Part 45 (2/2)
Evelyn returned to the house. She went up to her room, changed her shoes, tidied her hair, and came down to the drawing-room. Lady Frances was leaning back in a chair, turning over the pages of a new magazine.
She called Evelyn to her side.
”How do you like school?” she said. Her tones were abrupt; the eyes she fixed on the child were hard.
Evelyn's worst feelings were always awakened by Lady Frances's manner to her.
”I do not like it at all,” she said. ”I wish to leave.”
”Your wishes, I am afraid, are not to be considered; all the same, you may have to leave.”
”Why?” asked Evelyn, turning white. She wondered if Lady Frances knew.
Her aunt's eyes were fixed, as though they were gimlets, on her face.
”Sit down,” said Lady Frances, ”and tell me how you spend your day. What cla.s.s are you in? What lessons are you learning?”
”I am in a very low cla.s.s indeed?” said Evelyn. ”Mothery always said I was clever.”
”I do not suppose your mother knew.”
”Why should she not know, she who was so very clever herself? She taught me all sorts of things, and so did poor Jasper.”
”Ah! I am glad at least that I have removed that dreadful woman out of your path,” said Lady Frances.
Evelyn smiled and lowered her eyes. Her manner irritated her aunt extremely.
”Well,” she said, ”go on; we will not discuss the fact of the form you ought to be in. What lessons do you do?”
”Oh, history, grammar; I suppose, the usual English subjects.”
”Yes, yes; but history-that is interesting. English history?”
”Yes, Aunt Frances.”
”What part of the history?”
”We are doing the reigns of the Edwards now.”
”Ah! can you tell me anything with regard to the reign of Edward I.?”
Evelyn colored. Lady Frances watched her.
”I am certain she knows,” thought the little girl. ”But, oh, this is terrible! Has that awful Miss Henderson told her? What shall I do? I do not think I will wait until the week is up; I think I will run away at once.”
”Answer my question, Evelyn,” said her aunt.
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