think he's iller than
+your papa very often. I do lots of things for him then: I make his tea
+always, and tidy his room. And sometimes when he's getting better and
+comes downstairs to the parlour I read aloud to him. For when he's ill,
+mother has all the more to be in the shop, you know.'
+
+Bridget listened intently. At last--
+
+'Celestina,' she said, 'I do wish I could see papa. It would make me
+_quite_ sure he's alive, you know, for it all seems so muddled in my
+head since the day I was so naughty. And if he'd forgive me, and if he'd
+get better, I think, _perhaps_, I'd ask God to make me better too, so
+that I might make papa's tea and read aloud to him like you do.'
+
+'Perhaps it wouldn't be exactly that,' said Celestina, a little afraid
+of the responsibility of putting anything into Bridget's head, 'but I'm
+sure you could do _something_. And why shouldn't you see him? Miss Alie
+was in his room just now.'
+
+Bridget would have hung her head if she had not been lying down. As it
+was, she looked ashamed.
+
+'He mustn't get up at all, you know,' she said. 'And one day when they
+offered me to go to see him, I wouldn't.'
+
+'You wouldn't?' exclaimed Celestina.
+
+'No,' said Biddy; 'I didn't want to see him looking like he did that
+day.'
+
+'But you'd like to see him now, wouldn't you?'
+
+'Yes,' said Biddy. 'If you were to get me my dressing-gown, Celestina,
+don't you think I might just run down the passage and the little stair
+and go to see him? He lies on the sofa in his room, Alie said one day.'
+
+Celestina looked frightened.
+
+'Don't you think you should ask your mamma first?' she said. 'Besides,
+I thought you were too ill to walk.'
+
+'Oh no,' said Bridget; 'I think I could walk if I tried. But you may go
+and ask mamma if you like; I'm sure she'll say I may.'
+
+Off flew Celestina. She too felt pretty sure that Mrs. Vane would be
+pleased to hear of Biddy's wish. But when she got to the room where she
+had left her mother with Mrs. Vane, they were not there, and Alie, who
+came in a moment afterwards, said they were walking up and down the
+garden; if Celestina would go out she would be sure to meet them. 'And
+mamma will be very pleased to hear that Biddy wants to go to see papa.
+He has asked for her several times, but he said she wasn't to be forced,
+not till she felt inclined. Papa _is_ so good and patient, and he is
+really a little bit better to-day,' said Rosalys brightly.
+
+Upstairs Bridget was eagerly waiting for Celestina's return. She had got
+out of bed and reached down her dressing-gown for herself, feeling
+rather surprised at finding how well she could walk; she had found her
+slippers too, and stood there leaning against the bed, quite ready for
+her little expedition.
+
+After a while she crept to the door and peeped out. Sounds, cheerful
+sounds of the usual morning stir in a well-managed house came up the
+stairs; she heard faint clatter from the kitchen, and now and then a
+little laugh or a few words of the servants talking together. But no one
+was about upstairs.
+
+'Papa must be a little better,' thought Bridget, 'else they wouldn't
+seem like that. I do wish Celestina would come back. I wonder if she's
+forgotten?'
+
+She edged herself a tiny bit into the passage. It did not seem far, only
+along by the balusters and down the little stair to papa's room; and
+just then came a sound which seemed to go straight to Biddy's heart. It
+was papa's cough--not a very bad one, just his usual little cough. It
+seemed to waken her up--till now she had felt almost as if in a sort of
+dream; it was so queer to feel and hear all the house-life going on the
+same as ever when she had been out of it so long, for ten or twelve days
+is a long time to a child--but the sound of papa's cough seemed to make
+everything real, to join the past and the present together again, still
+more, to touch a spring in Biddy which I think she had scarcely known
+was there. And without stopping to think any more, off she set, along
+the passage and down the stair, till she found herself, breathless and
+rather giddy, but full of eagerness, at her father's door.
+
+It was open, as Celestina had said, and half shy now, Biddy peeped in.
+He was lying on a couch between the fire and the window; it was a bright
+spring-like morning--he had a book in his hand, but he did not seem to
+be reading; he was quite still, his eyes were gazing out to the clear
+blue sky, and the look in his face was very sweet. Then again came the
+little cough. That was the signal. In rushed Biddy.
+
+'Papa, dear papa,' she cried, as she half threw herself, half tumbled
+upon him, for she felt giddy again with moving so fast. 'Dear papa, are
+you getting better? Please don't die, dear papa, and I _will_ try to be
+good. And oh, please forgive me, and don't say I as good as killed you.'
+
+'My poor little Biddy,' said Mr. Vane, raising himself so as to see her,
+and drawing her tenderly on to the couch beside him,--'my poor little
+Biddy. So you've come to see me at last! And are you getting better,
+dear?'
+
+'Yes, yes, papa, but please tell me you're not going to die because of
+me,' and Biddy began to cry, but gently, not in her old way.
+
+Mr. Vane tried to speak, but his cough was troublesome.
+
+'I think I'm a little better, dear,' he said, 'and, please God, I hope
+to be better yet. And it will be a great help to me if I see you quite
+well again, and trying to be of use to mamma, Biddy, and to Alie. You
+can help to nurse me, you know.'
+
+Biddy looked up. The very things Celestina had said!
+
+'Papa!' she said, 'might I really? Would mamma let me? Will everybody
+forgive me?'
+
+Was it Biddy speaking? Even her father could scarcely believe it.
+
+Just at that moment Mrs. Vane came hurriedly into the room: she had been
+to Biddy's, on receiving Celestina's message, and finding the bird
+flown, had naturally taken alarm.
+
+'_Biddy!_' she exclaimed, as she caught sight of the child beside her
+father, his arm round her, her eager flushed face looking up at him--and
+her tone was rather anxious and annoyed. But Mr. Vane glanced at his
+wife with a little sign which she understood. She came quickly towards
+them.
+
+'Biddy,' whispered her father, 'here is mamma.'
+
+Bridget's face worked for a moment, then she flung her arms round her
+mother's neck.
+
+'Mamma, mamma,' she whispered, 'I'm going to try to be good--if only
+you'll forgive me. I don't want to die if I can be good and help to
+nurse papa. Mamma, there was something _very_ sorry came into my heart
+when papa got me out of the water and I saw how white he was. But I
+wouldn't listen to it, and it got hard and horrid. But now it's come
+again--Celestina began it, and I _will_ be good--and _don't_ you think
+God will make papa better?'
+
+I don't think Mrs. Vane had ever kissed Biddy as she kissed her then.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Doctors say that _wishing_ to get better has a good deal to do with it.
+It did seem so in Mr. Vane's case; he was not afraid to die, but he was
+still young, and it seemed to him that if he were spared to live there
+were many good and useful things he could do. And he was a happy and
+cheerful man; he loved being alive, and he loved this beautiful world,
+and longed to make other people as happy as he was himself. Most of all
+he loved his wife and children, and his great wish to get well was for
+their sake more than for any other reason. And never during the several
+illnesses he had had did he wish _quite_ so much to get well as now. For
+he had a feeling that if he did not recover a sad shadow would be cast
+over Biddy's life--a shadow that would not grow lighter but darker, he
+feared, as she came more fully to understand that her folly or childish
+naughtiness had been the cause of his illness and death.
+
+'It would leave a sore memory in her mother's heart too,' Mr. Vane said
+to himself, 'however much she tried not to let it come between her and
+the child.'
+
+And I fear it would have done so.
+
+So Biddy's father did his best to get well. Not by fidgeting and
+worrying and thinking of nothing but his own symptoms, but by cheerful
+patience. He obeyed the doctor's orders exactly, and forced himself to
+believe that the work he would fain have been doing would get done, by
+God's help, even though _he_ might not do it; he kept up his interest in
+all going on about him, watching with the keenest interest the pretty,
+shy approaches of the spring from his window; he read as much as he was
+allowed, and helped Rough with his lessons in the evening, and had a
+bright smile for everybody at all times.
+
+'I almost feel as if he were too good to live,' said Mrs. Fairchild one
+evening to Celestina and her father, when she had returned from a visit
+to the rectory. But this time it was Mr. Fairchild's turn to speak
+cheerily, for he too had been spending an hour or two with the invalid
+that day.
+
+'I saw a decided improvement to-day,' he said. 'I do think Mr. Vane's
+patience is wonderful, but I have a strong feeling that he is really
+beginning to gain ground.'
+
+Celestina's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and so did her mother's. The
+two families had grown very much attached to each other in these few
+weeks.
+
+'_Won't_ they all be happy when he gets well?' said the little girl.
+'And oh, mother, isn't dear little Biddy different from what she was?
+She is so gentle and thoughtful, and she's hardly _never_ cross. She
+does so many little things to help.'
+
+Mrs. Fairchild smiled. In her heart she thought that Celestina had
+certainly had a hand in this pleasant change, but she would not say so.
+Children got less praised '_then_-a-days,' as a little friend of mine
+calls long ago, for their parents were exceedingly afraid of spoiling
+them, and the thought of taking any credit to herself had never entered
+the child's mind.
+
+'I do hope,' she went on, 'that Biddy's papa will be nearly quite well
+by her birthday. It'll come in a month, you know, mother, and the
+doll-house is almost quite ready. Mrs. Vane has begun working at it
+again the last few days, and Rosalys and I and Miss Neale have all been
+helping. It _will_ be so lovely, mother,' and Celestina's face lighted
+up with pleasure quite as great as if it was all for herself.
+
+Truly, selfish people have _no_ idea what happiness they miss!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+ANOTHER BIRTHDAY
+
+          'Rare as is true love, true friendship is still rarer.'
+                                       LA ROCHEFOUCAULD.
+
+
+Bridget's birthday came in May--the middle of May. From the time I have
+told you about in the last chapter Mr. Vane went on getting slowly
+better; at least he got no worse. But it did seem very slow. At last
+there came a day on which the doctor gave him leave to go downstairs.
+
+'I want to see what he can do,' the doctor explained. 'At this rate we
+might go on for months and gain little ground. Perhaps he is stronger
+than he seems.'
+
+They were all very eager and excited about this great step. It was an
+'afternoon' day, as the little girls called those days on which
+Celestina and Miss Neale came back again, and this afternoon Mrs.
+Fairchild came with them. Mrs. Vane was thankful to have her at hand in
+case of any help being needed. And all the children were sent out for a
+walk, with the promise of finding papa in the drawing-room when they
+came in again.
+
+But as they were coming home they were met by Rough at the Rectory gate.
+It was one of his occasional half-days. He ran out to meet them, but he
+looked rather grave.
+
+'Is papa down? Is he in the drawing-room?' cried Rosalys and Biddy.
+
+'Yes,' said Rough; 'but mamma's been rather frightened about him. He
+seems so weak. She's sent me for the doctor, and he's there now. So you
+must not go in to see papa. That's why I came to meet you.'
+
+Alie's face fell and Biddy's grew very red.
+
+'I'm sure _we_ shouldn't hurt him,' she said. 'It's all that nasty
+doctor,' and she almost looked as if she were going to get into one of
+her old tempers.
+
+Celestina took hold of her hand gently.
+
+'Don't, Biddy dear,' she whispered. 'Perhaps when the doctor goes you'll
+see him;' which did Bridget far more good than if she had overheard, as
+she luckily did not, Rough's remark to Alie: 'I don't think _she's_ any
+right to grumble when it's all her doing.'
+
+It was not a kind thing to say, but then Rough's heart was sore and
+anxious, and when one feels so it is difficult not to be cross and
+sharp. All their hearts were sore, I think. Children jump on so fast in
+their minds. Bride and Rough, and Alie too, I daresay, had fancied to
+themselves that once 'downstairs' again papa would seem directly like
+himself, and this news was a great disappointment. So the little party
+went in rather sadly, Miss Neale telling them in a low voice to take off
+their things and come down to tea in the schoolroom as quietly as
+possible, Rough, over whom her authority did not extend, stationing
+himself at the front door to watch for the doctor's departure.
+
+He stayed some time, and when he had gone Mr. Vane asked for the
+children.
+
+'In a little,' Mrs. Vane answered. Then she turned to Celestina's
+mother. 'This idea has rather taken my breath away,' she said, but her
+voice was pretty cheerful.
+
+'I hardly see how it is to be managed,' said Mr. Vane, for once rather
+despondently.
+
+'We will talk it all over afterwards,' said Mrs. Vane, at a little sign
+from Celestina's mother; 'and now we will leave you to rest a while.'
+
+'Oh dear, Mrs. Fairchild,' she said, when they were alone in the next
+room, 'I wonder what we can do. It is dreadful to think of going
+abroad--to be alone among strangers, and my husband so ill. And then
+leaving the children. I cannot send them to my mother. Her house is full
+with my eldest brother's family home from India.'
+
+'I think they would get on very well here,' said Mrs. Fairchild. 'And
+your own governess will be back in a fortnight. Of course Miss Neale
+would be too young for such a charge; besides, she cannot leave her
+mother. And--you must excuse my suggesting it--but is not Madame
+d'Ermont's home somewhere in the south?'
+
+'To be sure,' exclaimed Mrs. Vane, starting up joyfully; 'how stupid of
+me not to have thought of it! Thank you so much for reminding me. I have
+her last letter here. You have written to her yourself, have you not?'
+
+'Yes, indeed. I wrote to thank her very much for her kindness,' said
+Mrs. Fairchild. 'It may be of the greatest advantage to Celestina some
+day.'
+
+For I have been so busy with the story of Biddy's escapade and its
+consequences, that I have put off too long telling of the French lady's
+kind letter to Mrs. Vane about her old friend Mrs. Fairchild and her
+little name-daughter Celestina.
+
+'It has touched me very much,' she wrote, 'to find I was still
+remembered; and if ever I can be of use to little Célestine and her
+mother I hope she or you will let me know.'
+
+Well, the doctor had ordered Mr. Vane to go abroad, as I daresay you
+will have guessed.
+
+It was a sad disappointment, just when they had come to Seacove and he
+seemed so well, and though no one reproached her, Bridget felt that the
+consequences of her self-will were not to be soon forgotten.
+
+It was all settled very quickly; and from the time it was settled Mr.
+Vane, 'out of contradiction,' he said laughing, really seemed to improve
+faster than hitherto. So that he was looking a good deal more like 'a
+proper papa,' as Alie said, the day he and Mrs. Vane started on their
+long journey.
+
+'I am so glad you are going to be near that nice old lady,' said Alie,
+amidst her tears; 'and oh, mamma dear, I will try to do everything you
+would like.'
+
+'I am sure you will, darling, and it is a great comfort to feel so much
+happier about Biddy now. You will try to make a nice birthday for her,
+I know.'
+
+'There'll be the surprise--that's something nice to look forward to. And
+we may have Celestina as often as we like, mayn't we?'
+
+'As often as her mother can spare her, of course,' Mrs. Vane answered.
+
+Then came Biddy. She was not crying, though she winked her eyes a good
+deal.
+
+'Mamma, I'll try to be good,' she said bluntly; 'and if papa gets quite
+well again'--here her voice broke. 'Oh, mamma, if only it was the day
+for you and papa to come back, and him quite, _quite_ well. Mamma, I
+think I'd never be naughty again.'
+
+This was a great, great deal from Biddy!
+
+That day _did_ come, but a good many other days had to pass before it
+came, and some of these were rather sad and anxious ones. For the first
+letters from abroad were not as cheerful as Mrs. Vane would have liked
+to make them for the little party so eagerly awaiting them at Seacove
+Rectory. Mr. Vane was very tired by the journey, and had it not been for
+the kindness of Madame d'Ermont, who would not hear of them staying
+anywhere but in her house, at any rate till he grew stronger, Mrs. Vane
+said she felt as if she would have lost heart altogether. But after a
+little things brightened up again. 'Papa really seems to get stronger
+every day,' she wrote; and on Bridget's birthday morning there came a
+letter from papa himself, all scented with the sweet violets he had
+slipped into it--for that was long before the days of parcel posts, by
+which flowers reach us from the south of France and Italy as fresh as if
+we had just gathered them in our own gardens--and telling of quite a
+long walk he had been able to take without feeling too tired. The letter
+ended up with wishing Biddy a truly happy birthday, and hopes that it
+might be bright and sunny at Seacove. 'I only wish I could pack up some
+of the sunshine here to send you,' wrote Mr. Vane, 'for we have enough
+and to spare of it. But after all, the best sunshine of all is that of
+happy and contented and loving hearts--is it not, my Biddy?'
+
+There was sunshine of both kinds that day at the Rectory. Celestina came
+early, almost immediately after breakfast indeed, so as to be present at
+the great 'surprise.' She was to spend the whole day for once with her
+friends, which was a great treat, though she saw them regularly once or
+twice a week when she came to have a French lesson from Miss Millet.
+Mrs. Vane had arranged this before she left, for little Miss Neale, who
+now gave Celestina lessons every day at Pier Street, could not teach
+French, and it was a great pleasure, and help too, to Biddy to have
+industrious, attentive Celestina still her companion in something.
+
+But to-day, of course, there was no question of lessons of any kind.
+
+They had breakfast extra early, which some children I know, would not,
+I fear, consider a treat. Indeed, I once heard of some young people,
+scarcely to be called children, and by no means overworked young people
+either, who chose for a holiday pleasure that they should stay in bed
+for breakfast, and not get up till the middle of the day, which, I must
+say, I did not at all admire. The great reason for the extra early
+breakfast on Biddy's birthday was not that the Vane children were so
+_very_ fond of being up betimes, but that Rough wanted to be there at
+the great scene, and with some difficulty he had got an hour's 'grace'
+from school that morning.
+
+To begin at the beginning--for I know that when I was a child I liked to
+be told all about everything--the first pleasure of the day, after the
+reading of papa's nice letter, was the sight of the breakfast-table.
+Kind Miss Millet and Alie had dressed it up with cowslips after Biddy
+had gone to bed the night before, for there were cowslips, and very
+pretty ones, to be had in some woods a mile or two inland from Seacove.
+And May birthdays always make one think of cowslips.
+
+The breakfast itself was very nice too--extra nice; for there was no
+bread and milk for once, but only 'grown-up' things--a tempting dish of
+ham and eggs, and delicious hot rolls and tea-cakes, and strawberry jam
+and honey to eat with them as a finish up. And besides the letter from
+papa--which had _really_ come the day before and been kept till this
+morning, as, in his fear of being too late, Mr. Vane had sent it off
+rather too soon--there was a neat little packet for Biddy from
+grandmamma, containing a story-book called _The Christmas Stocking_, and
+a lovely scarf worked in all kinds of marvellous Eastern colours,
+'making one think of the Arabian nights,' as Alie said, from the Indian
+cousins. So that it was with a sigh of deep content that Biddy sat down
+to breakfast, knowing that something still more delightful and wonderful
+was in store.
+
+Celestina arrived before breakfast was quite over, and Rough ran out and
+brought her into the dining-room, where she had to eat a roll and
+strawberry jam to refresh her after her early walk. And then when every
+one had finished and Rough had said grace, they all set off to the
+schoolroom.
+
+'Shut your eyes, Biddy,' said Rough. 'I'll lead you in, and mind you
+don't open them till I tell you.'
+
+There stood Biddy, as quiet as a mouse, though her heart was beating
+fast, till, after one or two whispered directions--'That isn't quite
+straight,' 'Put the chairs by the fire, Celestina,' and so on--came
+Rough's voice--
+
+'Now, Biddy. Open your eyes.'
+
+[Illustration: 'Now, Biddy. Open your eyes.' P. 195.]
+
+And 'open her eyes' she did, though she half shut them again the next
+minute, and then had to rub them to make sure they were not tricking
+her. For there in front of her, on the schoolroom table, stood, its two
+big doors flung wide open, the very nicest, most complete doll-house
+that, in those days at least, could have been imagined. There were six
+good-sized rooms: drawing-room, dining-room, two bedrooms, nursery, and
+kitchen--the last, perhaps, the most fascinating of all, with its little
+kitchen-range, its rows of brightly shining pots and pans, some black,
+some tin, and some copper; its dresser and shelves, and charming dinner
+service, and ever so many other things it would take me a very long time
+to describe. And the dining-room, with its brown and gold papered walls,
+and red velvet carpet and little stuffed chairs; and the drawing-room,
+with sofas covered in dainty chintz and blue carpet and gilt-framed
+mirrors; and the bedrooms, one white and one pink; and the nursery, with
+the _sweet_ little cradle and rocking-chair and baths and wash-hand
+stands and I don't know all what--truly it was a very pretty sight.
+Biddy gasped; she could not speak.
+
+'And only think, Biddy,' said Rosalys; 'it is our own old doll-house
+done up. The one mamma had herself when she was a little girl, you know.
+Doesn't that make it all the nicer? You _can't_ think how we've all
+worked at it. We'd begun it before--before papa and you got ill; that
+was our secret that Celestina and I were always whispering about.'
+
+And in her delight even staid Alie gave two or three jumps up into the
+air! But as she came down again she felt herself caught round the neck
+and hugged and squeezed. Oh, how she _was_ hugged and squeezed!
+
+And '_Oh_, Alie,' whispered Biddy, 'you are too good to me; for you
+don't know how naughty I felt about your having a secret.'
+
+'Never mind, never mind. I daresay it was my fault. Mamma says it's very
+teasing to talk about secrets, but it's all right now, and we are all
+going to be so happy with the doll-house, aren't we? Now you must kiss
+Celestina too; you don't know what a lot she's done. She hemmed the
+sheets of the beds and the table-cloths and ever so many things, and her
+mamma dressed the dolls--and--oh yes, Roughie papered nearly all the
+rooms, and----'
+
+But here Rosalys, who seemed to be turning all of a sudden into a
+regular chatterbox, was interrupted by more huggings and squeezings, as
+Rough rather objected to much of this sort of thing, and Biddy had still
+a great deal to spare even after she had bestowed a full share upon
+Celestina. She quieted down, however, when Miss Millet suggested that
+unless they set to work to go all over the house and admire all its
+numberless treasures, it would be getting too late for the nice walk
+they wanted to have before dinner. But in the midst of the showing
+everything Celestina made them all laugh by calmly taking a little
+parcel from her pocket, from which she drew out three or four little
+dolls, announcing that they were Eleanor and Amy and one or two new
+ones, all in grand clothes for the occasion, who had come to spend the
+day with the Rectory doll party.
+
+'You did invite them, Alie, you remember, don't you?' she said, looking
+a little bit aggrieved. 'They would never have come without being
+invited.'
+
+'Oh yes, I know I did,' Rosalys replied. 'It was only the funny way you
+pulled them out of your pocket.'
+
+'And some day, Biddy, mother says, perhaps you'll bring yours to drink
+tea with mine,' said Celestina, quite pleased again. 'We might pretend
+that mine were some cousins they had in the country who were not very
+rich, you know,' she went on simply. 'And I'd make their parlour as
+smart as I could. I'd try to dress it up with flowers and green, so that
+it would be like an arbour.'
+
+'Yes,' said Biddy, 'that _would_ be nice. And _we_ might have tea as
+well as the dolls, mightn't we, Celestina? You know once you told me
+about some little cups you have that we might have tea out of.'
+
+'Oh yes,' Celestina replied hospitably, '_of course_ we'd have real tea
+too. Mother would make some cakes and----'
+
+'My dears,' said Miss Millet, 'I think we must be going out. You will
+have all the rest of the day to play with the doll-house, but it is such
+a lovely morning, and I think it's always so nice to have a good walk on
+a holiday.'
+
+The little girls were quite of their governess's opinion, only sorry
+that Randolph could not make one of the party. He came home, however, in
+good time in the afternoon, and they all had a very merry tea together.
+
+'What a nice birthday it's been!' said Bride, as she and Alie kissed
+Celestina, whose mother managed to spare an hour to come to fetch her
+and at the same time to wish Biddy 'many happy returns.' 'How good of
+you to dress the dolls for me, Mrs. Fairchild!' she went on. 'I think
+I shall love the doll-house more and more every day, for, you see, it's
+full of kind things you've all done for me. And I'm going to keep it
+_so_ neat. Mamma will be quite surprised when she comes home to find how
+neat I've learnt to be.'
+
+'And only think, Mrs. Fairchild,' added Rosalys; 'do you know that papa
+and mamma will most likely be home in one month? Just fancy, how nice!'
+
+The 'most likely' came true. One month saw Mr. and Mrs. Vane safe back
+at Seacove; 'papa' so bright and well, so bronzed and ruddy too, that it
+was difficult to believe he was the same feeble-looking invalid who had
+started on his long journey nine weeks before.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It is not often--very seldom, indeed--that I am able to tell my readers
+'what became of' the children they have come to know, and sometimes, I
+hope, to care for in these simple stories. But as it is now many years
+ago since the Vane family came to Seacove Rectory, and as Randolph and
+his sisters and Celestina Fairchild have long ago been grown-up people,
+I can give you another peep of them some eight or ten years after the
+birthday I have been telling you about.
+
+The curtain rises again on a different scene.
+
+It is a lovely, old-fashioned garden, exquisitely neat and filled with
+plants and flowers, showing at their best in the bright soft light of a
+midsummer afternoon. A rectory garden, but not Seacove. Poor Seacove,
+with its sandy soil and near neighbourhood to the sea, could not have
+produced the velvety grass of that old bowling-green, now (for we are
+still speaking of a good many years ago) a croquet-ground, or the
+luxuriant 'rose hedge' bordering one end. Two girls were walking slowly
+up and down the wide terrace walk in front of the low windows, talking
+as they walked. One was tall and slight, with a fair sweet face--a very
+lovely face, and one that no one loved and admired more heartily than
+did her younger sister.
+
+'Alie dear, I do hope you've had a happy birthday,' said
+Bridget--sixteen-years-old Bridget!--for Rosalys was twenty-one to-day.
+'There are some birthdays one should remember more than others. A
+twenty-first birthday is a _very_ particular one, isn't it?'
+
+'Yes indeed, Biddy, it is,' Alie replied. 'I can scarcely believe it.
+And fancy, in five years more _you_ will be twenty-one!'
+
+'I hope I shall go on growing till then,' said Biddy, whose great
+ambition was to be as tall as her sister. 'Some girls do, don't they?
+And I have grown a good deal this year. I don't look as stumpy as I did,
+do I?' and Biddy looked up in her sister's face with a pleasant
+smile--a smile that showed her pretty white teeth and shone out of her
+nice brown eyes. She was not lovely like Alie, but she had a dear honest
+face--though she was still rather freckled, and her dark wavy hair gave
+her a somewhat gipsy look.
+
+'You aren't a bit stumpy--you're just nice,' said Rosalys, 'though I
+daresay you will grow some more. Just think what a little roundabout you
+once were, and how you've grown since then.'
+
+'Yes indeed,' laughed Biddy. 'Talking of birthdays, Alie, do you
+remember my eighth birthday? The one at Seacove, when papa and mamma
+were away after his being so ill, and when you all gave me the
+doll-house--the dear old doll-house; do you know I really sometimes play
+with it still? I often think of Seacove.'
+
+'So do I,' said Alie. 'Of course I didn't like it _as much_ as this, for
+this garden is so sweet and the country all about here is so beautiful,
+and then it's so nice to be near grandmamma. But Seacove had a great
+charm about it too.'
+
+'The sea,' said Biddy--'the sea and the sunsets,' she went on half
+dreamily; 'I always think when I see a red sunset----' but then she
+stopped. There are some thoughts that one keeps _quite_ in one's own
+mind!
+
+'I always feel grateful to Seacove,' she said after a moment's pause.
+'Mamma is quite sure that the three years we lived there did more than
+anything to make papa strong again. What a blessing it is that he is so
+well now!'
+
+'And quite able for all his work here, though he could never stand
+London again,' said Alie. 'I wish Rough had gone into the Church too,
+Bride--that is to say, I wish _he_ had wished it. Then we should have
+had him somewhere near us, instead of far away in India,' and she gave a
+little sigh.
+
+'But he's getting on so well--he was just _made_ to be a soldier,' said
+Biddy. 'And papa says it is like that. Some people just _feel_ what
+they're meant to be. And Rough is a great comfort, even though he has to
+be away--and you know, Alie,' she went on quite gravely, 'I don't think
+there _could_ have been another as good as papa, not in the same way:
+he's just nearly an angel.' Alie did not disagree. 'And Roughie will be
+home before your next birthday, you know.'
+
+'I hope so indeed,' said Rosalys.
+
+'Talking about long ago,' went on Bride, to whom eight or nine years
+were still a _very_ 'long ago,' 'reminds me of dear little Celestina.
+What ages it is since we have heard of her--not since the year her
+father died, and we were afraid they were left rather badly off. How
+strange it seems, Alie, doesn't it? that poor Mr. Fairchild should have
+died and papa got well, when you think how ill papa was and that he
+seemed quite well then.'
+
+'He was always delicate--Mr. Fairchild, I mean,' said Rosalys. 'But it
+was very sad; they were so very fond of him. But, Biddy, we have heard
+of Celestina since then--don't you remember, mamma wrote to tell Madame
+d'Ermont of their trouble, and she wrote to Mrs. Fairchild inviting them
+to visit her? They couldn't go--not then--but mamma had another letter,
+thanking her and telling us where they were going to live. Still all
+that is a good while ago, and when mamma wrote again her letter was
+returned.'
+
+'How kind they were to us at Seacove!' said Bridget. 'I would love to
+see Celestina again--fancy, she must be grown up.'
+
+What I am now going to tell you will seem to some people 'too strange to
+be true,' but begging these wise people's pardon, I cannot agree with
+them. Strange things of the kind--coincidences, they are sometimes
+called--have happened to me myself, too often, for me not to believe
+that 'there is something in it.' In plain words, I believe that our
+spirits are sometimes conscious of each other's nearness much sooner
+than our clumsy bodies are. How very often is one met with the remark,
+'Why, we were just speaking of you!' How often does the thought of some
+distant friend suddenly start into our memories an hour or two before
+the post brings us a letter penned by the dear far-away fingers!
+
+Something of this kind was what happened now. A young man-servant came
+out of the house and made his way to where the girls were.
+
+'If you please, miss,' he said, 'a young lady is in the library waiting
+to see you. My mistress is out. The lady asked for both you and Miss
+Bridget.'
+
+'Who can it be?' said Rosalys.
+
+'How tiresome!' said Biddy.
+
+But they were accustomed to see visitors that had to be seen when their
+mother was out, and they went together to the library.
+
+Alie went in first, but she stood perplexed and a little confused as a
+slight tall figure rose from a chair and came forward to meet her.
+
+'I am afraid,' the stranger began, but before she could say another
+word, or before Alie had time to do more than think to herself, much
+more quickly than it takes to tell it, that surely she _should_ know
+that sweet pale face and bright though gentle eyes, Biddy had darted
+forward and was throwing her arms round the young girl's neck. 'Don't
+you know her, Alie?' she cried. '_I_ do. It's dear little Celestina,
+grown up, and oh, how nice and pretty and good you look! And we've been
+speaking of you all this morning. It's Alie's birthday; she's
+twenty-one, just fancy! And where have you been, and where's your
+mother, and----'
+
+Her breathlessness gave Rosalys time to come forward and warmly kiss
+Celestina in her turn. Then they made her sit down; she was looking
+rather tired, for she had had a long walk in the sun--and by degrees she
+told them all her news. There was a good deal to tell. The last four
+years had been spent by her mother and herself in France, not far from
+Madame d'Ermont, whom Celestina described as having been more than kind.
+
+'She paid for all my schooling and lessons,' the girl said simply, 'so
+that mother could afford to stay with me all the time. Mother gave some
+English lessons herself too. And I was able to learn French _quite_
+well, which will be such an advantage to me. The last two years I taught
+English at the school, so the expenses were not so great. And we spent
+the summer holidays at Madame d'Ermont's château. Oh, she was _so_
+kind!'
+
+'But why have you not written to us all this time?' asked her friends.
+
+'We have--two or three times, but the address must have been wrong, for
+one letter was returned to us. I remember I put all rightly except the
+county, for I did not think that necessary; and now--the other day, I
+mean--when, we had answered the advertisement and were inquiring about
+Calton, we found that there are actually three or four places of the
+name in England. And oh, we were so delighted when we found on getting
+there that Laneverel Rectory was only two miles off.'
+
+'Are you living at Calton then? What do you mean about an advertisement?
+Is your mother at Calton?'
+
+Celestina laughed and blushed at her own confused way of explaining.
+
+'I am so pleased at seeing you that I am losing my head,' she said.
+'Yes, we have come to live at Calton. We have got the dearest little
+house there. And I am French teacher at the large girls' school just
+outside the town. I get sixty pounds a year--is it not delightful? So we
+are quite rich. If only--you don't know how I wish poor father could
+have enjoyed it too--if he could but have had a few years of the
+pleasant life and rest.'
+
+She smiled through the tears in her eyes. Biddy stroked her hand gently.
+
+'But you yourself--it isn't all rest for you?' said Alie, thinking as
+she spoke that it was 'Celestina all over,' never giving a thought to
+herself.
+
+'Oh no, I have to work of course. But I like it. And some of my pupils
+are very nice and intelligent. Besides--I should be miserable if I were
+idle,' she added brightly.
+
+'Yes, indeed,' both the girls heartily agreed. 'We are very busy too,
+Celestina. We have lots and lots of things to do at home to help papa
+and mamma, and all the village people to look after, and the schools and
+the choir and the church. You must see the church, Celestina.'
+
+'It is just--almost, at least--perfect,' added Biddy enthusiastically,
+'compared with poor old Seacove! Oh, do you remember the high pews with
+curtains round, and the old clerk, and the pulpit like a Queen Elizabeth
+bedstead.'
+
+'Only _without_ curtains,' said Celestina, at which they all laughed.
+They were so happy they would have laughed at anything!
+
+Then Celestina had to be told about Rough, and how well he was getting
+on, though so far away, alas! And _then_ she had to be taken out into
+the garden to see its beauties, and have promises of unlimited cuttings
+and seeds and I don't know all what for her own little garden. There was
+poor old Smuttie's grave to show her too, in one corner, for Smut had
+lived to enjoy a year or two of peaceful and slumberous old age on the
+sunny doorstep in summer and the library hearthrug in winter at
+Laneverel Rectory. And _then_ came the sounds of wheels, and the pony
+carriage turned in at the gate with Mr. and Mrs. Vane, and all the story
+of the joyful surprise had to be told over again.
+
+The rector and his wife welcomed their old young friend as heartily as
+their daughters had done, you may be sure. They pressed her to stay to
+dinner, promising to drive her home in the cool of the evening, but
+this, Celestina, unselfish as ever, would not do, for 'mother' might be
+uneasy. So they had a very delightful 'afternoon tea' in the garden, for
+afternoon teas were just coming into fashion, and Rosalys and Bride
+walked half-way home with Celestina, parting with invitations and
+promises on both sides. Celestina was to spend at least _half_ of her
+half-holidays at the Rectory, and Alie was to drive to Calton to fetch
+Mrs. Fairchild the very next Saturday, and the sisters were to pay
+Celestina a long visit the following week, to see the dear little house
+and all her treasures.
+
+'You shall have tea in the sweet little French tea-cups Madame d'Ermont
+gave me,' said she joyfully. 'They are a _little_ bigger than my doll
+ones long ago.'
+
+'Oh dear,' said Biddy, 'that reminds me of the time I invited myself to
+tea to your house, and Alie was so shocked at me. I _was_ a horrid
+little girl.'
+
+'No, you _weren't_', said both the others. 'And any way,' added Alie
+fondly, 'isn't she nice now, Celestina?'
+
+'I've never had any friends, if I may call you so,' was Celestina's
+indirect reply, 'that I have cared for as for you two,' and there was a
+dewy look in her gentle eyes which said even more than her words.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A _real_ friendship--a friendship to last through the changes that
+_must_ come; a friendship too firmly based to be influenced by the fact
+that none of us, not even the sweetest and truest, are 'perfect,' that
+we _must_ 'bear and forbear,' and gently judge each other while in this
+world--such friendships are very rare. We are not _bound_ to our
+friends, not obliged to make the best of them, as with relations, and
+so, too often, we throw each other off hastily, take offence in some
+foolish way, and the dear old friendship is a thing of the past, one of
+those 'used to be's' that are so sad to come across in our memory. But
+it is not always so. Some friendships wear well, sending down their
+roots ever deeper and more firmly as the years go on, spreading out
+their gracious branches ever more widely overhead for us to find shelter
+and rest beneath them in the stormy as in the sunny days of life. And
+oh, dear children, such friendship is something to thank God for!
+
+My little girls, whose friendship began in the old back parlour at
+Seacove, are not even young women now--they are getting down into the
+afternoon of life--but they are still friends, true and tried. Friends
+whom sorrow and trials only join together still more closely; whose love
+for and trust in each other even death cannot destroy.
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+Punctuation errors have been repaired.
+
+The original text had a frontispiece that the list of illustrations
+recorded as being on page 89. It has been moved from the front to
+the text it refers to.
+
+Page 180, "springlike" changed to "spring-like".
+
+Page 169, "beggings" changed to "begging".
+
+Illustration that begins "----carrying" original read P. 162. Actual
+text is on page 161 and the table of illustrations reads 161.
+
+All illustration captions but one were mixed case. This was retained.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rectory Children, by Mrs Molesworth
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