Part 9 (1/2)
Kitty drew a deep sigh of relief that the episode was ended; Betty, one of regret.
”There were six large sandwiches in that packet,” she said reproachfully, ”and the apples were beauties. I wish now I had eaten more. I am sure I could have if I had tried.”
Though there was plenty to do in the woods, that hour to tea-time seemed somehow a very long one, and quite ten minutes before it was up they were back at the farm to inquire if it was four o'clock yet.
Mrs. Henderson smiled knowingly as she saw them gathered at the door, but she noticed that the eager faces were flushed and weary-looking, and she asked them in to sit down and rest, promising she would not keep them long.
As they were to have ”a savour to their tea” they were to have the meal in the house, instead of in the garden, and glad enough they were to sink into the slippery, springless easy-chairs, which seemed to them then the most luxurious seats the world could produce--at least they did to Kitty and Dan, who took the only two; Betty got on the window-seat and stretched herself out; Tony, a very weary little man indeed, scrambled on to Kitty's lap; and all of them, too tired to talk much, gazed with interest about the long, low room.
It was not beautiful, and they knew it well, yet the fascination of it never failed. On the walls were hung large framed historical and scriptural scenes, worked in cross-st.i.tch with wool's of the brightest hues, varied by a coloured print of a bird's-eye view of the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, an almanac for the current year, and a large oleograph of a young lady und a dog wreathed in roses that put every flower in the garden to shame for size and brilliancy. But none of these could give a t.i.the of the pleasure the worked ones did; there was such fascination in counting how many st.i.tches went to the forming of a nose, how many red and how many white to the colouring of a cheek, or the shaping of the hands, and fingers, and toes.
”I didn't know that Robert Bruce had six toes!” said Betty, very solemn with the importance of her discovery, her eyes fastened on a representation of that hero asleep in a cave, while a spider as large as his head wove a web of cables across the opening. ”Did you, Dan?”
”Didn't you?” answered Dan gravely. ”Don't you know that in Scotland they have an extra toe in case one should get frost-bitten and drop off?”
”Of course I know it is very cold up there,” said Betty, who was never willing to admit ignorance of anything; ”but supposing two got frost-bitten and dropped off, what would they do then?”
Dan, pretending not to hear her question, strolled over to the bookcase.
”Surely it must be tea-time!” he exclaimed.
Betty, seeing that no answer was forthcoming, slipped from her seat to examine more closely some wax fruit which, under a gla.s.s case, adorned a side-table.
”I do think it is wonderful how they make them,” she said impressively; ”they are so exactly like real fruit.”
Mrs. Henderson, coming into the room at that moment, heard the remark, and her heart was won. She had more than once had a suspicion that some of her visitors laughed at her treasured ornaments, and made jokes about them, and the thought had hurt her, for her affections clung to them, and particularly to the was fruit, which had been one of her most prized wedding gifts, so Betty's remark went straight to her heart. She beamed on Betty, and Betty beamed back on her.
”You have such a lot of beautiful things, Mrs. Henderson,” she said in her politest manner. ”I can't help admiring them.”
”It's very kind of you, I'm sure, miss. Of course we all get attached to what's our own, specially when 'tis gived to us; and I'm very proud of my fruit, same as I am of my worked pictures.”
”I think they are wonderful,” breathed Betty, turning from the wax fruit to gaze at Eli and Samuel. ”Did you”--in a voice full of awe-- ”really work them yourself, Mrs. Henderson?”
”I did, missie, every st.i.tch of them,” said their owner proudly; ”and all while I was walking out with Henderson.”
”While you were walking!” gasped Betty. ”But how could you see where you were going?”
Mrs. Henderson laughed. ”No, missie; I mean the years we was courting.”
”How interesting,” said Betty solemnly. ”I think I shall work some for my house when I am married. Do you work them on canvas? Can I get it in Gorlay?”
”Yes, miss; but you needn't hurry to begin to-night,” said Mrs.
Henderson, laughing. ”If you want any help, though, when you do begin, or would like to copy mine, I'll be very glad to do what I can for you.”
”Oh, thank you very much. I should like to do some exactly like yours,”
cried Betty excitedly. ”Then, when I'm far away, they'll always remind me of you and the farm, and--and I'd like to begin with Robert Bruce and his six toes, and--”
”You would never have patience to do work like that,” interrupted Dan cruelly, ”nor the money either; and I don't suppose you will ever go out of Gorlay.”
”You wait,” said Betty, very much annoyed by his humiliating outspokenness. ”You wait”--with a toss of her head--”until I am grown up, then I shall marry some one, and I shall travel, and--”