Part 41 (1/2)
Maggie got out and caain without any apparent adventure She had five pounds in her pocket, and thought herself rich beyond the dreaift had been handed down to her by her dear dead father! She did not miss the brooch in the least, but she valued the sly
But while Maggie thought herself so secure, and while the pleasant jingle of the sovereigns as she touched thes quite against Maggie Howland's supposed interests were transpiring in another part of the school
It was a strange fact that on this special afternoon both the queens should be prostrated with headache It is true that Queen Maggie's headache was only a fiction, but poor Queen Aneta's was real enough
She was lying down in her pretty bedroo of her temples, when the door was very softly opened, and Merry Cardew brought in a letter and laid it by her side
”May I bring you so I can do for you?”
”Oh no, darling,” said Aneta ”I can't eat or drink; but if I stay very still I shall be better by-and-by Leave me now, dear; all I want is perfect quiet”
”I am so sorry for you, Aneta,” said Merry
”What are you doing downstairs?” said Aneta as the girl turned away
”Well, Maggie has a headache too”
”Oh!” said Aneta
”So we are without our queens,” continued Merry; ”but Maggie's girls have taken possession of our sitting-rooreat fun and are very happy, so don't worry about us at all, Aneta”
”I won't,” said Aneta, closing her eyes, while a feeling of drowsy relief stole over her
Her anxiety with regard to Maggie was reallyher ill Her sense of responsibility with reference to the Cardew girls seemed to oppress her usually calm spirit She could not conceal the fact froie, ie was not downstairs gave her such a sense of comfort that she dropped into a doze, and when she awoke a short tione
Yes, her headache had departed, but there lay by her pillohat is a great treasure to all schoolgirls--an unopened letter She looked at the handwriting, and saw that it was from her aunt, Lady Lysle Aneta was very fond of Lady Lysle; and, sitting up against her pillows, she tore open the letter and began to read She was surprised to see that it was dated from Meredith Manor
”MY DEAR ANETA”--it ran--”I have been staying with the dear Cardews for the last week We have been having a very pleasant tih, of course, the house is vastly different without Cicely and Merry But the dear Cardews are so sensible that they never would regret anything that was for the real benefit of their children
”Your letter assuring ht, and when I told the Cardews they were equally pleased Altogether, this school-venture seems likely to turn out most satisfactory, and the dear children will be properly equipped for the brilliant life which lies before them
”But now I have a curious piece of information for you You told e to one of the Martyns of The Meadows Well, dear, ent there yesterday, and I happened incidentally to speak on the subject; and, whatever may be the position of Miss Howland's stepfather, he certainly is no relation to our dear friends the Martyns
They have no uncles or cousins in England at all All their people coe as I have described has, in the first place, never reached their ears, and, in the next, is ieable relations in the country I mention this to show that your friend has e of her to say that her uished family I can add no more now--Yours, with love, and in haste,
LUCIA LYSLE”
Aneta thought over this letter for sorave as she tried to put two and two together She rose from her bed, dressed herself with her usual immaculate neatness, and ca at half-past seven
All the girls were present, and each and all were in the best of good-huie was radiant Why not? She had perforolden sovereigns in her drawer upstairs She could put the requiredfor the school-treat, and she would have plenty over to buy chocolates and little things that she ht require for herself She did not in the least miss that one sht with a feeling of intense satisfaction of her treasures
She need no longer be a penniless girl She had but at rare intervals to visit Pearce the jeweler, and her pocket would be well lined She had no ros which her father had collected on his travels She had been so poor all her life thata couple of new dresses made by a fashi+onable dressmaker She resolved to consult Lucy on the subject She was never quite as well dressed as the other girls, although very plain clothes were the order of the hour at school
Iirls who required to look over their lessons went into the schoolroom and spent a quiet time there; but the others, as a rule, joined Mrs Ward in the drawing-room There those who could play were requested to do so, and those who could sing did likewise Mrs Ward was very fond of needlework She could do rare and wonderful embroideries, and knew soue hundreds of years ago The girls who cared to be taught those things she was only too glad to instruct; but she never pressed any one into her working-party This was always an hour of relaxation for those girls who had all their lessons ready for the following day
Maggie, as exceedingly clever and learned with the ut-roo, with a somewhat crude pink sash round her waist She hated the crudity of the color, and it occurred to her that she could get so sashes out of part of the iven her for the brooch