The Third Miss St Quentin Read online

Madelene and Ermine wouldn't let him! I wonderwhy they are not married themselves, for they are very good-looking.But Madelene's manner is so forbidding, and most likely she wouldn'tallow Ermine to marry before her. Ermine is quite under her thumb. Ah,well--it is rather melancholy to feel so lonely in my own home. I wishI could have found poor old Harvey here again."

  For Ella cherished roseate remembrances of her former nurse, whom, inpoint of fact, she could only recollect as a name. Harvey had left MrsRobertson's service, happily for the child she had the care of, very fewmonths after Ella went to live with her aunt.

  Miss St Quentin and Ermine, the former's protestations of fatiguenotwithstanding, had not been able to resist a few minutes' confidentialtalk.

  "You are not to stay, Ermie, you really mustn't," said Madelene. "I amtired--it is not nonsense, and I want to be as bright and fresh aspossible to-morrow morning, for I foresee papa is going to be rather--worried--about Ella. And it is so bad for him."

  "It will be very stupid of him if he really takes it that way," saidErmine. "He will say, of course, that it is for _our_ sakes, whereasthe only part of it we really--or, at least, principally--mind is _his_feeling it painfully. And after all, it's _wrong_, really wrong to makea trouble out of it--of having our own sister to live with us, where sheshould always have been."

  "That's the whole trouble in the matter," said Madelene. "If she hadalways been here it would have been all right and natural."

  "She's very pretty," said Ermine, after a moment or two's silence, "andshe has evidently a good deal of character."

  "Witness her running away from her aunt's," interrupted Madelene.

  "Well, after all, I confess to some sympathy with her there," Erminewent on. "But I am afraid she has a very fiery temper, Maddie."

  "Fiery, perhaps, but I hope not sulky or ungenerous," said Madelene."The difficulty will be to carry out papa's wishes without rousing herill-will. He is so determined that we are not to spoil her, and, insome ways, no doubt, she _is_ spoilt already, and it will make it muchmore difficult to--at all put her back, as it were. I quite agree withpapa about giving her plenty of occupation; she has lots of energy and Ifancy she is clever."

  "She sings so sweetly," said Ermine musingly; "indeed, she is charmingin many ways, or might be, if she would. I could love her very much ifshe would be nice and sensible. But there is truth in papa's view ofit--it is an awkward position. Madelene," she exclaimed suddenly, "anidea has just struck me. Why shouldn't Ella marry Philip?"

  "That child!" Madelene replied. "My dear Ermie--"

  "She won't always be a child--indeed, she is not one now. Lots of girlsmarry at eighteen--we ourselves haven't married young, but that is norule for Ella."

  "No--I didn't mean that," said Madelene. "I don't quite know what Imeant. The person that Philip should marry has always seemed a sort ofmyth, and to turn her into little Ella, somehow--"

  "Struck you all of a heap," said Ermine laughing. "You are not given toinspirations like me, Maddie. I have great faith in my inspirations.Think this one over, now. Why shouldn't it do? It would perfectlydelight papa, it would put her in a position such as neither you nor Iexpect for ourselves--and we would not be jealous, would we? I shouldlove to think mamma's child was safe and happy--and--"

  "But the wealth and the position would not make her either safe orhappy," began Madelene--

  "Of course not," Ermine interrupted with some impatience. "It is Philiphimself I am thinking the most of, you might know. Where could she havea better husband?"

  "Yes," said Madelene, though doubtfully still, "I know Philip is as goodand reliable as he can be. But--he is lazy, Ermie, and _laissez aller_in some ways. I have always hoped he would marry some one who wouldhave great influence on him and bring out the best of him--some woman ofreal character and energy."

  "Philip wouldn't marry that kind of person," said Ermine, smiling. "Ican see her in my mind's eye--a sort of Gertrude Winchester, onlybetter-looking, I hope."

  "I was thinking of no one in particular," said Madelene in a slightlyaggrieved tone.

  "Or if he did," Ermine went on, "it would be the worst possible thingfor him. He would leave everything to her and let her manage hisaffairs, and he would grow lazier than ever."

  "Aunt Anna manages his affairs as it is," said Madelene.

  "But in quite a different way. She keeps him as well as them up to themark, and she is always anxious to put more and more into his hands.And I think a young wife would rouse him and make him feel hisresponsibilities better than anything. And I am sure Ella is clever,and energetic--her energy we have already seen some proof of. Oh, I dowish they would fall in love with each other!"

  "Yes," said Madelene, "it's just as well you have remembered to put thatunimportant detail in at the end. I thought you were leaving _it_ outaltogether."

  "Maddie, you're rather cross, and you're not fair on me. You know I amonly too romantic in my ideas I think it is frightful for people tomarry if they don't care for each other. And Philip I am sure would notdo such a thing, and I don't think little Ella would."

  Madelene sat thinking.

  "It might be very nice," she said at last. "I think perhaps you'reright about Philip's character--only--Ermie, I'm afraid Ella has reallya bad temper," and she looked up anxiously.

  "Not _bad_, quick and hot perhaps, but that's different, and she is inmany ways very young still."

  "Well--" said Madelene, getting up as she spoke "we must go to bed,Ermie. And--I certainly don't want anything of the kind just yet; papawould be horrified. We must do as he wishes, and try to make Ellaplease him. I shall have to see about masters for her. I wonder ifVienot still comes over to Weevilscoombe?--Philip certainly can scarcelyhelp _admiring_ Ella."

  CHAPTER SIX.

  LADY CHEYNES AT LUNCHEON.

  "I don't mind having some singing lessons," said Ella, twisting round onthe piano stool, where she had established herself for the sake ofconveniently examining her sisters' music, "but as for playing--it wouldbe money thrown away, and however rich we are I don't see any sense inthat. I wouldn't practise, for that would be waste of time too."

  "But if papa wishes it--makes a point of it, in fact," said Madelene.

  Ella was silent.

  "If it's a duty--as obedience to papa--well, in that case I suppose Imust give in," she answered. "But I think it's rather hard lines--at myage. Were _you_ forced to go on with lessons when you thought you haddone with them--you and Ermine?" she asked abruptly.

  "There would have been no `forcing' required if we had known it waspapa's wish, even if we had disliked it," said Miss St Quentin. "Butthe circumstances were quite different--"

  "I don't see it," muttered Ella.

  "And the present question is the thing to consider," Madelene went on,taking no notice of Ella's interruption. "All the same, I may tell youthat at your age Ermine did not consider herself by any means grown-upor `out.'"

  Ella pricked up her ears.

  "But you do count me `out,'" she said eagerly. "I should by rights havebeen presented this year. Aunt Phillis said so, it was one of thethings she regretted--this stupid marriage of hers coming in the way, Imean--for she could not bear the idea of my leaving her till--till I hadto."

  "You would not have been presented this year in any case," said Miss StQuentin. "Seventeen is, with very rare exceptions, too young to comeout."

  "That means," said Ella, "that I am still to be considered in theschoolroom, no, in the nursery, figuratively and literally."

  "You will be with us at home--we are not thinking of getting a governessfor you," Madelene answered, smiling a little--she was full ofdetermination not to let herself be put out by Ella--"but as for goingout--to parties I mean--I don't think papa will wish that for you atpresent. He is very anxious for you to have these lessons--French andGerman as well as music. And I think it would be a good thing for youto take some little charge in the house."

  "I should like
to take my share with you and Ermine now that I am herealtogether," said Ella, with dignity. "Do you mean taking week about ofthe housekeeping? Some sisters do that, I know."

  Miss St Quentin had some difficulty in keeping her gravity.

  "No," she said quietly. "I do not mean charge of that kind. You forgetthat to look after a large house like