Part 56 (2/2)

”She's going to play with Rosemary next. Don't worry, dear--we can talk plans any time. There's really no hurry.”

Alex dimly surmised that the words, and the indolent, _degagee_ smile accompanying them, might be characteristic of her new sister-in-law.

Violet took her upstairs.

”The nursery is just the same--we haven't changed a thing,” she told her.

Alex gave a cry of recognition at the top of the stairs. ”Oh, the little gate that fenced off the landing! It was put up when Cedric was a baby, because he would run out and look through the bal.u.s.ters.”

”Was it, really?” cried Violet delightedly. ”Cedric didn't know that--he told me that it had always been there. I shall love having you, Alex, you'll be able to tell me such lots of things about Cedric, when he was a little boy, that no one else knows. You see, there's so little difference between him and Barbara, isn't there?”

”I am only three years older than Barbara.”

”Then you're the same age--or a little older than I am. I am twenty-nine--two whole years older than Cedric. Isn't it dreadful?”

She laughed gaily as she turned the handle of the nursery door.

”Baby, precious, where are you?”

Alex followed her into the big, sunny room.

A young nurse, in stiff white pique, sat sewing in the window, and a starched, blue-ribboned baby, with disordered, sunny curls, crawled about the floor at her feet.

When she saw her mother she began to run towards her, with outstretched hands and inarticulate coos of pleasure.

”Come along, then, and see your new Auntie.” Violet caught her up and lifted her into her arms.

”Isn't she rather a love, Alex? Shall we look after her for a little while, while Nurse goes downstairs?”

Alex nodded. She felt as though she hardly dared speak, for fear of frightening the pretty little laughing child. Besides, the constriction was tightening in her throat.

Violet sank down into a low chair, with Rosemary still in her arms.

”I'll stay with her, Nurse, if you like to go downstairs for half-an-hour.”

”Thank you, my lady.”

”Sit down and let's be comfy, Alex. Isn't this much nicer than being downstairs?”

Alex looked round the nursery. As Violet had said, it had not been altered. On the mantelpiece she suddenly saw the big white clock, supported by stout Dresden-china cherubs, that had been there ever since she could remember. It was ticking in a sedate, unalterable way.

Something in the sight of the clock, utterly familiar, and yet forgotten altogether during all her years away from Clevedon Square, suddenly caught at Alex. She made an involuntary, choking sound, and to her own dismay, sobs suddenly overpowered her.

”My poor dear!” said Violet compa.s.sionately. ”Do cry--it'll do you good, and Baby and I won't mind, or ever tell a soul, will we, my Rosemary? I knew you'd feel much better when you'd had it out, and n.o.body will disturb us here.”

Alex had sunk on to the floor, and was leaning her head against Violet's chair.

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