Janet's Love and Service Part 57

It was dismal within doors, too, f.a.n.n.y thought. It was during the time of Mr Snow and Will's first trip, and Arthur had gone away on business, and was not expected home for a day or two, at least. A household of women is not necessarily a dismal affair, even on a rainy day, but a household suddenly deprived of the male element, is apt to become so in those circ.u.mstances, unless some domestic business supposed to be most successfully accomplished at such a time is being carried on; and no wonder that f.a.n.n.y wandered from room to room, in an uncomfortable state of mind.

Graeme and Rose were not uncomfortable. Rose had a way of putting aside difficult music to be practised on rainy days, and she was apt to become so engrossed in her pleasant occupation, as to take little heed of what was going on about her, and all f.a.n.n.y's exclamations of discontent were lost on her. Graeme was writing letters in the back parlour, and Mrs Snow was supposed to be taking her after-dinner's rest, up-stairs, but she came into the room in time to hear f.a.n.n.y exclaim petulantly,--

"And we were very foolish to have an early dinner. That would have been something to look forward to. And no one can possibly call. Even Mr Green would be better than n.o.body--or even Charlie Millar."

"These gentlemen would be highly flattered if they heard you," said Rose, laughing, as she rose to draw forward the arm-chair, to Mrs Snow.

"Are you not tired playing Rose," said f.a.n.n.y, fretfully.

"By no means. I hope my playing does not disturb you. I think this march is charming. Come and try it."

"No, I thank you. If the music does not disturb Mrs Snow, _I_ don't mind it."

"I like it," said Mrs Snow. "The music is cheerful this dull day.

Though I would like a song better."

"By and by you shall have a song. I would just like to go over this two or three times more."

"Two or three times! Two or three hundred times, you mean," said f.a.n.n.y.

"There's no end to Rose's playing when she begins."

Then she wandered into the back parlour again.

"Are you going to write all day, Graeme?"

"Not all day. Has Mrs Snow come down?" asked she, coming forward. "I have been neglecting Harry lately, and I have so much to tell him, but I'll soon be done now."

"My dear," said Mrs Snow, "dinna heed me; I have my knitting, and I enjoy the music."

"Oh! dear! I wish it didn't rain," said f.a.n.n.y.

"My dear, the earth was needing it," said Mrs Snow, by way of saying something, "and it will be beautiful when the rain is over."

"I believe Graeme likes a rainy day," said f.a.n.n.y. "It is very stupid, I think."

"Yes, I sometimes like a rainy day. It brings a little leisure, which is agreeable."

f.a.n.n.y shrugged her shoulders.

"It is rather dismal to-day, however," said Graeme. "You look cold with that light dress on, f.a.n.n.y, why don't you go and change it?"

"What is the use? I wish Arthur were coming home. He might have come, I'm sure."

"You may be sure he will not stay longer than he can help," said Graeme; turning to her letter again.

"And my dear, might you no' take a seam? It would pa.s.s the time, if it did nothing else," said Mrs Snow.

But the suggestion was not noticed, and partly because she did not wish to interfere, and partly because she had some curiosity to see how the little lady would get out of her discomfort, Mrs Snow knitted on in silence.

"Make something nice for tea," suggested Rose, glancing over her shoulder.

"That is not necessary _now_," said f.a.n.n.y, shortly.

"Oh! I only suggested it for your sake--to pa.s.s the time," said Rose.

It lasted a good while longer. It lasted till Graeme, catching Mrs Snow's look, became suddenly aware that their old friend was thinking her own thoughts about "Mrs Arthur." She rose at once, and shutting her desk, and going to the window where f.a.n.n.y was standing, said with a shiver:--

"It _is_ dismal, indeed. f.a.n.n.y, look at that melancholy cat. She wants to come in, but she is afraid to leave her present shelter. Poor wee p.u.s.s.y."

"Graeme, don't you wish Arthur were coming home," said f.a.n.n.y, hanging about her as she had a fashion of doing now and then.

"Yes, indeed. But we must not tell him so. It would make him vain if he knew how much we missed him. Go and change your dress, dear, and we'll have a fire, and an early tea, and a nice little gossip in the firelight, and then we won't miss him so much."

"Fire!" repeated Rose, looking disconsolately at the pretty ornaments of the grate with which she had taken so much pains. "Who ever heard of a fire in a grate at this time of the year?"

But Rose was overruled. They had a fire and an early tea, and then, sitting in the firelight, they had a gossip, too; about many different things. Janet told them more than she had ever told them before, of how she had "wearied for them" when they first left Merleville, and by and by Rose said,--

"But that was all over when Sandy came."

"It was over before that, for his coming was long delayed, as you'll mind yourselves. I was quite content before that time, but of course it was a great thing to me, the coming of my Sandy."

"Oh! how glad you must have been!" said Rose. "I wish I had been there to see. Tell us what you said to him, and what he said to you."

"I dinna mind what I said to him, or if I said anything at all. And he just said, 'Well, mother!' with his heartsome smile, and the shine of tears in his bonny blue e'en," said Janet, with a laugh that might very easily have changed to a sob; "and oh! bairns, if ever I carried a thankful heart to a throne of grace, I did that night."

"And would you have known him?" asked Rose, gently.

"Oh! ay, would I. No' but what he was much changed. I wouldna have _minded_ him, but I would have kenned him anywhere."

Janet sat silent with a moved face for a little, and then she went on.

"I had had many a thought about his coming, and I grew afraid as the time drew near. Either, I thought, he winna like my husband, or they winna agree, or he will have forgotten me altogether, and winna find it easy to call me his mother, or he'll disappoint me in some way, I thought. You see I had so set my heart on seeing him, that I was afraid of myself, and it seemed to be more than I could hope that he should be to me all that I desired. But when he came, my fears were set at rest.

He is an honest, G.o.d fearing lad, my Sandy, and I need say nae mair about him."

"And so clever, and handsome! And what did Mr Snow say?"

"Oh! his heart was carried captive, from the very first, with Sandy's heartsome, kindly ways. It made me laugh to myself, many a time, to see them together, and it made me greet whiles, as well. All my fears were rebuked, and it is the burden of my prayers from day to day, that I may have a thankful heart."

"And how did Sandy like Merleville, and all the people?"

"Oh, he liked them well, you may be sure. It would have been very ungrateful if he had not, they made so much of him--Mr and Mrs Greenleaf, especially, and the Merles, and plenty besides. He made himself very useful to Mr Greenleaf, in many ways, for he is a clever lad, my Sandy. It's on his business that he's West now. But he'll soon be home again."

"And Emily! Tell us just what they said to each other at first, and what they thought of each other."

"I canna do that, for I wasna there to hear. Emily saw my Sandy before I saw him myself, as you'll mind I told you before."

"And was it love at first sight?" asked f.a.n.n.y.