CHAPTER XV.
FAREWELL.
The days that followed were merry ones at Fernley House. Mr. Montfortinsisted on treating both the young Cubans as his nephews, and foundthem, as he said, very pleasant lads. Carlos had something of Rita'sfire, but with it a good share of common sense that kept him from folly.Fernando was a mild and gentle youth, with nothing passionate about himsave his moustache, which curled with ferocity. His large, dark eyeswere soft and melting, his smile pleased and apologetic; but Ritapersisted in considering him a fire-eater of the most incendiary type,and enjoyed this view so much that no one had the heart to undeceiveher. Altogether, the two lads made a charming addition to the party, andno one was in a hurry to break it up. Rita was to return to Cuba withher brother, but Carlos showed a most thoughtful unwillingness to hastenhis sister's departure. Peggy's flaxen hair and blue eyes had been arevelation to the young man, accustomed to dark beauties all his life,and he found "Cosine Paygi" a charming companion. They were excellentfriends, and when Rita and Fernando sighed and rolled their eyes (asthey were very fond of doing), Peggy and Carlos laughed.
Margaret was still kept a little quiet by her hands, though the blisterswere rapidly healing. The other four scampered here and there, playinghide and seek in the house, straying through the garden, dancing,singing, from morning to night. Margaret was always at hand to welcomethem when they came in, to listen and laugh, or sympathise, as the casemight demand. She was happy, too, in her own way, but she found herselfwondering, as she had wondered before, whether she were seventeen orthirty-seven, and there was no doubt in her mind that Uncle John wasnearer her in age than any of the others. Her heart was full of quiethappiness, for this dear uncle had asked her if she would stay with him,would make her home here at Fernley with him and Aunt Faith. She feltas if nothing in the world could have given her such happiness, and sheshook her head, smiling, at Rita's violent protestations that she mustcome to Cuba, and at Peggy's equally earnest prayers that she would comeout with her to the Ranch.
"Some day!" was all she could be brought to say, when her cousins hungabout her with affection whose sincerity she could not doubt.
"Some day, dear girls, when Uncle John can come with me. As long as heneeds me here, here I stay!"
And Peggy would pout and shake her shoulders, and Rita would fling awayand call her an iceberg, a snow-queen, with marble for a heart; and twominutes after they would both be waltzing through the hall like wildcreatures, calling on Margaret to observe how beautifully the boys werelearning the new step.
The young men had been taken to visit Mrs. Cheriton, and came away sodeeply smitten that they could talk of nothing else for some time. Ritaand Peggy opened their young eyes very wide when Carlos declared she wasthe most beautiful person he had ever seen, and Fernando responded withfervour:
"She eess a _go_dess! the wairld _con_tains not of soche."
But the goddess could not dance, nor play "I spy!" and the girls soonhad it their own way again.
And so the day came when the dancing and playing must stop. The daycame, and the hour came; and a group, half sad, half joyful, wasgathered on the stone veranda, while White Eagle stood ready at the footof the steps, with William, waiting to drive the four travellers to theferry. Four; for Peggy was to be met in New York by a friend andneighbour of her father's who was to take her home.
Peggy's eyes were red with weeping. Her hat was on wrong side before,and her veil was tied in a hard knot, as it had been on the night of herarrival; but Peggy did not care. She submitted while Margaret set thehat straight; then clung round her neck, and sobbed till Carlos wasquite distracted. "Margaret, I--I want to tell you!" she whisperedthrough her tears. "I am going to be a different girl at home now. I amgoing to--try--to remember the way you do things, and to be a littlelike you. Oh, Margaret, only a little! but I want you to think that I amtrying, and--and--I will remember about my buttons--and--have my bootsblacked. Oh, Margaret, you have been so good to me, and I do love youso, and now I--am--going away to leave you!"
Margaret was in tears, too, by this time, seventeen having got the upperhand of thirty-seven completely.
"My dear!" she said. "My dear, darling little Peggy, I shall missyou,--oh, so much! And dear, you have taught me as much as I have taughtyou, and more. Think of the bog! oh, Peggy, think of the bog! and thegutter-spout! I shall never be such a coward again, and all because ofyou, Peggy. And we will write to each other, dear, every week, won't we?and we will always be sisters, just the same as own sisters. Good-bye,my little girl! good-bye, my dear little girl!"
The sobbing Peggy was lifted into the carriage; and now it was Rita'sturn to cling about Margaret with fondest words and caresses.
"Marguerite, we part!" she said. "_Tres chere_, how can I leave thee?I--I have learned much since I came here. We are different, yes! but Iknow that it is lovely to be good, though I am not good myself. Youwould not have me good, Marguerite? It would destroy my personnel! But Ilove goodness, and thee, the spirit of it. Don't shake your head, for Iwill not submit to it. You are good, I tell you,--good like my mother,my angel. You will think of me, _cherie_?--you will think of yourSpanish Rita, and warm your kind, cool heart with the thought? Yes, Iknow you will. You will be happy here with the uncle. Yes! he's likeyou,--you will suit each other! For me, it would be death in two weeks;yet he is noble, he has the grand air. _Tres chere_, I have left for youthe bracelet with the rubies; it is on your toilet-table. You admiredit,--it was yours from that moment, but I waited, for I knew that oneday we must part. They are drops of blood, Marguerite, from myheart,--Rita's heart,--which beats ever for you. _Adios, mi alma!_"
All this was poured into Margaret's ear with such rapidity and fire thatshe could make no reply; could only embrace her cousin warmly, andpromise constant thought and frequent letters.
And now Carlos was bending to kiss her hand, rather to her confusion. Heregarded her with awe and veneration, and murmured that she was a lilyof goodness. Fernando was saluting her with three bows, each moremagnificent than the other. Mr. Montfort kissed the girls warmly, shookhands cordially with the young men.
Hands were kissed, handkerchiefs waved. Peggy, drowned in tears, lookedback to utter a last farewell.
"Good-bye, Margaret! Good-bye, darling Margaret! Don't forget us!"
They were gone, and Margaret stood on the veranda and wept, her heartlonging for her mates; but presently she dried her eyes, and looked upto greet her uncle with a smile.
"Dear girls!" she said; "it has been so good, so good, to have them andknow them. You have given us all a great happiness, Uncle John. And nowthey are going home to their own people, and that is well, too."
"And you are staying at home," said John Montfort, "with your ownpeople. This is your home, Margaret, as long as it is mine. I cannot beyour father, dear, but you must let me come as near as you can, for wehave only one another,--you and Aunt Faith and I. You will stay, always,will you not, to be our light and comfort? I don't feel as if I couldever let you go again."
"Oh," said Margaret, and her eyes ran over again with happy tears, "Oh,if I can really be a comfort, Uncle, I shall be so glad--so glad! but Iknow so little! I am--"
But Uncle John had only one word to say, and that was the one word of anold song that he loved, and that his mother had sung to him when he wasa little lad in the nursery:
"Weel I ken my ain lassie; Kind love is in her e'e!"
THE END.
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