colourbrightening up her fair complexion advantageously. She _was_ verypretty, and her beauty was of the kind that bears criticising--lookinginto minutely--for her features were all delicate and regular, herexpression sweet though far from insipid, making a charming whole,though, as a rule, perhaps somewhat wanting in colour.
"Don't let us talk about this tiresome maid question any more just now,"the elder sister continued. "I've lots to tell you and ask you about myclothes, Philippa. You must have seen all sorts of beautiful dresses atDorriford, though I'm afraid there's too little time for me to profit byany hints. And, by-the-by, I've not let you tell anything aboutDorriford yet, rushing at you with my affairs."
"It is so very interesting about your going to Wyverston," saidPhilippa. "It has almost made me forget what I had to tell you.Nothing really exciting, perhaps! But it was all so new to me, and theywere so kind. I did enjoy it thoroughly."
Some details of her visit followed--about the people she had met, anddescriptions of the place itself--the latter made more distinct byquestions from her mother, who had stayed there once in her young dayslong ago.
"And they say--Mrs Lermont and Maida especially--that I must go backthere before long. And oh! mamma," she went on, "about the money!Wasn't it kind of Mrs Lermont?" and she related what had passed betweenherself and her hostess just before she left Dorriford.
"It was very kind, very kind and thoughtful," said Mrs Raynsworth,cordially.
"I've got ever so much money over," Philippa continued. "The whole ofMrs Lermont's present, of course, and some of what you gave me, mamma."
"You may give me back the remains of mine," said her mother, "but youmust certainly keep what your cousin gave you for yourself, however youdo another time. You father must certainly pay it this once."
As she said the words, the door opened and Mr Raynsworth came in. Hewas tall and thin, fair like his elder daughter, and with the slightbend in his shoulders inevitable in one of his scholarly habits. Hesmiled brightly as he caught sight of Philippa, who started up to meethim.
"Well, my dear little secretary," he said, affectionately. "Safe backagain. You're not sorry to be home, I hope."
"No, indeed," said the girl, "though I've been very happy. It was quitetime for me to come home, as Evelyn is going to start off so soon. Youwould have been left with nobody at all!"
"I haven't been much good to him," said Mrs Headfort, deprecatingly.
"Oh, yes, my dear," said her father, with amiable condescension, "you'vebeen very good, very good indeed. You did your best, and who can domore?"
Mrs Headfort smiled. She knew she was much less clever than hersister, but the knowledge never roused in her the faintest sensation ofjealousy.
"And _a propos_ of my secretaries," continued Mr Raynsworth, "it'sgoing to be an _embarras de richesses_. There's a letter from Charlieby the second post"--he held out an envelope as he spoke--"to say thathe may be coming next week instead of a fortnight later." Philippa'sface fell a little. Fond as she was of her elder brother, it wentsomewhat against the grain with her to think of so soon giving up thepost of amanuensis to her father, which she had filled for the last twoyears.
"So," Mr Raynsworth went on, "so far as _I_ was concerned, my dear, youmight have paid a longer visit at Dorriford."
"Or you might come with me to Wyverston! How I wish you were coming!"said Mrs Headfort, quick to perceive the slight disappointment in hersister's face called forth by her father's speech, though it had beenmade in all innocence.
"I wish I could go with you," said Philippa. "I shall have nothing todo when you're away."
"Oh, yes, dear, you will," said her mother; "Charlie will be wanting youall day long, to begin with."
"And I want you dreadfully _now_," said Evelyn. "I am longing to showyou my clothes and what I'm arranging about them--several things Icouldn't fix about till you came back."
"I'm quite ready," said Philippa. "I'm not the least tired," and sherose to accompany her sister up-stairs, but again the door opened, andthis time two pairs of arms were thrown round her with exclamations ofdelight.
"Oh, Hugh--Leonard! one at a time, please," she exclaimed, laughingly.
"We're so glad you're back," said the boys together, "and we've suchheaps of things to tell you--and to show you," added Leonard. "Are youtoo tired to come out to-night? I've got the other guinea-pig I washoping for--one of the feathery kind, you know; he is such a beauty. Docome--"
He got hold of his sister's sleeve and began tugging at her, while Hughon her other side was evidently bursting with some equally importantcommunication he was longing to make to her.
Evelyn interposed, partly through selfish motives, partly, it is to behoped, through pity for her sister.
"You mustn't drag Philippa out to-night, boys," she said. "It would beinhuman! Don't you see she has had her hat on all day; you forget she'sbeen travelling since the morning. I've been selfish enough myself inkeeping you here all this time talking--come up-stairs with me,Philippa," and she passed her hand through her sister's arm.
"I am really not tired," said Philippa. "Perhaps I can come out laterto see the guinea-pig, Leonard;" but she did not resist Mrs Headfort'spersuasive touch. The latter glanced at her once or twice as theyslowly made their way up-stairs. Philippa's face had an absent, graveexpression, which made her sister feel somewhat self-reproachful.
"You _are_ tired, Philippa, whatever you say, and it is greatly myfault. It is horrid to be rushed at the moment one arrives, with a lotof home worries."
"They are not worries in the first place," said Philippa, rousingherself; "I am feeling nothing but the greatest interest in your plans.I am only thinking it all over."
"I hope you include my clothes in the `it,' then! There are somepatterns I must decide about before the post goes out. Will you come tomy room as soon as you've taken off your things?"
"I must just peep in at the children for a moment," said Philippa, "butI'll come down again directly."
The nursery was next door to her own room, a floor higher. For on MrsHeadfort's return from India with her two babies more than a year ago,Philippa had given up to her sister the room which had been her ownsince Evelyn's marriage.
Joyful sounds from above reached Mrs Headfort's ears as she turned into her own quarters--"Auntie Phil!"--"Aty, turn back!"
"How those children do adore her!" thought their mother. "I'm afraidthey won't let her go, and I really must settle about these tiresomeclothes!"
But barely five minutes had passed before Philippa appeared again,divested of her travelling things, bright and interested.
"How did you manage to escape from the nursery?" said Mrs Headfort,admiringly.
Philippa laughed.
"I told them I _must_ come down to you; children have a great respectfor `must' Oh, how pretty!" she went on, as she caught sight of anevening-dress lying on the bed; "you don't mean to say that's your oldheliotrope! How capitally you've managed it!"
"I am so glad you like it," said Evelyn, in a tone of greatgratification. "I took it to Warder's as soon as I heard about thisterrible visit. It is really the only thing that's quite ready. I mustget one completely new evening-dress. Mamma and I thought white orcream would be best."
"Yes," Philippa agreed, "anything in colour gets so quickly, known, andwhite always suits you."
"And, of course," said Mrs Headfort, "I want something I can wear for along time, and one can always alter a white dress. There are so manythings to consider, you see, Philippa. Duke wouldn't want them to thinkme extravagant, and yet, on the other side, I must on no account bedowdy." She gave a deep sigh. "Men have no idea how difficult thingsare for women!"
"It is difficult," Philippa agreed, "but your having no maid still seemsto me the worst of it. Its hateful to depend on a housemaid's goodoffices, and even morning-dresses are so difficult to manage by one'sself nowadays."
"Yes indeed," said Evelyn; "I shall never know if I look nice or not; itisn't
as if they were people I knew well--or knew at all. Oh, dear me,how I wish they had waited to ask me till Duke came home! But now youmust help me to decide on one of these patterns, or I shall miss thepost."
The next half-hour passed quickly in discussions of the details of hersister's trousseau, as Philippa laughingly called it;