CHAPTER XV.
"Happy in this, she is not yet so old But she may learn." --Shakespeare.
Violet, meeting her grandfather on the way to the supper-room, gave him ananxious, troubled inquiring look, which he answered by a brief statement,given in an undertone, of what had just passed between himself and Max andLulu.
"All of them!" sighed the young stepmother to herself, "all three of themat once! Ah me!"
Though Mr. Dinsmore had spoken low, both his daughter and Zoe had heardnearly all he said, and as they sat down to the table the one lookedgrieved and distressed, the other angry.
During the meal Zoe never once addressed Mr. Dinsmore, and when he spoketo her she answered as briefly as possible, and not in a very pleasant orrespectful tone.
Edward noticed it, and looked at her in displeased surprise; then,becoming aware of the absence of the Raymonds, asked, "Where are Max,Lulu, and Gracie?"
He had not heard the story of their disgrace, having come to thesupper-room a little later than the others, and directly from his own.
For a moment the question, addressed to no one in particular, remainedunanswered; then Mr. Dinsmore said, "Max and Lulu are in disgrace. I knownothing about Gracie, but presume she is not feeling well enough to comedown."
Zoe darted an angry glance at him.
Violet looked slightly relieved. She had not spoken at all of Gracie'swrongdoing, and did not want any one to know of it.
"I may send the children their supper, grandpa?" she said inquiringly,with a pleading look.
"Do just as you please about it," he answered. "Of course I would not havegrowing children go fasting for any length of time; certainly not allnight, for that would be to the injury of their health; and I leave it toyou to decide how luxurious their meal shall be."
"Thank you, grandpa," she said, and at once gave the requisite order.
Meanwhile Max had obeyed the order to go to his room in almost as angryand rebellious a mood as Lulu's own. He shut the door, threw down hispackage, tore off his overcoat and stamped about the floor for a minuteor two, fuming and raging.
"I say it's just shameful! abominable treatment! I'm tired being treatedlike a baby, and I won't stand it! The idea of being shut up here fortwenty-four hours for such a trifle! Oh, dear!" he added, dropping into achair, "I'm as hungry as a bear. I wonder if he doesn't mean to let mehave any supper? I don't believe Mamma Vi would approve of his starving mealtogether; no, nor Grandma Elsie, either; I hope they'll manage to giveme something to eat before bedtime. If they don't, I believe I'll try tobribe Tom when he comes to see to the fire."
It was not long before he heard Tom's step on the stairs, then his knockon the door.
"Come in," he answered, in cheerful tones; then, as he caught sight of awaiter full of good things, such as his sisters were supping upon,"Hurrah! Tom, you're a brick! But who sent it?"
"Miss Wilet; and she says if dars not nuff ob it to satisfy yo' appetite,you's to ring for mo'."
"All right; tell Mamma Vi I'm much obliged," said Max.
"Very good prison fare," he added to himself, as he fell to work, Tomhaving withdrawn, "I've good reason to be fond of Mamma Vi, and as she'sfond of her grandfather, I s'pose I'll have to forgive him for her sake,"he concluded, quite restored to good humor, and laughing gleefully at hisown jest.
"O Lulu," exclaimed Gracie, struck with a sudden recollection, and layingdown the spoon with which she was eating her oysters, "you know I was tostay alone. You oughtn't to have come in here."
"Pooh! your time was up a good while ago," returned Lulu, "and Mamma Vimust have expected me to come in here to eat supper along with you. I hopeshe has sent as good a one to poor Maxie."
Violet went directly from the supper-room to her own apartments, where shefound the two little girls quietly talking together, while Agnes gatheredup the remainder of their repast and carried it and the dishes away.
"I hope you enjoyed your supper, dears," she said.
They both said they had, and thanked her for it.
"And I didn't deserve it, mamma," added Gracie, her tears beginning tofall again; "but oh, I'm sorry, very sorry! Please, mamma, forgive me."
"I have entirely forgiven the sin against me, darling," whispered Violet,folding her close to her heart, "and I trust God has forgiven your fargreater sin against Him. Now do not cry any more, or you will makeyourself sick, and that would make me very sad."
Lulu was sitting near fighting a battle with pride and passion, in whichere-long she came off conqueror.
"Mamma Vi," she said with determination, "I didn't deserve it either, andI'm sorry, too, for being angry at your grandfather and saucy to him."
"Dear child," said Violet, drawing her to her side and kissing her withaffectionate warmth, "how glad I am to hear you say that. May I repeatyour words to grandpa as a message from you?"
Again Lulu had a struggle with herself, and perhaps it was only thethought that this was the easiest way to make an apology, which wouldprobably be required of her sooner or later, that helped her to conquer.
Her entry in her diary in regard to the occurrence was, "I was a littlesaucy to Grandpa Dinsmore because he was hard on Max for just a little bitof a trifle, but I've said I'm sorry, and it's all right now."
* * * * *
Edward and his grandfather having a business matter to talk over together,repaired to the library on leaving the table, and Zoe, instead of going,as usual, to the parlor with the others, went to her own rooms.
She had seen Violet, who was a little in advance of her, going into hers,and only waiting to take a little package from a closet, she ran lightlyup to Max's door, tapped gently on it, then in her eagerness, opened itslightly, with a whispered, "It's only I, Max. May I come in?"
"Yes, indeed," he answered, springing forward to admit her and hand her achair. "How good in you to come, Aunt Zoe!"
"No, I did it to please myself. You know you've always been a favoritewith me, Max, and I want to know what this is all about."
Max told her.
"It's a perfect shame!" she exclaimed indignantly. "I can't see the leastbit of harm in your going to the store and buying what you did. Youweren't even wasting the pocket money that you had a right to spend as youpleased. Grandpa Dinsmore is a--a--rather tyrannical, I think."
"It does seem hard to have so little liberty," Max said, discontentedly,"but I don't know that he's any more strict, after all, than papa."
"Well, I must run away now," said Zoe, jumping up. "Here's something tosweeten your imprisonment," putting a box of confectionery into his hand."Good-by," and she tripped away.
She met her husband in the hall upon which their rooms opened. "Where haveyou been?" he asked coldly, and with a suspicious look.
"That's my affair," she returned, flushing, and with a saucy little tossof her pretty head.
He gave her a glance of mingled surprise and displeasure. "What has comeover you, Zoe?" he asked. "Can't you give a civil answer to a simplequestion?"
"Of course I can, Mr. Travilla, but I think it's a pretty story if I'm tobe called to account as to where I go even about the house."
"Nothing but a guilty conscience could have made you look at my questionin that light," he said, leaning against the mantel and looking downseverely at her as she stood before him, for they were now in her boudoir."I presume you have been in Max's room, condoling with and encouraging himin his defiance of grandpa's authority; and let me tell you, I won't allowit."
"It makes no difference whether you allow it or not," she said, turningaway with a contemptuous sniff. "I'm my own mistress."
"Do you mean to defy my authority, Zoe?" he asked, with suppressed anger.
"Yes, I do. I'll do anything in the world for love and coaxing, but Iwon't be driven. I'm your wife, sir, not your slave."
"I have no desire to enslave you, Zoe," he said, his tone softening, "butyou are so young, so very young for a married woman,
that you surely oughtto be willing to submit to a little loving guidance and control."
"I didn't perceive much love in the attempt you made just now," she said,seating herself and opening a book.
He watched her for a moment. She seemed absorbed in reading, and he couldnot see that the downcast eyes were too full of tears to distinguish oneletter from another.
He left the room without another word, and hardly had the door closed onhim when she flung the book from her, ran into the dressing-room, andthrowing herself on a couch, cried as if her heart would break.
"He's all I have, all I have!" she moaned, "and he's beginning to be cruelto me! Oh, what shall I do! what shall I do! Papa, papa, why did you dieand leave your darling all alone in this cold world?"
She hoped Edward would come back presently, say he was sorry for hisbrutal behavior, and try to make his peace with her by coaxing andpetting; but he did not, and after a while she gave up expecting him,undressed, went to bed and cried herself to sleep, feeling that she was asadly ill-used wife.
Meanwhile Edward had returned to the library for a time, then gone intothe family parlor, hoping and half expecting to find Zoe there with therest; but the first glance showed him that she was not in the room.
He made no remark about it, but sitting down beside his mother, tried tointerest himself in the evening paper handed him by his grandfather.
"What have you done with your wife, young man?" asked his sister Elsiesportively. "We have seen nothing of her since supper."
"I left her in her room," he answered in a tone in which there seemed ashade of annoyance.
"Have you locked her up there for bad behavior?" asked Rosie, laughing.
"Why, what do you mean, Rosie?" he returned, giving the child a half-angryglance, and coloring deeply.
"Oh, I was only funning, of course, Ned. So you needn't look so vexedabout it; that's the very way to excite suspicion that you have donesomething to her," and Rosie laughed gleefully.
But to the surprise of mother and sisters, Edward's brow darkened, and hemade no reply.
"Rosie," said Violet, lightly, "you are an incorrigible tease. Let thepoor boy alone, can't you?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Raymond," he said, with a forced laugh, "but I wouldn'thave Rosie deprived of her sport."
"I hope," remarked Mrs. Travilla, with a kindly though grave look at heryoungest daughter, "that my Rosie does not find it sport to inflictannoyance upon others."
"No, mamma, not by any means, but how could I suppose my wise oldestbrother would care for such a trifle?" returned the little girl in asprightly tone.
"My dear," said her mother, "it is the little things--little pleasures,little vexations--that far more than the great make up the sum total ofour happiness or misery in this life."
Edward was very silent during the rest of the evening, and his mother,watching him furtively and putting that and that together, felt sure thatsomething had gone wrong between him and his young wife.
When the good-nights had been said and the family had scattered to theirrooms, he lingered behind, and his mother, who had left the room,perceiving it, returned to find him standing on the hearth, gazing moodilyinto the fire.
She went to him, and laying her hand gently on his shoulder. "My dearboy," she said, in her sweet low tones, "I cannot help seeing thatsomething has gone wrong with you; I don't ask what it is, but you haveyour mother's sympathy in every trouble."
"It is unfortunately something you would not want me to repeat even toyou, my best and dearest of mothers, but your assurance of sympathy issweet and comforting, nevertheless," he said, taking her in his arms witha look and manner so like his father's, that tears sprang unbidden to hereyes.
"Ah," he said presently, with a sigh that betrayed more than he was awareof, "my father was a happy man in having such a woman for his wife!"
"A good husband makes a good wife, my boy," she returned, gazingsearchingly yet tenderly into his eyes; "and I think no woman with anyheart at all could have failed to be such to him."
"I am not worthy to be his son," he murmured, the hot blood mounting tohis very hair.
There was a moment or more of silence, then she said, softly caressing hishair and cheek as she spoke, "Edward, my son, be very patient, verygentle, forbearing and loving toward the orphan child, the care of whomyou assumed of your own free will, the little wife you have promised tolove and cherish to life's end."
"Yes, mother, I have tried very earnestly to be all that to her--but sheis such a child that she needs guidance and control, and I cannot let hershow disrespect to you or my grandfather."
"She has always been both dutiful and affectionate to me, Ned, and I havenever known her to say a disrespectful word to or about your grandfather."
"Did you not notice the looks she gave him at the table, to-night? thetone in which she replied when he spoke to her?"
"I tried not to do so," she said with a smile. "I learned when my firstchildren were young that it was the part of wisdom to be sometimes blindto venial faults. Not," she added more gravely, "that I would ever putdisrespect to my father in that category, but we must not make too much ofa little girlish petulance, especially when excited by a generous sympathywith the troubles of another."
The cloud lifted from his brow. "How kind in you to say it, mother dear!kind to her and to me. Yes, she is very fond of Max, quite as if he were ayounger brother, and it is very natural that she should sympathize withhim when in disgrace."
"And having been so petted and indulged by her father, allowed to have herown way in almost everything, and seldom, if ever, called to account forher doings, comings and goings, she can hardly fail to think my father'srule strict and severe."
"True," Edward responded with a sigh, "and grandpa is a strictdisciplinarian, yet so kind and affectionate with it all that one cannothelp loving him."
"So I think. And now, good-night, my dear son. I must go; and perhaps yourlittle wife is looking and longing for your coming. She is very fond andproud of her young husband," and with a motherly kiss and smile she lefthim.
Edward paced the floor for several minutes with thoughtful air, then wentup-stairs to Zoe's boudoir.
She was not there or in the dressing-room. He took up a lamp and went oninto the adjoining bedroom. Shading the light with his hand, he drew nearthe bed with noiseless step.
She lay there sleeping, tears on her eyelashes and her pillow wet withthem. His heart smote him at the sight. She looked such a mere child andso sweet and innocent that he could hardly refrain from imprinting a kissupon the round rosy cheek and the full red lips.
And he longed for a reconciliation, but it seemed cruel to wake her, so itshould be the first thing in the morning, he said to himself.
He set the lamp down in a distant part of the room, and prepared for rest.
* * * * *
Max had spent the evening over his books and diary. His entry in that wasa brief statement of his delinquency, its punishment, and his resolve tobe more obedient in future.
He had just wiped his pen and put it away, when Grandma Elsie came for alittle motherly talk with him, as she often did at bedtime.
He received her with a mortified, embarrassed air, but her kind, gentlemanner quickly restored his self-possession.
"I was sorry, indeed," she said, "to hear that our boy Max had become abreaker of rules, and so caused us the loss of his society at the tableand in the parlor."
"I thought the loss was all on my side. Grandma Elsie," he returned with abright, pleased look. "I didn't suppose anybody would miss meunpleasantly."
"Ah, you were quite mistaken in that; we are all fond of you, Max."
"Not Grandpa Dinsmore, I'm sure," he said, dropping his eyes and frowning.
"Why, Max, what else could induce him to give you a home here and be atthe trouble of teaching you every day?"
"I thought it was you who gave me a home, Grandma Elsie," Max said in asoftened tone, and with an affectionate
look at her.
"This is my house," she said, "but my father is the head of the family,and without his approval I should never have asked you and your sistershere, much as I desire your happiness, and fond of you as I certainly am."
"You are very, very good to us!" he exclaimed with warmth; "you do so muchfor us! I wish I could do something for you!"
"Do you, my dear boy?" she said, smiling and softly patting his hand,which she had taken in hers; "then be respectful and obedient to myfather. And to your mamma--my dear daughter. Nothing else could give me somuch pleasure."
"I love Mamma Vi!" exclaimed Max. 'I'm sure there couldn't be a sweeterlady. And I like Grandpa Dinsmore, too, but--don't you think now he's verystrict and ready to punish a fellow for a mere trifle, Grandma Elsie?"
"I dare say it seems but a trifle to you for a boy of your age to go intotown and do an errand for himself without asking leave," she replied, "butthat might lead to much worse things; the boy might take to loiteringabout the town and fall into bad company and so be led into I know notwhat wickedness. For that reason parents and guardians should know allabout a boy's comings and goings."
"That's so, Grandma Elsie," Max said reflectively. "I don't mean to getinto bad company ever, but papa says I'm a heedless fellow, so perhaps Imight do it before I thought. I'll try to keep to rules after this."
"I hope so, for both your own sake and ours," she said; then with amotherly kiss bade him good-night.