Part 19 (1/2)
”Well, if it hadn't been for you I would never have been traipsing over the country on errands for the Girl Scouts and you wouldn't have been waiting for me in the hall, and I wouldn't have been so fussed at seeing you that I would forget to tell my mamma first. And she won't like it unless she gets told right quick,” added Uncle Robert, getting up.
Rosanna wiped her eyes, whereupon Uncle Robert sang:
”There, little girlie, don't you cry, We'll have a wedding by and by,”
and ran up the stairs, three at a time, whistling as he went in search of his mother.
Uncle Robert was not one to take chances. After seeing his mother, who was truly pleased and had the good sense to show it, he started to Mrs.
Hargrave's, and after a short visit left that dear old lady busy at the telephone. The result was a wonderful announcement luncheon a week later, given by Mrs. Hargrave, at which the little Captain looked dimplier and sweeter than ever. After the luncheon she went over to Rosanna's house, where she found all her Girl Scouts ready to congratulate her.
”You won't give us up, will you?” they all asked anxiously, and she a.s.sured them that she would not. Seeing that they were really anxious, she made them all sit down close around her, and one by one they sang the Scout songs. They were happier after that, and only Rosanna was just a little lonely when she thought of the days when Uncle Robert was away, and reflected that all the days would be like that by-and-by. Just her grandmother and herself in the great stately old house, not occupying half of the rooms, and making so little noise that it made her lonely just to think of it. However, she put it out of her mind as bravely as she could.
Miss Hooker stayed to dinner, and Mrs. Horton was so charming that Rosanna could not help thinking what a very lovely young lady she must have been. After dinner, Mrs. Horton calmly carried her little guest away to her own sitting-room for what she called a consultation, and Rosanna and Uncle Robert who had nothing whatever to consult about now, sat and read. Upstairs, Mrs. Horton sat down opposite her son's sweetheart, and said smilingly:
”I want to say something to you that Robert does not dream I am going to say, and if you do not approve, I want you to be frank enough and brave enough to tell me. Will you?”
”Yes, indeed I will,” Miss Hooker promised.
”I am an old woman, my dear, and silent. Sometimes I fear I am not very agreeable. It is a hard and unchildlike life that our little Rosanna leads here with me. I want you to ask yourself if for her sake you could bring yourself to live here for a few years. I know how dear a new little house is to a bride's heart, and I tremble to ask you such a favor. But Rosanna has a lonely life at best, and with you here this house could be made gay indeed.
”I would never ask it for myself, but I do for Rosanna. I would gladly do anything I could for her, but I cannot fill the house with the sort of joy and gayety that she should have. She loves you deeply, and her Uncle Robert is her ideal.
”Wait a moment, dear,” she added as she saw her guest was about to speak. ”I want to tell you what we could do. There are nine large rooms on this floor. You could select what you want for a suite, and you and Robert could decorate and furnish and arrange them to suit yourselves. I would be so glad to do this just as you wish, and then of course, my dear, the house is all yours besides. Could you consider it?”
”I don't have to consider it,” said the little Captain. ”I have already thought about it, and was worried about Rosanna, but I knew that she could not come to us and leave you all alone here. I am sure Bob will be glad to arrange it as you suggest, for he is very devoted to his mother and to Rosanna as well.”
Mrs. Horton gave a sigh of relief. ”I can't thank you enough, my dearest girl,” she said. ”No one wants to make your life as happy as I do, and if there is anything I can ever do for you, you have only to tell me.
Now we must have everything new in the rooms you want, so we will go down and tell Robert and Rosanna. How glad that child will be!”
Rosanna was tired and very nervous, and when Mrs. Horton and Miss Hooker came down with their great plan, Rosanna once more, to her own horror, commenced to cry.
”Well, for goodness' sake,” her uncle cried, ”I never _did_ see anything like this! What ails the child? This certainly settles me! I shall never, never plan to get married again. Rosanna is turning into a regular _founting_; yes, ma'am, a regular _founting_!”
”Oh, I am so sorry--no, I mean I am so _glad_,” said Rosanna.
”You mean you are all tired out, and ought to go to bed,” said her grandmother.
”And if I am to come here to live,” said Robert's sweetheart, dimpling, ”I may as well see how I shall like putting a girl in her little bed.”
Rosanna, nearly as tall as the little lady, laughed through her tears.
She went over and kissed her uncle good-night.
”I am sorry I was so silly,” she whispered. ”I was _so_ lonely when I thought you were going away that somehow when I found you were not, why, I just couldn't help myself.”
”I know how you felt. It is all right, sweetness,” Uncle Robert whispered back. Rosanna's clasp tightened round his neck.
”Uncle Robert, shall I--do you suppose--will I be your sweetness just the same even after you are married?”
Uncle Robert kissed her hard. ”Before and after, and forever and ever more!” he said. ”Just as soon as I get to be a sober married man, I shall be your uncle and your daddy too, and you are going to be the happiest little girl in the world.”