XI.
_GOOD-BYE TO BEECHAM._
Was I glad to go home or sorry? How could I tell? When it came to thetrain, it was all such fun that I chattered away to mamma as fast aspossible about the stations we should pass, and the things we shouldsee, till I saw an old gentleman opposite exchanging smiles with mamma.That made me feel shy, and shrink back into the corner silent enough;and with the silence came a sigh, and five minutes later mamma'squestion surprised me, in a fit of melancholy thought, about all that Ihad left behind me. When would Lottie and I meet again? And how shouldwe know which was getting on best with the history? Ah, those nicehistory lessons, with all those exciting stories and our favouriteheroes, who would read them with me now? I am not at all sure that I didnot have to choke down two or three tears before I could answer mamma.Do you think she noticed it?
We were getting near our own station now, and I grew very eager, lookingout for papa's brougham. How cold the air was, going out of the station,and what a cosy remembrance of home feeling there was about the softcorner, where I had often nestled when driving with papa!
I don't remember much about Bobby's welcome; I know both little brothersseemed a little strange to me till about the middle of tea-time. Bobbywas very hot and excited with his half-hour before the nursery fire,making toast for Sissy's first tea at home. I could feel that he waslooking at me very hard, but I don't think we were either of us quitecomfortable till he had thrown his arms round my neck, repeating his oldcry, "Nursey, I'm so glad Sissy's come home!" After that it was allright, and we chattered away nineteen to the dozen. Dear old nurse! shewas as pleased to see me again as possible. Indeed, I am not sure thatshe did not keep me up half an hour later than mamma intended, justtalking to me and "blessing my little heart," in her own loving fashion.When I went through the night nursery at last to my own little room, Imade her let me stop and look at the little ones; and what a hugging andkissing she gave me when I declared that they were ever so much prettierthan the Beecham cousins. Dear little Bobby, with his sweet, rosy,budding mouth, and baby Willie's round cheeks and bright, golden curls,I can remember just how they looked!
In a day or two we settled down together, and I was quite at home. Theonly person who still seemed restless was Jane. For two or three weeksshe was always talking about the Park, and wishing herself back there.Then, all of a sudden, she grew quite bright and happy, and talked awayto nurse in quite a different way.
I didn't know what it all meant; and especially, I couldn't think whyshe was always getting so red when nurse talked about flowers andplants. At last I found out that Jane was going away altogether; and amonth or two after Christmas, nurse dressed Bobby and me one day, andtook us to church, and mamma took care of baby at home. And at church wesaw Jane with her father and mother, and I whispered to Bobby that thestrange man with them was Mr. Owen, grandmamma's head-gardener, and Icouldn't think how he came to be in our church! But when the service wasall over, nurse took us into the vestry, and told us to go and give Janea kiss, because she was Mrs. Owen now, and we must "say somethingpretty."
It doesn't seem to do to tell little folks that sort of thing. Youremember, when Jane herself gave me that charge ever so long ago, itdidn't answer, and now there was Bobby crying and sobbing out that "Mr.Owen shouldn't take Janie away; he was a naughty man; he didn't likehim at all!" But nobody seemed to mind this, indeed they all lookedpleased; and Mr. Owen turned round, and asked me if he should take meback to Beecham too?
Ah, by this time, I was quite sure, and didn't hesitate at all when Isaid, "No, thank you, I'd rather stay at home."
* * * * *
And now, little readers, I meant to have tumbled you off my knee, andsent you up to bed, for I fancy my story has not kept you from gettingsleepy. But there is nursie making signs to me, as much as to say, "Goon talking; amuse the little ones a bit longer, please, for the bathisn't ready and the water isn't hot, and I can't have them yet."
What shall I tell you about? Oh, I know! that second visit of mine toBeecham. It was only a very short one, so five minutes' talk will tellyou all about it.
I was a great tall girl then, and I had just left school, whengrandmamma's letter came, asking Bobby and me to come and spend a fewdays at the Park with Lottie, and Harry, and Alick. I couldn't say, "No,thank you," if I had wished to, for it was likely to be the last timewe five should meet for a long time. Harry, now a young lieutenant withbrass buttons and fair moustache, was bound on a long voyage, whichwould have some fighting at the end; and Lottie was to be married in afortnight, and to go off to Australia; and Alick, too, was just startingon a tour with his tutor, after which he was to go to a great college inGermany. But there was another reason for our visit which I did not knowtill I got there, though, I fancy, mamma did. Grandmamma met us with avery tearful welcome, and it was natural for us all to feel sad as welooked at her, so aged since we saw her last, and in her deep, deepmourning. We couldn't help thinking of the blue sea far away, with thesoft spicy wind blowing from the beautiful coral islands over the quietwaves, which had so cruelly sucked in dear Uncle Hugh's brave ship andall on board. But the pleasure of meeting soon put away all sadthoughts, and I think even grandmamma looked bright and contented as shelistened to our merry talk.
It was in the middle of the long summer days, and we rambled aboutthrough the gardens, and orchards, and shrubberies where we had playedas little children, and laughed over the remembrance of our childishtricks and troubles. Then there was that long talk with grandmamma, andafterwards with Bobby, in her room. When Lottie and I found ourselvesalone together just at bed-time, how much we had to say! It seemed to mea little difficult to talk over all her affairs, though when, after sometime, she called upon me to admire my two tall cousins, I was quiteready to do so. Yet my own rosy, round-faced, romping schoolboy brotherwas much more in my thoughts now.
I don't think I had ever known till now that my mother was grandmamma'seldest child, so it had never struck me that, now that dear uncle wasgone, Bobby, and not Harry, would be master of Beecham Park! How strangeit did seem! I thought of the funny boy's blushing awkwardness whengrandmamma had told him, and then of his confession to me that "it was ahorrid bore, he had so meant to be a discoverer, and get lost in Africalike Dr. Livingstone; and now, he supposed, he couldn't!" And justbefore I went to sleep that night I thought of his last words about it afew hours ago, as he threw his strong arm over my shoulder:--
"I say, Sis, it'll be ever so long first--that's one comfort!--but ifever I do have to come and live here, you'll come too, won't you? Thenyou can see after it all, you know, and then it won't be quite so bad!"
Should I? Would Beecham ever be my real home? And Jane--Jane down at theLodge with her three rosy, tidy little daughters. Wasn't this just whatshe said years ago when she first brought me to Beecham? "What if MasterBobby should grow up some day to find it all his own, and he the lord ofit all!"
So it had come to pass, and Beecham, dear beautiful Beecham, was to bereally _ours_!
That was a dozen years ago, my small friends; how funny it seems now!
THE END.
Simmons & Botten, Printers, 4A, Shoe Lane, E. C.
* * * * *
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