CHAPTER I.
HOME AT LAST.
It was on a summer's evening early in the month of August that thelittle Mummy was once again seen on the platform at Dawlish.
She looked now very much like she did when we saw her of yore--slightlybroadened, it is true, by the added years, but she still wore somewhatrusty widow's black, and her face still had that half-anxious,half-comical expression, which made people turn to look at her withsomething between a smile and a sigh. She was commonplace and plain, andyet in one sense she was neither commonplace nor plain. She had acharacter, and that character had developed during the last few years,and rather for the better.
There were very few passengers on the platform, and the little womanpaced up and down, thinking to herself.
"She is coming home at last. I don't know whether I am glad or sorry. Iwonder what sort of girl Miss Sharston is. She has been very kind toFlorence; but it was rash of Florence to invite her. Still, I supposewe shall be able to manage all right."
Just then the signal announcing the approaching train was lowered, and amoment or two later the said train drew up at the platform and one ortwo passengers alighted. Amongst these was a tall, well-set-up,dark-eyed girl, and accompanying her was another girl, who was not sotall and was very slender, with an ethereal sort of face, and large,speaking grey eyes.
The tall girl rushed up to where the little Mummy was standing.
"Here I am, Mummy," she said, "and this is Kitty, and we are both tiredand hungry, and glad to see you again. Is there any sort of trap for ourluggage, or can the porter take it and shall we walk to the cottage?"
"The cottage is just as small as ever it was, Florence," replied thelittle Mummy. "Oh, I am so glad to see you, Miss Sharston." Here sheshook hands with Kitty Sharston.
"We like things small," said Kitty; "we want to have a real charmingtime in the country. It is very good of you to consent to take me in,Mrs. Aylmer."
A porter now appeared. Florence bustled off to see to the luggage, andMrs. Aylmer and Kitty slowly left the station. Florence ran after themin a moment or two.
"Well," she said, "here we are! Both of us have done with school forever and a day. We are grown-up girls ready to take our place in theworld, and to give you a right good time, Mummy; isn't that so, Kitty?"
"Yes," said Kitty, in that gentle voice which always had a patheticring in it. Then she added after a moment's pause: "But I don't knowthat I am glad to have left school; I must confess that I enjoyed thelast few years at Cherry Court School immensely."
"Don't talk to me of Cherry Court School," said the widow, with a littleshudder.
She glanced round in an inquiring way at Florence, who coloured faintlyand then said, in a stout voice: "I have repented of that old sin longago, and I do not in the least mind having Cherry Court School alludedto. I have had a right good time, and it was a very lucky thing for me Idid not win that Scholarship, for if I had I should have been eating thebread of dependence now, whereas--" Here she drew herself up, uttered aquick sigh, and looked ahead of her.
Her face was not handsome, but it was bright and taking. She was a headand shoulders taller than the little Mummy, who gazed at her withsomething of her old expression of mingled affection and fear. Florencehad quite double the strength of the little Mummy, and this astutepersonage was aware of the fact.
They reached the tiny house, where Sukey was standing on the steps,looking not a day older than she had done six years ago. She dropped acurtsey when she saw Florence, but Florence ran up and wrung her hand.
"How do you do, Sukey?" she said. "I am very glad to come home, and thisis my great friend Miss Sharston."
Sukey stared up at Kitty; then she glanced at Mrs. Aylmer and slowlyshook her head.
"It's a very, _very_ small house," she said, "and how we are to fit youtwo young ladies in is more than I can tell."
"Never mind, Sukey," said Mrs. Aylmer; "I have it all arranged; don'tyou go and put your finger into the pie and spoil things, you silly,stupid old thing."
Here Mrs. Aylmer shook her hand with a playful gesture at Sukey, andthen the entire party found themselves in the house. Florence had notbeen home for two or three years. Kitty had never seen the cottage atDawlish before. Certainly the one sitting-room was very tiny.
"How it has dwindled!" said Florence, looking round her. "Good gracious!Why, the ceiling nearly reaches my head, and as for the walls"--shestretched out her long arms playfully--"I can almost touch from wall towall; but never mind, it's home; it's your house, Mummy, and you aregood to take us girls in and look after us for a whole delightfulfortnight."
"There is a very nice supper waiting for you," said Mrs. Aylmer, "andquite in the old style--crabs and a water-cress salad. I thought youwould appreciate that; we so often had crabs for supper when--when youwere here last, Flo. You remember them, don't you?"
"Nothing could be more appetising," replied Florence. "Would you like tocome upstairs now, Kitty?"
Mrs. Aylmer had given up her wee bed-room to the two girls. Where shewas to sleep was a mystery known only to herself; but, as she seemedquite cheerful and happy over it, Florence advised Kitty not toinvestigate matters too closely.
"It's the Mummy's way," she said; "she likes managing; she quite adoresthe thought of having us both with her in this little dull house. Canyou put up with it, Kitty?"
"The place is quite lovely," replied Kitty, "and I would put up withanything after the news I told you this morning."
"Oh, that your father is really coming back: that you have not to go toIndia after all: that you are going to live here and take a beautifulhouse and be real mistress of a home," said Florence.
"I don't know anything about the beautiful house, nor being mistress ofa home," replied Kitty; "but I am going to be with father wherever heis, and that," she added, "will be home to me."
"Of course," answered Florence, in a somewhat wistful tone.
"But what are you going to do, Flo?"
"I am going to earn my living," replied Florence stoutly.
"Of course; but how?"
"I shall talk things over with you and the Mummy. I have left school atlast for good. What a blessing it is that I shall not have anything todo with Aunt Susan! I feel so jolly independent; but I should like tomeet her and--"
"Girls, supper is ready," called out Mrs. Aylmer's voice from below, andthe two ran downstairs.
The meal was very merry; the old schoolfellows were glad to be together.Mrs. Aylmer chatted in very much the way she had chatted six years ago.She could not help constantly alluding to Mrs. Aylmer the great.
"I have not seen her," she said; "but she sends me my money regularlyonce a quarter--twelve pounds ten shillings. She never misses a day, Iwill say that for her, and I think I am a very good manager not to beone farthing in debt."
"You are perfectly splendid, mother," replied Florence.
"She has never once asked for you; she said she would not, and she haskept her word," continued Mrs. Aylmer.
"Well, mother, does it matter?" replied the daughter.
"They say, too," continued the little Mummy--and here she heaved a heavysigh--"that she has adopted a young man as her heir. I have never seenhim, but his name is Maurice Trevor. He is no relation of any sort, andgoodness knows why she has adopted him. They say he is a very pushingand a very designing young man, and that he twists poor Susan round hislittle finger. I know she sent him to Cambridge and spent an enormoussum on him there--two or three hundred a year at the very least--and nowhe has returned and lives with her, and is to take the management of herestates. She has been buying a lot of fresh property; but there--I amsick of the subject. You didn't play your cards well, Florence; youought to have been in the position which young Mr. Trevor occupies."
"I am glad I am not," replied Florence; "I'm twice the girl for beingindependent. Mother, Kitty and I want to go out and have a walk by theseashore."
"Do, my dear, do; I have a great deal to contrive and manage, andSusan'
s temper is not what it was. Oh, don't breathe it too loud. Iwouldn't part with her for the world; but really she does rule me.She'll be as cross as two sticks because we sat so long over supper. Dogo; it is a lovely evening."
So the two girls put on their hats and went out. There was a silver moonshining to-night on a silver sea, and the place looked calm andpeaceful, as if no storms had ever ruffled those waters: as if notrouble had ever visited those shores.
Kitty, whose heart was full of song and her face of delight, almostdanced as she walked. Florence's steps were also full of spring, butthey were a little slower than her companion's.
"What are you thinking of, Flo?" said the younger girl.
"All sorts of things," replied Florence; "about that man, MauriceTrevor, for instance. I don't envy him."
"Nor do I. I wonder he submits to it," said Kitty. "But don't let usthink of him. He has nothing whatever to do with us."
"No more he has," answered Florence; "but to eat the bread ofdependence: to eat _her_ bread! Oh, he must be a horror! I only trust Ishall never meet him."
Kitty now linked her arm inside her companion's.
"You must often come and stay with me," she said: "it would bedelightful. I will coax and beg of father to have a house where you cancome; then you will have two homes, you know, Florry: the little Mummy'shome, as you always call your mother, and my home. You will be equallywelcome at both. Oh, dear, you are quite my very greatest friend--thegreatest friend I have in all the world."
"You are wonderfully good to put up with me," said Florence; "but there,I have repented of that old sin, and it is not going to darken mylife."
"There is only one thing I dislike about you, Florence," said Kitty. Shefrowned slightly as she spoke.
"What is that?"
"You always will revert to the old times. Just do promise me that youwon't speak of them again, at least to me."
"I will try not, darling; but you are good to forget."