Volume I Part 2 (1/2)
”I doubt,” said Mrs. Linchmore, as the laugh faded away to an almost imperceptible curl of the lip; while her head was thrown haughtily back, and she proudly met Amy's astonished gaze; ”I doubt if Mrs. Elrington would recognise me; nine years, as you wisely remark, may effect--though not always--a great change. It has on me; many may possibly think for the better; _she_ will say for the worse. But time, however hateful it may be for many reasons, changing, as it does sadly, our outward appearance; yet what wonderful changes it effects inwardly. It has one very great advantage in my eyes, it brings forgetfulness; so that the longer we live the less annoying to us are the faults and follies of youth; they gradually fade from our vision. I could laugh now at Mrs.
Elrington's bitter remarks and sarcastic words; they would not cause me one moment's uneasiness.”
Amy was spared any reply by little Alice suddenly rising, and claiming her mother's attention.
”This is the youngest of your pupils, Miss Neville. Alice dear, put down my scissors, and go and speak to that lady.”
The little girl, who had been staring at Amy ever since she entered, now looked sullenly on the floor, but paid no attention to her mother's request.
”Go, dear, go! Will you not make friends with your new governess?”
”No I won't!” she exclaimed, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes. ”Nurse says she is a naughty, cross woman, and I don't love her.”
”Oh, fie! Nurse is very wrong to say such things. You see how much your services are required, Miss Neville. I fear you will find this little one sadly spoilt; she is a great pet of her papa's and mine.”
”I trust,” replied Amy, ”we shall soon be good friends. Alice, dear, will you not try and love me? I am not cross or naughty,” and she attempted to take the little hand Alice held obstinately beneath her dress.
”No, no! go away, go away. I won't love you!”
At this moment the door opened, and Mr. Linchmore entered. He was a fine, tall looking man, with a pleasing expression of countenance, and his manner was so kind as he welcomed Amy that he won her heart at once.
”Hey-day!” he exclaimed, ”was it Alice's voice I heard as I came downstairs? I am afraid, Isabella, you keep her up too late. It is high time she was in bed and asleep. We shall have little pale cheeks, instead of these round rosy ones,” added he, as the little girl climbed his knee, and looked up fondly in his face.
”She was not in the least sleepy,” replied his wife, ”and begged so hard to be allowed to remain, that I indulged her for once.”
”Ah! well,” said he, smiling, and glancing at Amy. ”We shall have a grand reformation soon. But where are Edith and f.a.n.n.y?”
”They were so naughty I was obliged to send them away up stairs. f.a.n.n.y broke the vase Charles gave me last winter.”
”By-the-by, I have just heard from Charles; he has leave from his regiment for a month, and is going to Paris; but is coming down here for a few days before he starts, just to say good-bye.”
”One of his 'flying visits,' as he calls them. How sorry I am!”
”Sorry! why so?”
”Because he promised to spend his leave with us. What shall we do without him? and how dull it will be here.”
A cloud pa.s.sed over her husband's face, but he made no reply; and a silence somewhat embarra.s.sing ensued, only broken some minutes after by the nurse, who came to fetch Alice to bed, and Amy gladly availed herself of Mrs. Linchmore's permission to retire at the same time.
They went up a short flight of stairs, and down a long corridor, or gallery, then through another longer still, when nurse, half opening a door to the left, exclaimed,--
”This is to be the school-room, miss. I thought you might like to see it before you went to bed. Madam has ordered your tea to be got ready for you there, though I'm thinking it's little you'll eat and drink to-night, coming all alone to a strange place. However you'll may be like to see Miss Edith and Miss f.a.n.n.y, and they're both in here, Miss f.a.n.n.y at mischief I warrant.”
Then catching up Alice in her arms, after a vain attempt on Amy's part to obtain a kiss, she marched off with her in triumph, and Amy entered the room.
On a low stool, drawn close to the open window, sat a fair-haired girl, her head bent low over the page she was reading, or trying to decipher, as the candles threw little light on the spot where she sat. Her long, fair curls, gently waved by the soft evening breeze, swept the pages, and quite concealed her face from Amy's gaze on the one side; while on the other they were held back by her hand, so as not to impede the light.
A scream of merry laughter arrested Amy's footsteps as she was advancing towards her, and turning round she saw a little girl, evidently younger than the one by the window, dancing about with wild delight, holding the two fore paws of a little black and white spaniel, which was dressed up in a doll's cap and frock, and evidently anything but pleased at the ludicrous figure he cut, although obliged to gambol about on his hind legs for the little girl's amus.e.m.e.nt. Presently a snap and a growl showed he was also inclined to resent his young mistress's liberties, when another peal of laughter rewarded him, while, bringing her face close to his, she exclaimed,--
”Oh, you dear naughty little doggie! you know you would not dare to bite me.” Then, catching sight of Amy, she instantly released doggie, and springing up, rushed to the window, saying in a loud whisper--