Part 20 (1/2)
Mr and Mrs Heathfield, the parents of these girls, were also guests at the Manor, so that the picnic on this last day of Maggie's visit to the rectory was quite a large one They drove nearly twenty miles to a beautiful place not far froereat satisfaction; dinner was eaten out-of-doors, and presently there was to be a gipsy-tea This all the girls looked forward to, and Andrew and Jack ith delight over the prospect of iven to them, and very proud they were of the trust reposed in the over, the older people took shelter fro trees, and the young people roups or in couples Merry Cardew found herself alone with Maggie Howland Without intending to do so, she had slightly, very slightly, avoided Maggie during the last day or two; but Maggie now seized her arlade
”Come with me, Merry,” she said; ”I have a lot I want to say to you”
Merry looked at her ”Of course I will coet quite away froain until we meet in the autumn at Aylmer House You don't know, perhaps--do you, Merry--that you owe the great joy of co to that lovely school to me?”
”To you!” said Merry in the utie in her calie!” replied Merry, ”you surely must be ie; ”I simply state what is a fact You owe your school-life to e beneath your father's fixed resolution that you were to be educated at home It was I, in short, who acted the part of the fairy princess and who pulled those silken reins which brought about the desire of your heart”
”I don't understand you, Maggie,” said Merry in a distressful tone; ”but I suppose,” she added, ”as you say so, it is the case Only, I ought to tell you that what really and truly happened was this”----
”Oh, I know quite hat really and truly happened,” interrupted Maggie ”Let me tell you I know that there cairl who calls herself Merry Cardeas very discontented, and I know also that kind Mr Cardew discovered the discontent of his child Well, noho put that discontent into your mind?”
”Why, I a pale and then red
Maggie laughed ”Why, of course it was,” she said; ”and you suppose I didn't do it on purpose?”
”But, Maggie, you didn't really mean--you couldn't for a minute ive his consent?”
”Of course not,” said Maggie lightly; ”but, you see, I ive his consent--Icircumstances; but I want to tell you now, Merry, in the strictest confidence of course, that from the moment I arrived at the rectory I determined that you and Cicely were to come with Molly and Isabel to Aylie,” said Merry; but she felt a certain sense of distress which she could not quite account for as she spoke
”Why do you look soher queer, narrow eyes on the pretty face of her young companion
”I am not really melancholy, only I would much rather you had told me openly at the tiave a faint sigh ”Had I done so, darling,” she said, ”you would never have cos in her oay But now I have soone far down the glade, and were completely separated froie; ”it's too hot to walk far even under the shade of the trees”
They both sat down
Maggie tossed off her hat ”To- another picnic, or, at any rate, the best of good times with your friends”
”I hope so,” replied Merry
”But I shall be in hot, stifling London, in a little house, in poky lodgings; to-ood tiie, you will be with yourmother! of course”
”Don't you love her very lance at her companion ”Love her?
Yes,” she said, ”I love her”
”But you must love her tremendously,” said Merry--”as irls love theirabout that now, are we?”