The Third Miss St Quentin Page 15

this, even with very goodservants, takes a great deal of experience. I have had it to do more orless ever since I was younger than you, but it was not easy, I canassure you."

  "Then why shouldn't I begin now? If you and Ermine were married I mighthave to keep house for papa here. Why shouldn't I begin to learn?"asked Ella.

  "It isn't likely you would ever have to do that," began Madelene. Thenshe hesitated. "I shall be glad to teach you what I can--but I thinkyou should have some definite work in the house too. I was thinking youmight take charge of the books in the library, dusting them and seeingthat they are kept in order, for papa doesn't like the servants to touchthem. And I think he wants an addition to the catalogue made. Andthen, it would be a great help to Ermine if you looked after the flowersin the drawing-room every morning."

  "Can't the gardeners do that?" said Ella.

  "We have always superintended it ourselves," said Madelene simply.

  Her reply rather disconcerted Ella. She wanted to be able to say toherself that the disagreeable work was to be put upon her; the thingsher sisters did not like doing themselves--but in the face of Madelene'sremark she could scarcely hint at anything of this kind. So, she saidnothing, but sat vaguely turning over the leaves of the music-bookbefore her. Suddenly the door opened--

  "Lady Cheynes," said the servant.

  Madelene hastened to meet the new-comer, her face lighting up withpleasure.

  "Oh, Aunt Anna," she exclaimed, "how nice of you! You have come to stayall day, I hope, at least to luncheon?"

  "To luncheon, well perhaps, but I must leave immediately after," saidthe old lady, kissing her niece as she spoke. "And now--where is thechild?" and she glanced round.

  "Ella," said Madelene, "she was here an instant ago--can she have runoff?"

  "Shy?" asked Lady Cheynes. Madelene smiled.

  "I don't think so," she said. "Ah, there you are," she went on, as Ellaappeared from the other side of a screen, where she had momentarilyhidden herself. "Ella, Lady Cheynes remembers you, though I don't thinkyou remember her."

  Ella raised her lovely eyes to the old lady's face with a softerexpression than Madelene had yet seen in them.

  "I am not quite sure of that," she said very gently, "things arebeginning to come back to me a little. I almost think I _do_ remembermy--Lady Cheynes a very little."

  The old lady laid her two hands on Ella's shoulders and drew her forwarda little.

  "Is she like her dear mother at all?" speaking half to herself and halfto her niece.

  "I scarcely think so," said Miss St Quentin softly.

  "Her voice is like Ellen's," Lady Cheynes went on, "and--yes, her eyesare like hers too. You must see it," she added to Madelene.

  "I do," Madelene replied, honestly, though truth to tell she had notbefore perceived it; "I quite see it now," for the gentleness was stillin Ella's eyes.

  "God bless you, my child," Lady Cheynes murmured, and she kissed Ella onthe forehead; "I could not wish anything better for you than that youshould be like your mother in every way, except that I hope you arestronger. And she looks so, does she not, Maddie?"

  "I don't think she could possibly look better," said Madelene. Ellaglanced at her with a less amiable expression than that with which shehad been favouring Lady Cheynes, but the visitor was loosening hermantle at that moment, and did not see it.

  "Of course they will make out that I am as strong as a horse," the girlwas saying to herself.

  "Where have you located her?" the old lady went on to ask. "The roomsyou were intending for her can't be ready."

  "No," said Madelene, "that is the worst of Ella's unexpected arrival,and we couldn't--papa did not wish her to be in the north side--so--"

  "I am in the nursery," said Ella, meekly. "I am quite comfortablethere."

  "In the nursery," repeated Lady Cheynes with a comical expression, "butI don't expect you will stay there long, do you?"

  Ella looked down.

  "I don't know," she said. "It is quite a nice little room. Would LadyCheynes like to see it, perhaps?" she asked demurely.

  Miss St Quentin felt at that moment more inclined to shake Ella than atany time since her arrival.

  "Why should my aunt wish to see it?" she said sharply. "You forgetElla, that she knew this house long before any of us were heard of. Itwas her own old home."

  Ella's eyes opened in genuine astonishment.

  "I didn't know--I can't understand," she said. "Was your unmarried nameSt Quentin, then, god--Lady Cheynes I mean?"

  "No, for in that case I should be _your_ aunt, my dear, which I am not.All the same this was my home, for Coombesthorpe at that time belongedto my father. But why do you call me Lady Cheynes? Why not godmother,as in your letters?"

  Ella's eyes sparkled. "That's one for Madelene," she would have saidhad she been acquainted with schoolboy language. "I wasn't sure," shebegan.

  "Don't be afraid of putting the blame on me," interrupted Madelene. "Itwas I, Aunt Anna, that told Ella it was better to call you by your nameunless you wished her to do otherwise."

  Lady Cheynes smiled.

  "Call me godmother then," she said, "though I warn you, Ella, I mean totake all a godmother's privileges. I shall--well--pet you if you are agood girl, but--I can scold too," and she knitted her brows, withoutmuch effect however, as her bright eyes had plenty of fun in them.

  "I'm not afraid, godmother--not a bit," said Ella laughing.

  "Why can she not be like that to _us_?" thought Madelene regretfully.

  "How did you know of Ella's arrival?" she asked her aunt suddenly.

  "Through Philip, of course. And oh, by the by, I was to ask you if youwill be at home this afternoon, if so, he will come over, but he israther busy, and prefers not to chance it."

  "I don't think we can possibly be at home," said Madelene. "I have togo to Weevilscoombe, and Ermine is going to drive over to Waire, to getthe addresses of some masters for Ella. Papa is anxious that she shouldbegin some regular occupation at once. But I do want to see Philip.May I drive back with you, Aunt Anna? and then I could easily walk toWeevilscoombe, and papa can meet me there--he has to go there too."

  "By all means," Lady Cheynes replied.

  Then there fell a little silence, which was broken by Madelene.

  "Ella," she said, "I think you should not put off writing to your aunt,as papa said. You will be out all the afternoon."

  Ella rose at once.

  "Shall I--may I write in the library?" she said meekly.

  "Of course," Miss St Quentin replied.

  Lady Cheynes kept silence till Ella had closed the door behind her--thenshe turned quickly to her niece.

  "Now tell me all about it, Maddie," she said. "Of course Philip didn'tknow more than the mere fact. But I can see you are put out--I wasanxious to hear all; that was why I hurried over. There can't be muchamiss however--the sight of the child has reassured me. She has quitewon my heart already, and she seems most anxious to please you--ready totake your least hint."

  Madelene hesitated before replying. She was unselfishly anxious forElla to propitiate her godmother and really glad that the firstimpression had been so favourable. Yet--all things considered--it was alittle hard upon her! It took some self-control to listen to Ella'spraises with perfect good temper.

  "I am sorry if I have seemed `put out,' Aunt Anna," she replied at last."I am very glad indeed you are pleased with Ella, and I hope you willmake papa a little happier about her. He is _rather_ hard upon herperhaps--about her coming off as she did," and Miss St Quentin went onto tell the story of Ella's taking the law into her own hands, as shehad done.

  Lady Cheynes listened attentively, smiling a little now and then.

  "Ah," she said, "I understand. Yes, just the sort of thing to annoyMarcus. For my part, I don't like the child the less for it. And sheknows nothing of the real position of things. Philip and I were talkingit all over last night, and he told me what he had said to you, and Iagreed w
ith it. Yes--the first thing to do is thoroughly to gain herconfidence and affection--but that surely will not be difficult."

  "It seems as if it should not be so, certainly," said Madelene. "Butyou see, aunt, papa has taken up some ideas about Ella, very strongly.And we cannot oppose him, and yet I am so afraid of her thinking that itis we, not papa. Just as you came in I was trying to get her to agreeto, or rather to like the idea of, these