Part 30 (1/2)
”It is wondrous strange,” he returned, with a happy laugh, ”that a young, beautiful girl, belonging to one of the very best families in the land, and who might have had her pick and choice among its most desirable matches, should have been able to secure a middle-aged widower with three children. You may well wonder at so great good fortune falling to your lot, lady mine,” with a strong emphasis upon that last word.
”Ah, my husband, you could hardly bestow upon me a sweeter name than that,” she said softly, and with a bright, winsome look up into his face. ”It is so sweet to belong to you, and to have you belong to me.
And then our darling children are such treasures.”
”Yes; our two dear babies.”
”Ah, yes; but I meant to include the others also; for I surely may claim now that even Lulu loves me, not as a mother exactly, but as a dear older sister.”
”Yes, I am certain of it, dearest,” he said in tones expressing heart-felt happiness; ”she shows it in many ways, and however many and serious her faults may be, hypocrisy and deceit are not among them.”
”No, indeed! I never knew anyone more perfectly free from those faults--so perfectly open and candid. I am sure that if her life were in peril she would not be deceitful or untrue in order to save it.”
”Thank you, my love,” he said with emotion. ”I share that belief, and it has been a great consolation to me when sorely distressed by her very serious faults.”
”But she is overcoming those under her father's wise and affectionate training.”
”I think she is,” he said; ”she is certainly struggling hard against them, though the training you speak of, has, I fear, been far from faultless.”
”Ah, you have not so much confidence in her father's wisdom as I have,”
returned Violet, with a smile and a look up into his face which expressed a world of loving appreciation.
The conversation then turned upon other themes not unsuited to the sacredness of the day; they seated themselves and sang a hymn or two together, then Violet went below and sought her berth, to be followed an hour later by her husband.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE next morning the _Dolphin's_ pa.s.sengers, on awaking, found her speeding on her homeward way. No one regretted it, for all were full of joy at the thought of seeing home again, delightful as had been their sojourn at lovely Viamede and on the vessel.
It was still early in the day when they reached their wharf, but carriages from Ion, Fairview, and Woodburn were in waiting, conveyances for the luggage also, and in a very short time they had left the city behind, and were whirling rapidly over the familiar road toward the loved homes they had left some months before--a happy company, the younger ones full of mirth and gayety.
The grounds belonging to each estate were looking their loveliest, and the returning travelers were greeted with the warmest of welcomes. Zoe and Edward had reached Ion some days in advance of the others, and seen to it that everything there was in perfect order, while at Woodburn such matters had received careful attention from Christine and Alma.
”Welcome home, my love,” the captain said to his wife as the carriage turned in at the great gates. ”And you too, my darlings,” addressing his children. ”Is it almost as lovely here as at Viamede?”
”Oh, yes; yes, indeed, papa!” they responded, baby Ned adding, ”Oh, me so blad to det home adain.”
Then a joyous bark was heard, and Prince, Max's dog, came bounding to meet them.
”Oh, dere our big doggie Prince!” cried Ned, with a joyous laugh, and clapping his chubby hands. ”Maxie dere too, papa?”
”No, Neddie boy; we have left Brother Maxie behind at Annapolis,”
answered his father; then as the carriage came to a standstill, he threw open the door, exclaiming, ”Home at last!” sprang to the ground, and proceeded to hand out wife and children.
”Yes,” said Violet, who, as well as the children, had been gazing with delight upon the grounds from the carriage window, ”and I for one am as glad as I was to see Viamede on our arrival there. How very lovely everything is looking! Ah, Christine and Alma,” as the two came hurrying out to greet the returned travellers, ”I hope you are well? What good care you have taken of everything in our absence.”
”Thanks, Mrs. Raymond; it is very kind in you to notice it; and we are delighted to see you all at home again,” the two women returned, smiling with pleasure over the arrival and Violet's appreciative words, to which the captain added his hearty commendation, and the children glad, warm greetings.
Prince's actions, in the meantime, told the same story of his feelings; he was fawning upon one and another, capering about and wagging his tail with many a joyous bark that seemed to say, ”I am very glad, very happy to see you all here again,” and receiving much loving stroking and patting in return.