Part 13 (1/2)
”Here are the little ones,” exclaimed Salome, as the sound of the children's voices was heard in the porch.
Hans and Carl were in the highest spirits. They had chattered all the way from the station, and were ready to be pleased with everything.
They brought with them a relic of the old home, in the person of a little white fluffy dog, named Puck, which came bustling in at their heels, flying up at every one in expectation of a welcome, and regardless of Salome's--
”Mother, what will Mrs. Pryor say to a dog? I thought Puck was to be given to the De Brettes.”
”The children begged so hard to bring him,” Mrs. Wilton said. ”Puck is a dog no one can object to.”
Salome looked doubtful, and said--
”I am sure Mrs. Pryor won't let him get on the chairs,” as Puck seated himself on one of them. ”Get down, Puck.”
”I thought it was a mistake to bring Puck,” Ada said; ”but the children would have their own way.”
”He is a very well-behaved dog in general,” said Stevens, anxious to make peace and avoid discussion with Mrs. Pryor; ”and if he forgets his manners, we must teach him, that is all.”
”Where is the nursery?” Carl asked, ”and the school-room? Are we to have tea there?”
”You shall all have tea together this evening,” Stevens said; ”but I will show you your room, my dears. Come upstairs.”
”Where is Raymond?” Mrs. Wilton asked.
”Raymond!” exclaimed Salome. ”He said he would go to the station. Did you not see him?”
”No,” Reginald said. ”Digby Wilton and I walked down together from the cricket match. Digby is not so bad after all.”
”I think him very nice, and I like Kate. I had quite an adventure, mamma. Lady Monroe, who says she knew you years and years ago, brought me from Edinburgh Crescent in her carriage, and was so kind. Do you remember her, mother? She came to Maplestone last year.”
Poor Mrs. Wilton, who had been trying to keep back her tears, found the very mention of her old home too much at this moment. A sob was the only answer; and Ada said--
”Mamma had better go and take off her things and rest a little. Show us the way, Salome.” Reginald followed, and tried not to be disappointed that his mother did not notice the book-shelves and several little contrivances in her room. And Salome wished Ada would not say, ”How dreadfully small the house is; and how this huge ugly bed fills up the room,”--the four-post bed which was Mrs. Pryor's glory.
She had come up behind the party, and hearing her most valued possession thus slighted, took her revenge forthwith.
”I beg your pardon, ma'am; I don't wish to intrude; but I do not take _dawgs_. No dawgs or cats are allowed in _my_ house. I don't take _children_ as a rule--never; but a dawg I cannot put up with. It would wear my spirits out. I hope,” looking round, ”you are _satisfied_, ma'am!”
”Oh, it is all very clean and neat, thank you,” Mrs. Wilton faltered out; ”it will do very nicely, and--and I will see about Puck: if he is troublesome, he must be sent away.”
Alas! the very spirit of mischief, whose name he bore, seemed to have suddenly possessed Puck. A great bustling and low growling was heard on the staircase, and Hans and Carl laughing and saying, ”At it, Puck--good Puck.” In another moment Puck appeared shaking something soft frantically, and tearing wildly about with it in his mouth, letting off the spirits which had been pent up on his journey from Fairchester.
”What has he got? Take it from him, children.--What is it, Salome?”
”It's a bird, I think.--Puck, put it down,” said Reginald sternly, seizing Puck by his fluffy tail, and administering several hard slaps.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”'It's a bird, I think.--Puck, put it down!'” _Page 113._]
When at last Puck dropped his prey, Mrs. Pryor exclaimed, ”My feather brush--my dear, dear mistress's feather brus.h.!.+ I've seen her dust her own chayny with it _times_. I wouldn't have taken a pound for it. Oh dear! oh dear!”
”It is not much injured, I hope,” said Mrs. Wilton. ”Only two feathers have been loosened.”