Silverthorns
Page 29
for you see there was papa when he wasa little boy. I'd like to tell _her_, Claudia, that."
"It was very queer," said Charlotte; "you don't know how pleased I am tohave seen that part of the house, Jerry. I took a good look up thestair to where the tower room must be: there was something melancholyabout the house, wasn't there? How awfully nice it would be with alarge family in it, and lots of running about."
"You wouldn't mind lots of brothers and sisters then," said Jerry.
"No, I'd like it; just fancy what fun we could have. But I must go,Jerry. I will write to Miss Meredon when I come home."
"I think I'd like to write to her myself," said Jerry. "Ask mamma if Imay."
"Very well," said Charlotte, rather surprised; "I dare say mamma will bequite pleased that you want to do it." And so Mrs Waldron was, forJerry's lassitude and want of energy were troubling her.
He quite brightened up over his letter.
"You won't care to see it, will you, mamma?" he asked. "You see she'ssuch a jolly--an understanding sort of girl; she won't bother about howit's spelt, and all that."
"But you will send a proper message of thanks to Lady Mildred," said hismother. "It is very good of her to take so much interest in you, andshe was very kind to you at Silverthorns."
"Not as kind as Miss Meredon was," said Jerry; "but of course I'll sayit properly, mamma."
Mrs Waldron told her husband that evening of the letter, and Jerry'sreplying to it himself.
"I was glad to see him interested about it," she said; "it is so unlikehim to be so listless. How strange it seems that we should be in anyway brought in contact with Silverthorns after all these years!"
"Stranger even than you think it," he replied. "Do you know I heardonly to-day that General Osbert's eldest--or elder, he has only two--sonis dead, in consequence of a fall from his horse? He died on the 13th,just the day Jerry was so frightened at Silverthorns. And it was whenmy old uncle died that I, as a child, was so startled there."
"You won't tell Jerry? It would only deepen the impression."
"Of course not. Besides, there are so many other ways of accounting forwhat he heard--his own feverish state at the time, in the first place."
"Perhaps it is on account of this news that Lady Mildred has gone up totown just now," said Mrs Waldron.
"I hardly think so: there is still the other son, who may be married andhave children, or this one, poor fellow, may have left sons himself forall I know. I have never kept up much knowledge of them. You see itcannot matter to us, as it is so very improbable but that Lady Mildredwould leave all to her own people if the Osberts died out."
Mrs Waldron smiled.
"I can't see it quite that way," she said; "you _are_ half Osbert, andthen you were so associated with the place from being brought up there.I am sure your grand-uncle would rather it had gone to you than to thosefar-off cousins."
"Ah, well, it is much better not to think about it," said Mr Waldronphilosophically.
Jerry's letter took him some time; he was not satisfied with the firstproduction, and being a very particular, not to say "fussy," littleperson, he determined to copy it out again. And he was very easilytired still. So it was not till the next day but one that Claudiareceived the answer to her letter of inquiry.
Her face lighted up with pleasure and amusement as she read it:
"My dear Miss Meredon," it began--
"I have asked Charlotte to let me write myself, to thank you for writing about me. I am better, thank you, but I am still in bed. The doctor says I may get up this afternoon, but I'm not sure that I'm inclined. It is so cold and I am so tired still; I wish it was summer again. I want to tell you that Charlotte is in very good spirits, and she is working hard, _specially_ at German. I should like to see you again. Perhaps some day I could go to call on you when you come back, for I should like to thank Lady Mildred Osbert too for being so kind to me. Papa and mamma wish me to thank her for wanting to know how I was. I wish you a merry Christmas. I remain,--
"Yours truly,--
"G.T. Waldron."
They were at breakfast when the letter came. Lady Mildred glanced atClaudia's smiling face.
"Home news, I suppose, to make you look so sunshiny?" she said, in thehalf-teasing tone that Claudia had learnt not to mind.
"No, Aunt Mildred; it's a letter from little Gervais Waldron," she said,and after a moment's imperceptible hesitation in which she had time tosay to herself,--"there is nothing in it which would tell his secret,"--she handed it to Lady Mildred, who read it.
"Poor little fellow," she said, "it doesn't seem much as if he were in avery promising way; they should send him abroad for the rest of thewinter. He looks to me just the sort of child that might be set up byit. I think it a cruel thing to send away hopeless invalids to thosesouthern places, even if it prolongs their lives a little it too oftendeprives them of their homes and friends at the last. But it is a verydifferent thing for a delicate child with no actual disease. In such acase it may give a start for life."
Claudia listened with some surprise. Her aunt's interest in the subjectof this boy was not exactly the sort of thing that Lady Mildred's usualways would have led her to expect.
"I dare say it would be a very good thing--the best in the world forhim," she said. "But I am _sure_ they could not possibly afford it."
"Why? Are they so poor do you think?" said Lady Mildred quickly.
Claudia could not help laughing a very little. "Auntie," she said,"people needn't be desperately poor not to be able to send a childabroad for the winter. But I think the Waldrons are poorer than manyfamilies who yet would find it very difficult to do that."
"How do you know--how can you judge? You've never been in their house?"said Lady Mildred sharply and almost suspiciously; "and I put you onyour honour not to get intimate with the girl or with any of yourschoolfellows."
"I am not intimate with any of them, and with Charlotte Waldron perhapsless than with any; and _of course_ I have never been at their house norat anybody's house without your knowing. I would never do such a thing,dear aunt; you know I wouldn't," said Claudia gently. "But I can tellquite well that they are poor," she went on, seeing Lady Mildred's faceclear again; "it is a sort of instinct, because you see I know so wellabout it myself. Charlotte has had the same dress ever since I haveknown her, and once or twice, when it had got wet or muddy, she camewith a still plainer and much older one. And--other little things thatI don't suppose most girls would notice--I have seen her look quitetroubled when her clean cuffs got inked, or when a copy-book was lostand she had to get an extra one. She is a very, very neat and carefulgirl. Some of the others call her mean--once they began doing so beforeme as if they thought I would join with them in it, because they fancy Iam rich! I did feel so angry; for I know it all so well, you see, AuntMildred."
"Bless the child--she talks as if she were a char woman withhalf-a-dozen children," said Lady Mildred. "I suppose you think youknow a great deal more of the practical side of life than I do, mydear?"
But though her tone was sharp, Claudia could see that she was not vexed,but on the contrary interested, and even touched.
"I know more in some ways about being poor than you do, I think, AuntMildred," she replied. "Oh, in hundreds of little ways that one wouldbe almost ashamed to put into words, that rich people would really notunderstand! You see with my being the eldest at home, and mamma alwayswanting to save papa all the worries she could, I could not but know agreat deal. But nothing is too hard when we are together. You _can't_know, aunt, how different everything seems now that I can look forwardto staying at home, and helping them so beautifully--all thanks to you.There were times when mamma and I used sometimes to think I should haveto go away as a teacher in some school, or as a sort of nurserygoverness even. And now it is _so_ different."
"I wish it were going to be still more different," said Lady Mildred."I wish I could help you all more effectually; but--"
"Yes, that is a blessing," Lady Mildred agreed: "the Meredons are a verysturdy race, much stronger than the Osberts. And that reminds me, I