Volume Ii Part 87 (2/2)

Faith's eye gave a little answering flash. ”I don't believe I know them all. Then--” she checked herself--”But how did you come here? You--were in Germany.”

”Then what?--please answer me first.”

How Faith blushed!--and laughed; but she grew very grave almost immediately.

”Please answer me!” she said.

”Yes, I was there--and I could not help coming here,” Miss Linden answered. ”To leave him there, after all! But I could not help it, Faith. When he determined to spend the year there--and I never saw him look so grave over a determination--it was for one reason alone. You know what?”

Faith did not a.s.sent nor dissent, but her eyes were swallowing every word.

”It seemed then as if it might not much lengthen his absence, and would ensure its being the last. And by-the-by, fair ladye, Endecott said I might make the most of you before he got home; for _then_ he meant to have you all to himself for six months, and n.o.body else should have a sight of you.”

As far as they could go, Faith's eyes fell; and her new sister might study the fair face and figure she had not had so good an opportunity of studying before. Perfectly grave, and still to her folded hands.

”After he was fairly launched in his work,” Miss Linden went on, ”Aunt Iredell began slowly to grow better; and as the winter pa.s.sed she took the most earnest desire to come home--to America. Nothing could shake it; and the doctors approved and urged that there should be no delay.

Then, Faith, _I_ would have stayed,--but she was exceedingly dependent upon me, and most of all, Endecott said I ought to come. I believe he was glad to think of my being here for another reason. He came with us to Paris--it happened just then that he _could come_--and put us on board the steamer. But we were three days in Paris first,--O such pretty days!” she added smiling. ”I'll tell you about them another time.”

The downcast eyes were lifted and rested for a minute on the sparkling face before them. If a little warm light in their glance meant that all was ”pretty” about which those two had to do, it said part at least of what was in Faith's mind.

”Now I am to be your neighbour for a while,” said Miss Linden. ”Aunt Iredell was ordered out of town at once, and last night we came up to Pequot,--so you must not wonder if you see me every other day after this. O how good it is to see you! Do you know,” she said, wrapping her arms round Faith again, and resting the soft cheeks and lips upon hers, ”do you know how much I have to say of this sort, for somebody else?”

”You are not going back to Pequot to-day?” said Faith softly.

”May I stay in Pattaqua.s.set till to-morrow?”

”If I can take good enough care of you!” said Faith, kissing her half gladly, half timidly.

”And may I go home with you now?”

”Where are we going?” said Faith looking out.

”My dear, you ought to know! but I do not. I told them to drive about till I gave contrary orders. Now you must give them.” And the check string brought the horses to a stand and the footman ditto. A half minute's observation enabled Faith to give directions for reaching the main Pattaqua.s.set road and taking the right turn, and the carriage rolled on again. There was a little pause then, till Faith broke it. A rich preparatory colour rose in her cheeks, and the subject of her words would certainly have laughed to see how gravely, with what commonplace demureness, the question was put.

”Was Mr. Linden well, when you came from Germany?”

”Faith!” was his sister's prompt reply. Faith's glance, soft and blus.h.i.+ng, yet demanded reason. Whereupon Miss Linden's face went into a depth of demureness that was wonderful. ”Yes my dear, Mr. Linden was well--looking well too, which is an uncommon thing with him.”

”Is it?”--said Faith somewhat wistfully.

”Not in the way I mean,” said her new sister smiling,--”I thought nothing could have improved his appearance but--Mignonette. And I suppose he thought so himself, for he was never seen without a sprig of the little flowers.”

Faith's look in answer to that was given to nothing but the ground, and indeed it was worthy to have been seen by only one person.

”Faith,” said Miss Linden suddenly, ”are there many French people in Pattaqua.s.set?”

”No,--not any. Why?”

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