Betty Vivian Part 12

"It was born in them," replied Martha. "If you can't see it for yourself, Sibyl, I am not able to show it to you."

Mrs. Haddo took the girls to London and gave them a very good day. It is true they spent a time which seemed intolerably long to Betty in having pretty white blouses and smartly made skirts and neat little jackets fitted on. They spent a still more intolerable time at the dressmaker's in being measured for soft, pretty evening-dresses. They went to a hairdresser, who cut their very thick hair and tied it with broad black ribbon. They next went to a milliner and had several hats tried on. They went to a sort of all-round shop, where they bought gloves, boots, and handkerchiefs innumerable, and some very soft black cashmere and even black silk stockings. Oh, but _they_ didn't care; they thought the whole time wasted. Nevertheless they submitted, and with a certain grace; for was not the precious packet safe--so safe that no one could possibly discover its whereabouts? And was not Betty feeling her queer, sensitive heart expanding more and more under Mrs. Haddo's kind influence?

"Now, my dears," said that good lady, "we will go back to Miss Watts the dressmaker at three o clock; but we have still two hours to spare.

During that time we'll have a little lunch, for I am sure you must be hungry; and afterwards I will take you to the Wallace Collection, which I think you will enjoy."

"What's a collection?" asked Sylvia.

"There are some rooms not far from here where beautiful things are collected--pictures and other lovely things of all sorts and descriptions. I think that you, at least, Betty, will love to look at them."

Betty afterwards felt, deep down in her heart, that this whole day was a wonderful dream. She was starvingly hungry, to begin with, and enjoyed the excellent lunch that Mrs. Haddo ordered at the confectioners. She felt a sense of curious joy and fear as she looked at one or two of the great pictures in the Wallace Collection, and so excited and uplifted was she altogether that she scarcely noticed when they returned to the shops and the coa.r.s.e, ugly black serges were exchanged for pretty coats and skirts of the finest cloth, for neat little white blouses, for pretty shoes and fine stockings. She did not even object to the hat, which, with its plume of feathers, gave a look of distinction to her little face. She was not elated over her fine clothes, neither was she annoyed about them.

"Now, Miss Watts," said Mrs. Haddo in a cheerful tone, "you will hurry with the rest of the young ladies' things, and send them to me as soon as ever you can. I shall want their evening-dresses, without fail, by the beginning of next week."

They all went down into the street. Sylvia found herself casting shy glances at Betty. It seemed to her that her sister was changed--that she scarcely knew her. Dress did not make such a marked difference in Hetty's appearance; but Hetty too looked a different girl.

"And now we are going to the Zoological Gardens," said Mrs. Haddo, "where we may find some spiders like d.i.c.kie, and where you will see all sorts of wonderful creatures."

"Oh Mrs. Haddo!" exclaimed Betty.

They spent an hour or two in that place so fascinating for children, and arrived back at Haddo Court just in time for supper.

"We have had a happy day, have we not?" said Mrs. Haddo, looking into Betty's face and observing the brightness of her eyes.

"Very happy, and it was you who gave it to us," answered the girl.

"And to-morrow," continued Mrs. Haddo, "must be just as happy--just as happy--because lessons will begin; and to an intelligent and clever girl there is nothing in the world so delightful as a difficulty conquered and knowledge acquired."

That evening, when the Vivian girls entered the room where supper was served, every girl in the upper school turned to look at them. The change in their appearance was at once complete and arresting. They walked well by nature. They were finely made girls, and had not a sc.r.a.p of self-consciousness.

"Oh, I say, Fan," whispered Susie in her dear friend's ear, "your cousins will boss the whole school if this sort of thing goes on. To be frank with you, Fan, I have fallen in love with that magnificent Betty myself. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her."

"You ought not to whisper in English, ought you?" was f.a.n.n.y's very significant response, uttered in the German tongue.

Susie shrugged her shoulders. The Specialities generally sat close to each other; and she looked down the table now, and saw that Margaret, and the Bertrams, and Olive Repton were equally absorbed in watching the Vivian girls. Nothing more was said about them, however; and when the meal came to an end Miss Symes took them away with her, to give them brief directions with regard to their work for the morrow. She also supplied them with a number of new books, which Betty received with rapture, for she adored reading, and hitherto had hardly been able to indulge in it. Miss Symes tried to explain to the girls something of the school routine; and she showed each girl her own special desk in the great schoolroom, where she could keep her school-books, and her different papers, pens, pencils, ink, etc.

"I cannot tell until to-morrow what forms you will be in, my dears; but I think Betty will probably have a good deal to do with me in her daily tuition; whereas you, Sylvia, and you, Hester, will be under the charge of Miss Oxley. I must introduce you to Miss Oxley to-morrow morning. And now you would like, I am sure, to go to bed. Mrs. Haddo says that you needn't attend prayers to-night, for you have had a long and tiring day; so you may go at once to your room."

The girls thanked Miss Symes, and went. They heard voices busily conversing in f.a.n.n.y's room--eager voices, joined to occasional peals of merry laughter. But they were too tired, too sleepy, and, it may be added, too happy, to worry themselves much over these matters. They were very quickly in bed and sound asleep.

Meanwhile f.a.n.n.y was much enjoying the unstinted praise which her friends were bestowing on the beautiful tea-set which her father had given her.

"Oh, but it is perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Olive. "Why, Fan, you are in luck; it's real old Crown Derby!"

"Yes," said f.a.n.n.y; "I thought it was. Whenever father does a thing he does it well."

"We'll be almost afraid to drink out of it, f.a.n.n.y!" exclaimed Julia Bertram. "Fancy, if I were to drop one of those little jewels of cups!

Don't the colors just sparkle on them! Oh, if I were to drop it, and it got broken, I don't think I'd ever hold up my head again!"

"Well, dear Julia, don't drop it," said f.a.n.n.y, "and then you will feel all right."

Cocoa was already prepared; the rich cake graced the center of the board; the chocolate creams were certainly in evidence; and the girls cl.u.s.tered round, laughing and talking. f.a.n.n.y was determined to choke back that feeling of uneasiness which had worried her during the whole of that day. She could not tell the Specialities what her cousins had done; she could not--she would not. There must be a secret between them.

She who belonged to a society of whom each member had to vow not to have a secret from any other member, was about to break her vow.

The girls were in high spirits to-night, and in no mood to talk "sobersides," as Mary Bertram sometimes called their graver discussions.

But when the little meal of cocoa and cake had come to an end, Margaret said, "I want to make a proposal."

"Hush! hush! Let the oracle speak!" cried Olive, her pretty face beaming with mirth.

"Oh Olive, don't be so ridiculous!" said Margaret. "You know perfectly well I am no oracle; but I have a notion in my head. It is this: why should not those splendid-looking girls, the Vivians, join the Specialities? They did look rather funny, I will admit, yesterday; but even then one could see that clothes matter little or nothing to them.

But now that they're dressed like the rest of us, they give distinction to the whole school. I don't think I ever saw a face like Betty's. Fan, you, of course, will second my proposal that Betty Vivian, even if her sisters are too young, should be asked to become a Speciality?"

f.a.n.n.y felt that she was turning very pale. Susie Rushworth gazed at her in some wonder.

"I propose," exclaimed Margaret Grant, "that Miss Betty Vivian shall be invited to join our society and to become a Speciality. I further propose that we ask her to join our next meeting, which takes place this day week, and is, by the way, held in my room. Now, who will second my suggestion?"

"You will, of course, Fan," said Susie. "Betty is your cousin, so you are the right person to second Margaret's wish."

f.a.n.n.y's face grew yet paler. After a minute she said, "Just because Betty is my cousin I would rather some one else seconded Margaret Grant's proposal."

All the girls looked at her in astonishment.

"Very well; I second it," responded Susie.

"Girls," said Margaret, "will you all agree? Those who do _not_ agree, please keep their hands down. Those who _do_ agree, please hold up hands. Now, then, is Betty Vivian to be invited to join the Specialities? Which has it--the 'ayes' or the 'noes'?"

All the girls' hands, with one exception, were eagerly raised in favor of Betty Vivian. f.a.n.n.y sat very still, her hands locked one inside the other in her lap. Something in her att.i.tude and in the expression of her face caused each of her companions to gaze at her in extreme wonder.

"Why, f.a.n.n.y, what is the meaning of this?" asked Margaret.

"I cannot explain myself," said f.a.n.n.y.

"Cannot--and you a Speciality! Don't you know that we have no secrets from one another?"

"That is true," said f.a.n.n.y, speaking with a great effort. "Well, then, I will explain myself. I would rather Betty Vivian did not join our club."

"But why, dear--why?"

"Yes, f.a.n.n.y, why?" echoed Susie.

"What ridiculous nonsense you are talking!" cried Olive Repton.

"The most striking-looking girl I ever saw!" said Julia Bertram. "Why, Fan, what is your reason for this?"

"Call it jealousy if you like," said f.a.n.n.y; "call it any name under the sun, only don't worry me about it."

As she spoke she rose deliberately and left the room, her companions looking after her in amazement.