CHAPTER XVII.
"Home, sweet home!"
"How large is the estate, doctor?" asked Capt. Raymond, as they were ontheir way to Woodburn.
"I cannot say exactly," replied Arthur. "There is a bit of woodlandcomprising several acres; and lawn, gardens, and shrubbery cover severalmore. I believe that is all."
"About as much as I care for," returned the captain.
"The estate was formerly very large," Arthur went on,--"some thousandsof acres,--and the family was a very wealthy one; but, like many others,they lost heavily by the war, and were compelled to part with oneportion of the estate after another, till little more than the homesteadwas left; and now it seems that it, too, must go."
"Are they so reduced?" the captain asked in a tone of deep sympathy.
"I think Miss Elliott does not feel compelled to part with it, and wouldstill live on there, if it were not for the loneliness of the situation,and a natural desire to be with her sister, the only remaining member oftheir once large family, besides herself."
"Yes, yes: I see. I understand, and shall feel much more comfortable inbuying it, than if I knew that poverty compelled her to part with itagainst her will."
"That shows your kindness of heart," Arthur said, turning toward hisfriend with an appreciative smile.
The next moment they had entered the Woodburn grounds, and Capt. Raymondand Grace were glancing from side to side in a very interested manner.
"The place is a good deal run down," remarked Arthur. "They have not hadthe means to keep it up, I suppose; but if it comes into your hands,captain, you can soon set matters right in regard to that; and I, forone, shall greatly enjoy seeing the improvement."
"And I making it," was the cheery rejoinder; "more, I think, than takingpossession of a place that was too perfect to be improved."
"Papa, I'd just love to have this for our home!" cried Gracie, flushingwith pleasure as she glanced here and there, and then up into his facewith an eager, questioning look, "Won't you buy it, papa?" coaxingly.
"It is still too soon for that question, my child," he said, smilingdown at her. "But I hope to be able to answer it before very long."
They had reached the house, and were presently ushered into the presenceof its owner. She was desirous to sell, the captain to buy,--willingalso to give not only a fair, but a liberal, price; so it took but ashort time for them to come to an agreement.
He bought the land, house, furniture, every thing just as it stood; waspromised possession in two weeks, and accorded the privilege of at oncebeginning any repairs or alterations he might deem desirable.
Before making the agreement, he had inspected the whole house. He foundit large, conveniently arranged, and in very tolerable repair.
The furniture had evidently been very handsome in its day, and would doquite well, he thought, to begin with: much of it might, withre-upholstering and varnishing, please Violet as well as any that couldbe bought elsewhere. He was eager to bring her to look at it, the houseand the grounds.
These last delighted both himself and Grace, although lawn and gardenswere far from being as trim and neat as those of Ion and Fairview: therewas an air of neglect about the whole place, but that could soon beremedied.
The bit of woodland was beautiful; and through it, and across lawn andgardens, ran a little stream of clear, sparkling water,--a prettyfeature in the landscape, without being deep enough to be dangerous tothe little ones.
Grace went everywhere with her father, up-stairs and down, indoors andout, quietly looking and listening, but seldom speaking, unlessaddressed.
Once or twice she said, in a low aside, "Papa, I'd like to live here,if you can 'ford to buy it.
"Papa, this is such a pretty room, and the view from that window is sonice!"
He would reply only by a kind smile, or a word or two of assent. She didnot understand all the talk in the library after they had finished theirround, and when they left was still in some doubt as to her father'sintentions.
"Papa," she asked eagerly, as soon as they were fairly on their homewardway, "have you bought it?"
"We have come to an agreement," he answered.
"Then, is it ours?"
"It will be, as soon as I have got the deed, and handed over the money."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" she cried, clapping her hands with delight. "Andwe're to be 'lowed to go there to stay in two weeks, aren't we? Ithought that was what Miss Elliott said."
"Yes: can you get all your possessions packed up by that time?"
"Yes, indeed, papa: one day would be enough time for that."
"And if you should happen to forget one of the dollies, you could goback for her," remarked the doctor.
"Or replace it with a new one," said the captain.
"But I love all my dollies, papa," she returned, with a wistful look upinto his face: "they're my children, you know. Would you be satisfiedwith another new little girl 'stead of me?"
"No, indeed!" he replied, bending down to kiss her cheek. "If I hadanother new little girl given me, I should want to hold fast to mylittle Gracie too; and you shall keep all your dollies as long as youplease."
Lulu and Max started on their walk to Fairview about the same time thatDr. Conly drove away with their father and Grace.
Their talk was principally of the new home in prospect. Lulu had onlydriven past Woodburn several times; but Max had been taken there once byDr. Conly, with whom he was almost as great a favorite as his sisterGrace, and had seen not only the grounds, but one or two rooms of themansion.
Lulu was eager to hear all he had to tell about the place, and he not atall averse to describing what he had seen.
So interested were they in the topic, that they reached the entrance tothe Fairview grounds almost ere they were aware of it.
"Oh, we're here!" exclaimed Lulu, in some surprise. "Max, I'll stayoutside, while you go up to the house, for--I--I can't bear to see auntElsie and the others."
Her eyes were downcast, her cheeks burning with blushes as she spoke.
"But you may as well get it over," said Max: "you'll have to see themall sometime."
"You don't care a bit, _do_ you?" she said, in a hurt tone.
"Yes, I do; I'm right sorry for you; but I can't help your having tomeet them sooner or later."
"But I'm afraid I won't be welcome to aunt Elsie. What if she shouldtell me to go out of the house, she didn't want such a bad girl there?"
"She isn't that kind of person," said Max. "But here comes Eva," as thelittle girl came tripping down the avenue to meet them.
She shook hands with Max, then threw her arms round Lulu, and kissedher.
"O Eva! I'm 'most ashamed to look at you," murmured Lulu, half avertingher blushing face. "I shouldn't think you'd want me for your friend anymore."
"I do, though: I love you dearly, and should have gone to your roomyesterday if your papa had not refused to allow it," responded Evelyn,repeating her caress. "Come in and rest, both of you: aunt Elsie told meto ask you."
"I'm not sure that papa meant to give me permission to go into thehouse," said Lulu, hanging back.
"No,--come to think of it,--I don't believe he did," said Max. "Besides,it must be pretty near school-time; so if you are ready, Eva, and wantto walk, we'll start back directly, and be glad to take you with us."
"Yes, I prefer to walk," she said: "I'll be ready in five minutes, andglad to have your company."
Mrs. Leland was on the veranda.
"Won't they come in?" she asked of Evelyn, as the child came hurrying upthe steps.
"No, auntie: Lu is not quite certain that her papa gave her permission."
"Then, I'll go to them."
Lulu's eyes were on the ground, her cheeks hot with blushes, as Mrs.Leland drew near the rustic bench on which she and Max had seatedthemselves.
"Good-morning, my dears: I am sorry you cannot come in and sit a while,"was her pleasant greeting. Then she shook hands with Max and kissedLulu.
"I heard you were
not well yesterday, Lulu: I hope you feel quite sothis morning?"
"Yes, ma'am, thank you."
"I heard from Ion before breakfast, and am delighted that baby is stillimproving, as, no doubt, you are, both of you."
"Yes, indeed!" exclaimed Max.
"And I am gladder than words can tell," said Lulu, a tear rollingquickly down her cheek. "Aunt Elsie, I do love her! I think she is thenicest, sweetest baby I ever saw."
"Yes, my dear; and I have no doubt you intend to be the best of sistersto her."
"Oh, I do! I can't ever make up to her for--for hurting her so, though Idid not mean to do it."
"Of course not: you couldn't be so cruel toward any baby, but especiallyyour own sweet little sister," was the gentle, sweet-toned reply. "I amrejoiced, especially for you, my dears, and for your mamma, that yourfather is going to settle down here; for I know it will add greatly toyour happiness, he is such a good husband and father, and you will soenjoy having a home of your own."
"Yes, aunt Elsie: we think it is the best thing that could have happenedto us," replied Max.
Evelyn joined them at that moment; so they said good-by, and started ontheir way back to Ion.
"Eva," said Max, "have you heard about Woodburn?"
"No; what about it?"
"It's for sale, and perhaps papa will buy it."
"Oh, how nice that would be!" she exclaimed. "I've been there with auntElsie, and it's just a lovely place! It has a rather neglected look now;but it wouldn't take long to remedy that, and then it would be quite ashandsome as Ion or Fairview, or any other place about here. Aren't youhappy, Lu?"
"I shall be if papa gets it; but the best thing of all is, that he is tobe with us all the time."
"Yes, of course," sighed Evelyn, thinking of the happy days when she hadher father with her. "Lu," she said presently, "I know you are not to besent away; but where are you to go to school?"
"To papa," replied Lulu, with a glad look and smile.
Evelyn sighed again. "The only part I regret," she remarked, "is that wehave to give up being together in our studies,--you and I. Unless," sheadded the next moment, as if struck by a sudden thought, "your fatherwould take me as a pupil too. But I wouldn't dare to ask it."
"I would," said Max: "I dare ask papa almost any thing,--unless it wasleave to do something wrong,--and I'll undertake to sound him on thesubject."
"I'm not afraid to ask him, either," said Lulu; "and he's so kind, I dobelieve he'll say yes, or at least that he'll do it if everybody else isagreed. Have you seen him, Eva?"
"Yes; and he had such a kind, fatherly manner toward me, that I fell inlove with him at once. I believe I'd be glad to have him adopt me if hewas badly in want of another daughter about my age," she added, with amerry look and smile.
"I believe he'd be the gainer if he could swap me off for you," saidLulu, catching her friend's tone; "but I'm very happy in feeling quitesure he would rather have me, bad as I am, just because I am his own."
"That makes all the difference in the world," said Evelyn; "and perhaps,on becoming acquainted with my faults, he might think them worse thanyours."
It was not quite school-time when they reached Ion, and Evelyn proposedthat they should spend the few intervening minutes in the grounds.
"I'd like to, ever so much," said Lulu; "but papa bade me go directly tomy own room on getting home. So good-by," and she moved on resolutely inthe direction of the house.
"Good-by. I'll see you again when school is out, if I can," Evelyncalled after her.
Lulu's thoughts were so full of other things, she found great difficultyin fixing them upon her lessons. But saying to herself that it would bemuch too bad to fail in her first recitations to her father, she exertedher strong will to the utmost, and succeeded. She was quite ready forhim when, at length, he came in.
But looking up eagerly from her book, "Papa," she asked, "have you, oh!have you, bought it?"
"Bought what?" he asked smilingly, as he sat down and drew her to hisside.
"O papa! you know! Woodburn, I mean."
"I think I have secured it," he said, "and that it will make a verydelightful home for us all."
"Oh, I am so glad!" she cried, throwing her arms round his neck, andgiving him a vigorous hug. "When can we move in, papa?"
"In about two weeks, probably: can you stand having to wait for thatlength of time?"
"I s'pose I'll have to," she said, laughing a little ruefully. "It'llhelp very much that I'll have you here, and see you every day. Are yougoing to keep me shut up in this room all the time?"
"No: did I not tell you, you were no longer a prisoner?"
"Oh, yes, sir! but I--I don't care very much to--to be with Rosie andthe rest."
"I prefer that you should not be, except when I am present," he returnedgravely. "I want to keep you with me as much as possible; and wouldrather have you alone, or with Evelyn, Max, and Gracie only, when I amnot with you."
"I like that best, too, papa," she replied humbly; "for I can't trustmyself not to get into a passion with Rosie and her dog, and I supposeyou can't trust me either."
"Not yet, daughter," he said gently; "but I hope the time will come whenI can. Now we will attend to the lessons."
When the recitations were finished, "Papa," she said, with anaffectionate, admiring look up into his face, "I think you are a _very_nice teacher: you make every thing so clear and plain, and sointeresting. I'm so glad you're the gentleman who is to have charge ofme," she added with a happy laugh.
"So am I," he said, caressing her. "I am very glad, very thankful, to beable to take charge of all my own children; and whatever I may lack inexperience and ability as a teacher, I hope to make up in the deepinterest I shall always feel in the welfare and progress of my pupils."
She then told him of Evelyn's wish, concluding With, "Won't you, dearpapa? I'd like it so much, and Eva is such a good girl you wouldn't havea bit of trouble managing her. She's just as different from me aspossible."
"Quite a recommendation; and if I were as sure of proving a competentteacher, I should not hesitate to grant your request. But it is a newbusiness to me, and perhaps it would not be wise for me to undertake thetuition of more than my own three at present. However," he added, seeingher look of disappointment, "I will take the matter into consideration."
"Oh, thank you, sir! Papa, I've just thought of two things I want totalk to you about."
"Very well; let me hear them."
"The first is about my being so naughty at Viamede," she went on,hanging her head, and blushing deeply; "in such a passion at SignorForesti, and so obstinate and disobedient to grandpa Dinsmore."
"I was very sorry to hear of it all," he said gravely: "but what aboutit?"
"Don't you have to punish me for it?" she asked, half under her breath.
"No: the punishment I gave you the other night settled all accounts upto that date."
She breathed more freely.
"Papa, would you have made me go back to that horrid man after he struckme?"
"It is not worth while to consider that question at this late day. Now,what else?" he asked.
"Papa, I spoiled one of those valuable books of engravings belonging tograndpa Dinsmore; no, I didn't exactly spoil it myself, but I took itout on the veranda without leave, and carelessly left it where Rosie'sdog could get at it; and he scratched and gnawed and tore it, till it isalmost ruined."
"I shall replace it at once," he said. "I am sorry you were so careless,and particularly that you took the book out there without permission;but that was not half so bad as flying into a passion, even if you hurtnothing or no one but yourself."
"But I did get into a passion, papa, at the dog and at Rosie," sheacknowledged, in a frightened tone, and blushing more deeply thanbefore.
"I am deeply grieved to hear it," he said.
"And won't you have to punish me for that, and for getting the bookspoiled?"
"No: didn't I tell you just now that all accounts were settle
d up to theother night?"
"Papa, you're very, very kind," she said, putting her arm round hisneck, and laying her head on his shoulder.
"I am very glad, that, with all her faults, my dear little daughter isso truthful and so open with me," he said, smoothing her hair.
"Papa, I'm ever so sorry you'll have to pay so much money to replacethat book," she said. "But--you often give me some pocket-money,and--won't you please keep all you would give me till it counts upenough to pay for the book?"
"It is a right feeling, a feeling that pleases me, which prompts you tomake that request," he said in a kind tone, and pressing his lips to hercheek; "and probably another time I may let you pay for such a piece ofcarelessness, but you need not in this instance. I feel rich enough tospare the money quite easily for that and an increase in my children'sweekly allowance. What is yours now?"
"Fifty cents, papa."
"Where is your purse?"
She took it from her pocket, and put it into his hand.
"Only five cents in it," he remarked, with a smile, when he hadexamined.
Then, taking a handful of loose change from his pocket, he counted outfour bright quarters and ten dimes, and poured them into her purse.
"O papa! so much!" she cried delightedly, "I feel ever so rich!"
He laughed at that. "Now," he said, "you shall have a dollar every week,unless I should have to withdraw it on account of some sort of badbehavior on your part. Max is to have the same; Gracie half a dollartill she is a little older: and you are all to keep an account of yourspendings."
He took from another pocket, three little blank-books.
"One of these is for you: the others are for your brother and sister,"he said. "See, there is a blank space for every day in the week; and,Whenever you lay out any money, you must write down in the proper placewhat it was that you bought, and how much it cost."
"And show it to you, papa?"
"Once in a while: probably, whenever I hand you your allowance, I shalllook over your account for the week that is just past, and tell you whatI think of the way you have laid out your money, in order to help you tolearn to spend it judiciously."