of hers, and give her some ofher own strength, some of her own life. It was one of Robina's hidden,unspoken griefs that her mother never understood her, and that sheturned away from her child to Aunt Felicia for sympathy. Now Robinathought and wondered.
"Mummy," she said, "I am going to speak in a very low voice, and youneed not get a bit excited. But you see I am very happy."
"Ah, yes;" said Mrs Starling, still speaking almost in a whisper. "Iunderstand, and I am not envious. Happiness is very far from me, but Iam glad my children enjoy it--my children and my husband."
"But we want you to have it too."
"It is the will of Providence that I should lie here very weak andsuffering. I must submit without a murmur," said the invalid.
"Mummy, let me talk to you. I know you sent me away to school--"
"I cannot go into those things now, Robina. I did not manage it; it wasyour aunt."
"If Aunt Felicia were not here, you would depend on me; you know youwould, mummy."
"If your aunt were not here, I should die--if I had not her to comfortme."
"Well, darling; she is here, and she does comfort you, I know; and weare glad--father and I and Violet and Rose."
"Oh, the dear little children, they are quite sweet," said MrsStarling: "they are never strong and individual like you, Robin."
"But I can't help being individual, as you call it, mummy; and I am somuch older than the others."
"Yes; that is it: if you could only alway's stay a baby."
"Well, I cannot;" said Robina, losing some of her patience; "and what ismore, I don't wish to. God meant me to be strong and to have, as youcall it, a personality. Now listen. I have got a pony--oh! I havesuch a pretty story to tell you about it, and how I won it."
"I can't listen to any story to-day."
"Well, anyhow, it is here; and even Aunt Felicia loves Bo-peep and Iwant you to see him."
"Really, this is most extraordinary," said Mrs Starling. "You have gota pony? Such a very great expense! Who bought it for you?"
"Not father, mother. I won him as a prize at school. He has been senthere by a good gentleman who gave the prize, but he costs nobody elseanything at all, and his name is Bo-peep: and what father and I think isthis: that we might presently have a basket chair got and Bo-peep coulddraw you about the grounds. Then you would get better, my own mummy;and--and--I should be so happy!"
Robina waited tremblingly. She wondered how her mother would take herproposal.
"I am much too weak," said the invalid, after a pause, "even to godownstairs, much less to venture outside to be drawn about by your pony.But I always was interested in horses; we had a great many at my oldhome; and if the pony could be brought where I could see him from thiswindow, it would--well--gratify me. Can we manage it?"
"Oh yes, yes; I will go this minute."
"Don't rush wildly across the room and slam the door after you, I beg ofyou."
"Oh, no, no. I won't leave you at all. I mean, I will just godownstairs and give directions, and come back again myself."
"Do, my dear: I am really interested in horses." Robina came back aftera minute or two, and by and by, there was a little commotion on thebadly kept lawn outside the house, for Bo-peep was led forward by Peterthe groom. He wore his side-saddle, and perched on his back were bothlittle girls, who looked perfectly radiant, and who waved their handsfrantically to their mother. Mr Starling stood by, so that the poornervous woman was not afraid of any accident happening; and lo! andbehold! also belonging to the group was Miss Jennings, and she held abunch of carrots in her hand. This tempting _bonne bouche_ was far toomuch for the greedy Bo-peep, who marched boldly up to the lady, rubbinghis nose against her, and requesting, as clearly as pony could speak,more and more of his favourite dainties.
"What a pretty creature!" exclaimed Mrs Starling. "Really, he remindsme of my old favourite horse, Prince. How happy and strong I was--asstrong as you are now, Robina--when I rode Prince."
"Shall we open the window, mummy? You will see him better then."
Robina did so, and Mrs Starling came quite close, and bent a little outof the window, and called Bo-peep once or twice in her faint voice.
"Oh, don't catch cold, dear!" screamed Miss Jennings from below.
"Don't interfere, dear?" responded Mrs Starling from above.
"Isn't he a beauty, mummy? Isn't he a darling?" called Violet.
"He's Wobbin's and mine too!" cried Rose, bending her little bodyforward, and clasping her arms round the pony's neck.
"Robina," said her mother, turning to her, "put on your habit, godownstairs at once, and let me see you mount Bo-peep. I do hope youknow how to spring properly into your saddle: I should like to see howyou manage it."
Robina did manage it, and to her mother's satisfaction. The invalid wasbetter that evening, and the next day requested once again that Bo-peepshould be brought round for inspection.
And now an extraordinary thing happened: for from seeing the horse at adistance, the good lady took an unreasonable desire--at least so itseemed to Miss Jennings--to see him near: and as this could only beaccomplished by coming downstairs: downstairs she came, Bo-peep was thenled up to the dining-room window, and graciously received a carrot fromMrs Starling's own hand. By and by, she too was stroking his face, andlooking into his eyes, and murmuring his name in tones of the deepestaffection. In short, Bo-peep was bidding fair to cure Mrs Starling.
But the fortnight which Robina was to spend at home was drawing to anend, and the day was approaching when she, Bo-peep, and Peter, were toleave Heather House en route for Sunshine Lodge. Mrs Starling wasunreasonable about this. She wanted Bo-peep to remain behind, andRobina was quite willing that it should be so.
"I have got so much," she said; "and mother loves my little horse, and Ican think of him as a delightful creature to return to before I go backto school."
But on this occasion, it was no less a person than Miss Felicia Jenningswho interfered.
"No, Robina," she said: "you _don't_ do anything of the sort. Thatgreat man, Malcolm Durrant, has given his orders, and I for one shouldbe the very last person to have them disregarded. He wishes you to goto him. A command from him is like a command from Royalty, my child,and must not for a moment be disregarded. He wishes that preciouslittle animal, Bo-peep, to accompany you, and the animal is to go. Yourmother did without the pony for years, and can do so still. If indeedwe could afford to have a little carriage made for her, I believe wecould induce her to drive out daily with Bo-peep as her steed. But asyour father can barely afford to pay your school expenses, that is notto be thought of. Now, my dear, you go in the morning: I trust you willbehave well. By the way, you have offered to you, Robina, a marvellouschance in life. You have won the goodwill and esteem of no less aperson than Malcolm Durrant. Oh! if only the chance were mine! Ifsometime you have the opportunity, tell him, my dear, how a dull oldmaid in a country house in England revels in his work, and admires hischaracter. Tell him that, if you like; and endeavour, Robina, to keepdown those faults which will very naturally, if he perceives them, turnhim against you. For you are headstrong, and rough, and self-reliant,and above all things, you need the grace of humility."
"Thank you, Aunt Felicia," said Robina. "I know you are exceedinglykind, and you mean well, but perhaps Mr Durrant understands me a littlebetter than you do."
"Now, there you are!" said her aunt; "as impertinent as ever! Don't--Ibeseech of you--make speeches of that sort to Malcolm Durrant. Now goup to your mother: she wants to see you. She thinks you are improved.I don't; but the opinion of an old maid never signifies."
"Oh, Aunt Felicia!"
Book 2--CHAPTER FIVE.
HARRIET'S JEALOUSY IS REKINDLED.
It is all very well for a little girl to repent as Harriet Lane repentedon that night when she followed Ralph to the gipsies' hiding-place.Such repentances make a deep impression in life. They are never, as arule, forgotten. They influence the character, an
d if they are followedby earnest resolve and patient determination to conquer in the battle,they in the end lead to victory. But let no one suppose who reads thisstory that a girl with such a nature as Harriet possessed could easilyovercome her various faults. It is true she was now really attached toRalph. She had never cared for a little child before; but there wassomething about Ralph that won her heart. At the same time this veryaffection of hers for the little boy added to her feelings of dislikeand envy towards Robina. In her first agony of remorse for what she haddone; in her terror with regard to little Ralph, and her fear that hewas lost to her and to all her friends