Frederica and her Guardians Part 15

"But it cannot be true, all that Fred has been saying," broke in Tessie.

"It is a pity. But it is only one of Fred's ideas."

"But it must be true, because Jesus said those very words, only I suppose we do not understand it yet," said Frederica. "We will read more. And, mama, Selina will see when she gets to heaven."

Mrs Vane uttered an exclamation of impatience and astonishment.

"Frederica! why do you say such things?"

"Let us read more," said Selina, for she saw that her mother was troubled at the discussion.

And so they read on. Not in the Old Testament, but in the New. They read of the wonderful words and deeds of our Lord, and Selina drank in the strange glad tidings with awe and delight. She never in her mother's presence said anything more about her wish to see. She spoke of it to her sisters, and for a little while the desire disturbed the gentle current of her thoughts and enjoyments. But it pa.s.sed away, and the sweet content that had brightened all these years to her mother came back again. She listened, and mused, and wondered at all she heard, and by-and-by, as her mind opened, and she understood better the nature of those things that are promised without reserve to those who ask for them aright, she never ceased to ask humbly yet undoubtingly that to her and to those whom she loved, they might be given in due time.

CHAPTER TEN.

And so the untroubled days pa.s.sed, till Mr Vane came home again. They were glad to see him, and indeed made a jubilee of the day of his return. But there was an unconfessed fear in the heart of each that a change was at hand, and that their untroubled days were at an end.

But the holidays were over, and nothing was said about the girls' return to Mrs Glencairn's. If Mrs Ascot had been among them, that would have been settled long ago, but there was no one now eager to get them away, and no one to make the necessary arrangements, except their father, and so Tessie comforted herself with the thought that "there was always a chance that he would forget all about it." Still she rejoiced with trembling, and went softly through the house, and kept out of sight, that he might not be unpleasantly reminded of his neglected duty. This was not difficult to do, for their early breakfast was over before he came down in the morning, and he did not return to dinner till the hour at which the children took tea in their mother's parlour, and except during his brief visit after dinner, there was little chance of his seeing any of them. And when one week was safely pa.s.sed, and then another, Tessie began to think the danger of going back to school was over.

Frederica had not shared her anxiety as far as being sent to Mrs Glencairn's was concerned, and the possibility of going to England involved so much more that would need consideration, and care, and expense, that she was not much afraid that her father would decide upon it at present. So she took no pains to keep out of the way, but, on the contrary, a.s.sumed again the responsibility and dignity of housekeeper, and wore her key-basket at her waist, and made grave suggestions about housekeeping matters for his benefit. She tried to amuse him, too, on such evenings as he did not go out after dinner, and had no one with him, and she succeeded so well that he missed her greatly when she did not come to him; and if it had not been for one unfortunate circ.u.mstance, a quiet winter might have followed the pleasant summer, and they might have all been at home together for a little longer.

One night Mr Vane told Frederica that there was on the next day to be a grand review of troops at L--farm, and to her delight he promised to take her with him. Unfortunately, however, as had happened before, the promise of the night was forgotten in the morning. Frederica was disappointed of course, and a little angry, but she recovered her good temper immediately when Tessie suggested that she might go still, and take them all with her. To be sure she could, and she congratulated herself on her father's forgetfulness; for now the pleasure would be doubled, and more than doubled; for not only Tessie and Selina could go, but their little brothers as well. So Dixen, nothing loth, had the carriage at the door in less time than usual. They did not even have the thought of leaving their mother alone to mar the prospect of their enjoyment; for Miss Grant, having given the boys a holiday, kindly offered to stay with Mrs Vane till they all came home again.

It never came into their minds that they might be doing wrong, or that their father might be displeased with them for venturing into such a crowd, or they might have placed themselves in a less conspicuous position, and at a greater distance from that part of the grounds where many of the fashionable people of the town had stationed themselves. It never occurred to them either, that while they found so much interest and amus.e.m.e.nt in watching and commenting upon the people and the equipages crowded so closely round them, others might find the same interest in regarding them. Indeed, they made rather a remarkable group, the young girls and their brothers, and old Dixen, and Jack and Jill together, and it is not likely that Mr Vane and his daughter Mrs Brandon, or the party of equestrians who were with them, would have pa.s.sed without observing them, even if little Hubert had not at the sight of them called out,--

"Papa, papa, here we are! come this way, papa."

The little boy had clambered up on the high seat of the carriage beside Dixen. Tessie was leaning over them, and Frederica was standing on the low step of the carriage, eagerly describing to Selina all that was going on around them. But it was Selina who was the central figure of the group, to which all eyes turned. The younger girls were simply and quietly dressed in proper school-girl fashion, but they had decked their fair blind sister in beautiful and costly things; and her bright serene face, and her long golden curls shading it, made a very lovely picture.

No one would have imagined that those clear sweet eyes were blind, except that she sat so still and so unconscious of the looks that were bent upon her.

"Hush, Hubert?" whispered Tessie. "Do not call again. Papa does not look pleased."

He looked by no means pleased. Unfortunately for his good temper, he did not hear the murmur of surprise and admiration that rose from some of the party, because he was listening to Mrs Brandon, who was saying,--

"How foolish and wrong, and what bad taste, for these girls to be here alone! Papa, I am surprised that you should allow it! The horses are not taken from the carriage. There will be an accident certainly."

Mr Vane laughed.

"With Jack and Jill! Hardly, while old Dixen is by them."

"But they ought not to have come without a gentleman to take care of them. You should send them home."

"Through this crowd? They are safer where they are at present."

A movement in the throng of people permitted a nearer approach to the carriage. Tessie, who had seen her father's face, seated herself to watch him as he came near, but Frederica was still talking rapidly and eagerly to Selina. She started as he touched her on the shoulder with the end of his riding-whip, but she did not look at all as if she expected to be reproved. She smiled and nodded gaily to him and Mrs Brandon.

"You see we are all here, papa. I wish they would begin."

There was some delay in the bringing up of the soldiers. The crowd was getting impatient, and moved to and fro about them; and in the movement, some of Mr Vane's friends, having dismounted and given their horses into safe keeping, came round the carriage, and, as Mr Vane whispered to Mrs Brandon, there were soon gentlemen enough about them. Frederica had seen most of them before, but they were not people that she cared for, and she whispered to Selina that she was sadly afraid their pleasure was to be spoiled. She greeted them politely, however, and mentioned their names to Selina.

"But you need not mind them," added she, in a whisper. "They'll go away directly, I daresay. Now the soldiers are ready to begin, and I will tell you what they do."

And so she did. Standing on the seat where her sister sat, that she might see the better, she described in a low rapid voice the marching and countermarching, and all the movements of the men; and when she became silent, Tessie spoke, and the boys sometimes broke eagerly in.

And through all, Selina listened and smiled with a face of such sweet content, such seeming unconsciousness of misfortune or loss, that tears came to the eyes of some that were looking on. Even her father saw her wonderful beauty and sweetness, and her affliction, with a new sense of surprise and pain, and sighed as he regarded her.

It grew tiresome at last to those who did not understand the movements of the soldiers, or the skill and drill needed to ensure success in all the wonderful evolutions through which they were put; and so, when at length a clear s.p.a.ce was made near the carriage, they began to speak of going home.

"Mama will be getting anxious," said Selina softly to one who urged them to stay longer.

"And there will be nothing more. It will be the same thing over and over again," said Tessie. "There will be music, I suppose, and you will like that, Lina."

"Still, if Hubert and Charlie are ready, I think we should go," said Selina.

The boys were by no means ready to go, but their indignant outcry was interrupted by their father.

"Now that the way is clear you must go," said he, "or you may get entangled among the carriages and be hurt."

And then the misfortune of the day happened. Mrs Brandon, meaning to be very kind, and meaning also to gratify the curiosity of some of her friends, who had been expressing a wish to see more of her young sisters, invited them all to luncheon before they should return home.

Frederica politely but promptly declined for them all.

"We said we should be home to dinner, and mama will be anxious," said she.

"But the boys can tell her that you have stayed with me. Papa is coming, and several others. She will not care."

"No, I suppose not, but we are tired, and it will be much nicer to visit you some time when you are alone. Excuse me. It is quite impossible,"

added Frederica, as Mrs Brandon continued to urge her.

Her last words were spoken in an air and manner "not in the least like Fred," her father said to himself, as he listened. But Mrs Brandon thought it was exactly like Fred--"the naughty little thing." She had more than once noticed this disagreeable manner in her intercourse with her younger sister, and had spoken of it to her father, and to him she now turned her disapproving eyes. So Mr Vane interposed.

"Nonsense, Fred! What difference can it make? Stay of course--not you, Tessie, nor the boys! Dixen can come for you later. Now, Dixen, take care."

Frederica was indignant, and said quite enough to her sisters on their way down, but to her father she only said, "Very well, papa," with an air of offended dignity that made him laugh.

"However," added she, when she had said all that was necessary, and a little more, "I may as well make the best of it, and amuse myself as well as I can."

So when Mrs Brandon arrived a little while afterwards, they found her walking about on the lawn, quite ready to amuse, and to be amused. But her troubles were not over. It was Selina especially, it seemed, whom Mrs Brandon had wished to stay, and she had gone home. There were many regrets expressed by her and by the others. They had been so desirous to know Miss Vane, and to hear her sing, and so on.

"It is a pity you were not more explicit, Caroline," said Frederica.

"However, it would have made no difference. Selina's staying was quite out of the question."

"I am sure I can't understand why," said Mrs Brandon.

"Can you not? It is quite true, however."

Mrs Brandon turned her eyes on her father, who had just entered the room. It must be acknowledged that Fred was not behaving well. Her manner was by no means respectful to her elder sister, and her tones and the flash of her eye showed that she was out of temper.

"What is the matter, Fred?" asked her father.

"We are all disappointed that Miss Vane did not stay," said some one, with the kind intention of smoothing matters for Fred.