Part 31 (1/2)

”How pleasant for Linette to be sandwiched between a measuring tape and a foot measure,” exclaimed Annie, turning round from her position at the window and speaking for the first time.

Susy favoured her with a slow glance of intense dislike. Slightly turning her back she proceeded with her catechism of Nora.

”At least you can say something about the drawing-rooms. How many feet long is the princ.i.p.al drawing-room?”

Before poor Nora could reply, the door of the room was slowly opened and Mrs. Willis, with her usual calm, strong face, entered.

Susy Drummond gave such a start of dismayed surprise that Annie forgave her a good many of her sins on the spot.

Mrs. Willis came up to her and held out her hand.

”How do you do?” she said. ”Sir John Thornton told us this morning at breakfast that we might have the pleasure of meeting you here. Are you well?”

”Oh, yes, I'm--I'm quite well, ma'am,” replied Susy, stammering out her words in hopeless confusion.

”Nora, dear, you are looking very tired,” continued Mrs. Willis. ”I propose to have tea with you here alone, and to read to you for a little afterwards. Annie, will you take Miss Drummond to the drawing-room? I saw the tea equipage being taken in as I pa.s.sed.”

Susy shambled out of the room in Annie's wake.

CHAPTER XXI.

HESTER SPEAKS HER MIND.

The next day was Sunday, and Susy, notwithstanding her strong inclinations, was forced to submit to Sir John Thornton's decree that she should not visit the Towers that day. Hester had sent a hurried note to Molly apprizing her of Susy's arrival, and begging of her, if she valued her peace of mind, not to come near the Grange on this dreadful Sunday.

It pa.s.sed somehow. Poor Hester always, during the remainder of her life, looked back upon it as a day of hopeless worry and confusion of brain.

Everyone seemed to be playing the game of cross-purposes with everyone else. Sir John kept on a.s.suring himself that he was the happiest man in existence, while Mrs. Bernard Temple and Antonia evidently trod on his corns at each step he took. Susy, in her moments of wakefulness, was sly and watchful. Antonia was absolutely indifferent to everything but high art. Mrs. Bernard Temple was busy as busy could be making hay while the sun shone. She guessed shrewdly--perhaps her experiences with the late Mr. Bernard Temple helped her--that it was during the time of courts.h.i.+p when most of her wishes would be carried out. She insisted, therefore, on going carefully into the many alterations which she proposed to make in the Grange, and Sir John, notwithstanding his innate aversion to fuss of any kind, was forced to listen to her demands, and, as he was really attached to her, she soon got him to say yes to her different proposals.

Nan and Hester, Annie and Nora, kept as much together as possible. This was made easy for them by kind Mrs. Willis, who not only kept Susy in considerable awe, but contrived to interest Antonia by allowing her to talk art to her by the hour. Antonia used a jargon which Mrs. Willis did not in the least understand, but even Antonia was not proof against the gracious sympathy of this high-minded woman.

The girls had, therefore, plenty of time for self-pity. Annie was the very soul of sympathy, and it was a comfort to poor Nora and Hester to pour out their sorrows in her affectionate ears. As for Nan, she took refuge a good part of the time with Mrs. Martin, who shook her fists, when Nan was not looking, at the backs of Sir John and Mrs. Bernard Temple as they walked down one of the lawns side by side.

”She's his match!” murmured the old woman. ”She'll give it to him; now he'll know what a selfish wife means! He have 'ad his turn of the other kind, and now he'll know what the selfish sort is. Serve him right, I say; serve him well right!”

At last the weary Sunday came to an end and on Monday, after breakfast, Susy announced her intention of going over to the Towers.

”I suppose I can have a carriage?” she said, turning to Sir John, who paused in his exit from the dining-room to give her his polite attention.

”I suppose I can have a carriage?” she repeated.

Annie interrupted--

”The Towers is scarcely a mile away across the fields,” she said.

”I don't think I can walk a mile,” replied Susy; ”my muscles are awfully weak--I dare not strain them.”

”You can have a carriage with pleasure,” said Sir John. ”I will order one to be round at whatever hour you wish to name.”