*CHAPTER II.*
*THE ARRIVAL.*
As it struck five by the drawing-room clock, Lena threw open thehall-door and ran to the gate; and opening it, she went out and gazedeagerly down the road.
Scarsdale Villa, as Aunt Mary's house was called, was built on the topof a long hill that ran straight down into the town. As Lena now stood,the town itself seemed to be at her feet, and beyond the houses lay thesea, stretching away into the distance, far as the eye could reach, andnow sparkling in the bright spring sunshine. But its beauty was quitethrown away upon Lena; her eager gaze was fixed on one particular spoton the road--the turning to the station.
She had not long to wait, for in a very few minutes she was gladdened bythe sight of a cab, well covered with luggage, coming round the corner,and commencing the ascent of the hill.
At this sight, she turned and darted back into the house, calling loudlyfor "Auntie."
"Do you see them, dear?" Miss Somerville asked.
"There's a cab coming this way, and it has luggage; it must be them, Iam sure. Do come out and look." Taking her Aunt's hand, they went outtogether and watched the well-laden cab as it came slowly up the hill.
Often and often had Lena grumbled at that weary hill, when she camehome, tired-out after a long afternoon's ramble on the sands, or a walkinto Meadenham, but never before had she thought it so long and tediousas that day. She watched the cab come "creeping along," as she calledit.
Then as it drew very near, a new fit came over her--a fit of shyness.Clasping Auntie's hand very tight, she crept very close to her,whispering, "I do hope;" but she had no time to say more, for at thatmoment a gentleman's head was put out of the cab window, that Lenainstantly recognised as the same face whose photograph she had looked atso often. "Papa!" she almost gasped in her excitement.
"Here they are, waiting to welcome us home," called out Colonel Grahamin a loud, cheery voice, and then the cab stopped, and there came warm,loving greetings. Lena had no very distinct recollection of all thatwas done or said for the next few minutes, but among all the greetingsand fuss of arrival was one remembrance, that Lena thought would neverleave her.
It was Mama's soft voice, that said, "My darling child; thank God forgiving you back to me," so loving and tender, that Lena knew then howdear she was to Mama.
Not till they were all seated quietly in the drawing-room had Lena timeto take a good look at these dear ones.
Ah, she would have known Mama anywhere, she was sure, for there was thesame sweet gentle face, that had looked at her from her picture, dayafter day. And Papa did not look one bit stern, or grave, but was justthe sort of papa she approved of; and dear, fat, chubby Lucy, with herfair curls and blue eyes--"a perfect pet" was Lena's verdict of herlittle sister; but Millicent, who was to be her own particular sisterand companion, she was not quite what she expected her to be.
As she sat on the sofa beside Mama, her hand clasped in hers, she heardAunt Mary say--
"They are very like, really; the same eyes and hair, and the likenesswill be more apparent when Milly gets some of Lena's roses andplumpness." What Lena saw was a tall slight girl, as tall as herself,though she had two years and five months the advantage in age, withlarge serious brown eyes, and a pale face.
"No." Lena thought Auntie mistaken in this matter; surely she and Millywere not alike. As she gazed, or, I might say, stared at her sister,their eyes met, and Milly smiled such a sweet loving smile that lightedup her whole face, and that so altered and improved it, that Lena wasnot so much disposed to disagree with her Aunt's opinion as before.
Tea was brought in, and Lena was too busy waiting upon the travellers tothink more about the likeness. Milly was shy and quiet; but that Lenadid not so much object to, as it would enable her to show her all themore kindness and attention, for of course she was at home here, and thetruth must be told, liked doing the honours of the house. Her suddenfit of nervousness soon passed off, and she was giving Mama her tea, andchatting away quite at her ease before very long.
"Milly and I are to stay up and have dinner with you to-night, Mama,"said Lena. "Auntie thought Lucy would go to bed then, for it is nottill seven."
"I hope you have not altered your hours for us, Mary?" said ColonelGraham.
"Now Papa, please," began Lena.
"No, no, my little girl," he said very decidedly, "we cannot allow yourAunt to alter her hours; it is very kind of her to have such a largeparty of us, as it is."
"We will talk about that to-morrow," said Miss Somerville with a smile."Now I think it is time for you all to come and see your rooms; onelittle pair of eyes is looking very sleepy."
Lucy, who was alluded to, was sitting by the table, her little headnodding and her eyes half-closed; but at the mere suggestion of bed sheprotested crossly, "that she did not want to go to bed."
"We are all going upstairs, darling; you don't want to stay down here byyourself, do you?"
No, Lucy didn't want that, so she consented to go up with the others.
"Let me carry you," proposed Lena, lovingly.
Now Lucy was tired and sleepy, and, as very often happens in thesecases, very cross, so instead of responding to Lena's kindly offer, shepushed her away with, "No, don't want you; Milly must."
A shade came over Lena's face, she had meant so kindly. "O Lucy, what across little thing you are," said Milly. "She doesn't mean it, Lena,only she is accustomed to me; and last night I had to do it because Nanawas gone, and Mama had such a bad headache," she went on to say, as shefollowed Lena upstairs with Lucy in her arms.
"I will send Hester to help you, Milly," said her Aunt; "you must betired too."
"And Mama wants Lena to help her this first evening," said Mrs. Graham,drawing the girl to her side lovingly, for she had seen the shadow thathad come to the child's face at Lucy's cross words. "You must not mindLucy being cross, dear, for the child has been excited and wearied withall the changes and strangeness of her life the last few days, and I amsorry to say has been rather spoilt on board ship. It is very difficultto avoid it there."
"And has not Milly?"
"Ah, Milly is such a quiet, staid little mortal, she is not easilyspoiled; she has been the greatest comfort to me during the voyage, andnow I have you too, my little one," was Mrs. Graham's answer, as shetook Lena's face in both hands and kissed it, then, looking at herlovingly, said, "I think I should hardly have known you for the samewhite, delicate little thing that I left with such a sad heart all theseyears ago."
"Dear Mama," was Lena's only answer.
As they entered the bedroom, Mrs. Graham exclaimed, "Ah what sweetviolets, my favourite flower! I think I can guess who placed themhere."
"I did not know they were your favourites, but they are so sweet Ithought you must like them."
"Such a pretty, homelike room," said Mama, looking round. "I often usedto try and picture to myself what my little girl was doing, and what hersurroundings were like."
"Wasn't Aunt Mary living here when you went away?"
"No, dear; she came here in hopes that the sea air would make you strongand rosy again, as it has."
"O Mama, you can see the sea from the windows in Papa's dressing-room;do come and look at it."
Taking her mother's hand, they went into the dressing-room, the windowof which looked over the garden and towards the sea. Here they werejoined by Colonel Graham, and as Lena stood between them, a hand claspedin each of theirs, she thought that there was not a happier little girlin the world than herself, and I think she was right. Silence fell uponthem as they looked; so long it lasted that Lena looked up at hermother, and seeing her eyes full of tears, asked anxiously--
"Mama, what is it; what are you thinking of; aren't you happy?"
"Very happy, darling," said Mama, smiling down on her through her tears."I was thinking how good and grateful we ought to be to Him, who hasguarded us all these long years, and now brought us together again.
"Safely and well," added Papa.
"And, my Lena, we all must try to show our love and thankfulness notonly in words, but in very deed and truth."
At that moment a knock was heard at the door, and Milly looked in. "Asyou were not in your room, Mama, I thought you must be in here," shesaid.
"Looking at your beloved sea," said Papa, holding out his hand to her tocome and join them.
"Is Milly so fond of it?" asked Lena.
"Yes, so fond that we were thinking of making a present of her to thecaptain of our ship," said Papa, laughing.
"I have the sea here, and you as well, and," she added shyly, "Lenatoo."
"True, most sensible of little women; but, Lena, you must not think sheis always so alarmingly sensible, for alas!"--and here Papa shook hishead with affected sadness,--"she does love fun and romping sometimes."
Millicent laughed as Lena exclaimed eagerly--
"Oh, I am so glad, for I do, and I do want her to be my companion; wecan have such fun on the rocks, Milly."
"Yes, dear; I trust you will be firm friends as well as companions.Milly has been longing for sister Lena."
"And I have been longing for her," was Lena's answer.
"You have been very quick putting Lucy to bed: was she good?" asked Mrs.Graham.
"Oh, Hester did that; she was quite good with her, and Aunt Mary said Ihad better not stay, for she wanted her to grow accustomed to Hester."
"And where are you to sleep?"
"In the room with Lucy. I took off my things there, and I thought youmight want me to help you."
"Oh, let me do that to-night," pleaded Lena.
"I shall be glad of help from you both. We have been idling our timeaway here talking instead of getting ready for dinner, and nothing isunpacked."
So saying, Mrs. Graham returned to her room, followed by the two girls,and very soon they were both busily engaged, undoing parcels, andgetting out things that were required for the night. At first theydelayed one another by both working at the same box, and strewing itscontents over the floor. Such dreadful confusion ensued from this, thatMrs. Graham proposed that one should do the unpacking, while the otherput the things away tidily in the drawers.
"Who shall unpack?" asked Lena.
"Well, I think you had better, and Milly can put away, for she knowswhat we shall require at first."
"I shall know soon, too, shan't I?" asked Lena; "but I like unpackingbest, and seeing what you have got."
"You will never get through your work if you stop to examine and admireeverything," said Mrs. Graham, as she watched her taking a good look ateach thing she brought out of the box.
Milly took the opportunity while she was stooping down to take someclothes out of Lena's arms, to whisper, "I like the flowers so much."
"Do you know which are meant for you?" she asked, stopping in her workfor a reply.
"Yes, the primroses, Aunt Mary told me. I think them lovely."
After this they worked away busily until dinner-time. Then, when thebell sounded, Lena rushed off to tell Aunt Mary what she had been doing,and also to inform her that they were all dear darlings; and, "what didAuntie think of Milly?"
Auntie's opinion was very favourable.
Then Lena suggested, "But don't you think she is very quiet?"
"She is very sweet and gentle, and I think very shy; but as you know,Lena, I do not dislike a little bit of shyness in children; it is far,far better than being forward."
"But not too shy?"
"Milly is not that; and I feel sure that you will be great friends aswell as loving little sisters before long."
This conversation took place as they went down to the drawing-room, Lenahanging on to her Aunt's arm, as she eagerly questioned her. Finding noone in the drawing-room, Lena began again--
"Isn't she tall, Auntie, nearly as tall as I am?"--the "she" alluded tobeing, of course, Milly.
"Quite as tall as you are, I think, though that is not such an enormousheight, for"----
"No, I know," burst in Lena; "I wish I was taller, because people willnever believe that I am so much older than she is."
Miss Somerville laughed as she answered, "I do not think that that needcause you unhappiness, dear."
The entrance of Mrs. Graham and Milly put an end to their conversation;then Colonel Graham came in, and they all went into the dining-room.
After dinner the two sisters went off together to Lena's room, to seeall her treasures. There had been a certain constraint and shynessbetween them, as is so often the case with children in the presence oftheir elders. When they were alone, this wore off very quickly, andsoon they were chatting away together, the best of friends; and althoughLena's tongue was going at a gallop, Milly managed to keep up a verygood second.
When Aunt Mary came to tell them it was time to go to bed, she foundthem seated, side by side, on the floor, Milly clasping in her arms"Millicent Lucy," while Lena held forth on the doings and sayings ofAunt Mary and herself; and promising Milly all sorts of delights, inboth their names.
"O Auntie, we are having such a nice talk."
"Which I have come to put an end to."
"Already?"
"Yes, dears; it is prayer-time now."
At this both girls jumped up, and Dolly being put away carefully, thetwo girls followed their Aunt downstairs, hand clasped in hand.
Later, Mama went up with her two girls to see Lucy. Such a prettypicture she made, Lena thought, as she looked down on the chubby littleface, all flushed with sleep, one small arm thrown over her head, andthe fair curls all tossed about in confusion. As Mrs. Graham lookeddown on her little one, her heart swelled with love and gratitude atonce more having all her children with her. Putting an arm round each ofthe others, she said in a low voice, "I trust, darlings, that you boththanked Him to-night for His great mercy to us all?"
"Yes, Mama," Milly whispered, shyly. "And for letting Lena be so niceand kind, and Aunt Mary too."
"And, Mama, I have to thank Him for double as much as Milly has, for Ihave four of you all at once, and you are all just as nice as I hopedand expected."
"I am glad you are not disappointed in any of us, darling," answered hermother with a smile; "but we must not talk any more beside Lucy or weshall awake her."
"I may give her one kiss, please, Mama," said Lena; "she does look sucha sweet!"
"Only one, and try and not to awake her, dear," was the answer. Thenthey left Milly, and Mama took Lena to her room, and said good-night.
Aunt Mary had been in and given her good-night kiss, and Lena was justfalling off to sleep, all sorts of pleasant happy thoughts passingthrough her mind, in the confused sort of way that so often happensafter anything pleasant has occurred--thoughts half real, half dreams,all jumbled up together in hopeless confusion, but very sweetwithal,--when the door of her room opened very gently, but still makingjust noise enough to call forth the sleepy question, "Auntie, is thatyou?"
"No, darling, it's Mama."
"Mama!" she exclaimed, raising her head and rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"I could not go to sleep without one more look at my newly restoredtreasure."
Throwing her arms round her mother's neck, she said fervently, "I am soglad to have you, Mama; and I will be a treasure to you and be so good,indeed I will."
"God grant it, my darling," was Mama's answer to her as she laid thesleepy little head on the pillow again. Then kneeling beside herchild's little bed she thanked Him, in a few heartfelt words, for havingwatched over and guarded her little one, during those six long years ofseparation.