Part 7 (1/2)

”What nonsense you're talking! What do you mean?” asked Gwethyn, laughing in spite of herself.

”It's the sad and solemn truth. Laura Browne, regardless of her appointment with you, is now walking round the kitchen-garden arm-in-arm with another love, and gazing admiringly into her eyes. Your image is wiped from her memory; you are a broken idol, a faded flower, a past episode, a thing of yesterday!”

”For goodness' sake, stop ragging!”

”Well, if you prefer it in plain prose, you're superseded by Phyllis Lowman. She's Mrs. Franklin's niece, and comes occasionally to spend a few days here. She arrived just after dinner. We're not keen on her in the school, but Laura truckles to her to curry favour with Mother Franklin. During her visit the pair will be inseparable, and your poor plaintive nose will be absolutely out of joint.”

”I don't believe you!” flared Gwethyn.

”Oh, all right! Go and see for yourself! It isn't I who exaggerate!” and with a malicious little laugh the Toadstool beat a retreat.

There were a few minutes left before afternoon school, so Gwethyn, tired of waiting, took a run round the garden. Alas! Githa had spoken the truth. Wandering amongst the gooseberry bushes she met her missing friend, in company with a stranger. They were linked arm-in-arm, and their heads were pressed closely together. As they pa.s.sed Gwethyn, Laura's eyes showed not a trace even of recognition, much less apology or regret.

”I've been simply vegetating till you came here again, Phyllis darling!

I'm living to-day! You sweetest!”

The words, in Laura's most honied tones, were wafted back as the pair walked towards the house. Gwethyn looked after them and stamped.

”So that's Laura Browne and her fine friends.h.i.+p! Well, I've done with her from to-day. She won't catch me having anything more to say to her.

I really think this is the limit! I couldn't have believed it of her if I hadn't seen it. The utter sneak!”

Phyllis Lowman spent three days at Aireyholme, during which period Laura was her slave and bond-servant. When she returned home, the latter turned her attention again to her first love. But Gwethyn would have none of her, and received her advances in so cavalier a fas.h.i.+on that she gave up the futile attempt at reconciliation. The other members of the Fifth enjoyed the little comedy. It was what they had expected.

”Gwethyn was bound to be 'Laura-ridden' at first,” laughed Susie Parker.

”It's the inevitable. Laura's new friends.h.i.+ps have to run their course like measles. This has only been a short business, and now we may consider Gwethyn disinfected!”

No longer monopolized by Laura, Gwethyn began to make friends with other girls, and was soon a favourite in the Fifth. Her love of fun, and readiness to give and take, commended her to the form, and on her side she much preferred to be ordinary chums with her comrades, than to be offered a slavish and rather ridiculous wors.h.i.+p, such as Laura had tendered.

Since their very trying experiences in the High Street, the Marsdens had begged Miss Aubrey to allow them to abandon that particular subject, and begin another sketch in some more retired place, where spectators would not come to look over their shoulders. Miss Aubrey herself disliked working in the midst of a crowd, so she readily agreed, and at their next painting lesson announced that she had found the very spot to suit them. Nan Beth.e.l.l, Gladwin Riley, and Coralie Nelson were to join the cla.s.s that afternoon. Viola, Dorrie, and Diana were also extremely anxious to go, but Mrs. Franklin would not spare her best matriculation students, and sternly set them to work at mathematics instead, much to their disgust. t.i.ta Gray, Hilda Smart, and Ellaline d.i.c.kens, the remaining members of the Sixth, were detained by music lessons with a master who came over weekly from Carford. Only five fortunate ones sallied forth, therefore, with Miss Aubrey. The subject which their teacher had chosen was not far off, though rather out of the way.

Standing back from the village, at the end of a long lane, was a rambling old house known as ”The Grange”. It lay low, in a somewhat damp spot close to the river, faced north, and had no particular view. Owing, no doubt, to these drawbacks, and to its inconvenient situation, it had been unlet for several years, and as the owner did not seem inclined to spend money on repairs, its dilapidated condition held out little promise of a new tenant. To anyone anxious for seclusion no more suitable retreat could be found: the long leafy lane which led to its rusty iron gate, the thickness of its surrounding plantation, the tall shrubs in the garden, which almost touched the windows, all seemed so many barriers to discourage the public, and to keep the lonely dwelling apart from the outside world. To the girls it looked mysterious, and it was with almost a creepy feeling that they opened the creaking gate, and made their way through the tangled garden. Everything seemed as overgrown and as quiet as in the palace of the Sleeping Beauty; not a face to be seen at the windows, nor a footstep to be heard in the grounds; the flower-beds were a ma.s.s of rank weeds, the paths were covered with gra.s.s, and the lawn was a hayfield. In the prime of their beauty, however, were the lilac bushes; they had thriven with neglect, and were covered with ma.s.ses of exquisite blossom, scenting the whole air, and making the garden a purple Paradise.

”The place ought to be called 'Lilac Grange'!” said Katrine admiringly.

”It's a perfect show at present. Are we to paint them?”

”I'm afraid they would prove rather difficult. I have an easier subject for you round at the back,” said Miss Aubrey, leading the way to the rear of the house, where a timbered dovecote stood in the old paved courtyard. With its black beams and carved doorway, it seemed of much greater antiquity than the Grange itself, which had probably been rebuilt on the site of an older structure. Miss Aubrey found a favourable view where the afternoon suns.h.i.+ne cast warm shadows upon the lichen-stained plaster, and she at once set her pupils to work, to catch the effect before the light changed.

”What a harbour of refuge this is!” declared Gwethyn, haunted by memories of the High Street. ”There isn't a single child to come and disturb us. I call this absolute bliss.”

”And a ripping subject!” agreed Katrine.

For a long time the girls worked away quietly, pa.s.sing an occasional remark, but too busy to talk. At last the Marsdens, who drew more quickly than their comrades, had reached a stage at which it was impossible to continue without advice. Miss Aubrey was sketching the lilac round the corner, so leaving their easels they went in search of her. Not sorry to stretch their limbs for a few minutes, they decided first to take a run round the garden. It would be fun to explore, and Katrine would get rid of the pins and needles in her foot. Under the lanky laurel bushes and overgrown rose arches, along a swampy little path by the river, through a broken green-house, and back across a nettle-covered terrace. Not a soul to be seen about the whole place. It was peaceful as a palace of dreams.

Stop! What was that rustling among the leaves? There was a movement under the lilac bushes, and a slight figure stepped out into the suns.h.i.+ne.

”Githa Hamilton! Whatever are you doing here?” exclaimed the girls.