CHAPTER XIX.
NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND NEW TITLES.
"Are you hungry, Gracie darling?" her father asked with tender solicitude.
"No, papa," she said, "we had our breakfast just a little while beforeAunt Beulah brought us here."
"Well, if ever you suffer from hunger again it shall not be your father'sfault," he returned with emotion.
Taking out his watch, "We have a full half hour yet," he said. "Max, myson, do you know of any place near at hand where oranges, bananas, cakes,and candies are to be had?"
"Oh, yes, papa! just at the next corner."
"Then go and lay in a store for our journey," handing him some money.
"May I go too, papa?" asked Lulu, as Max set off with alacrity.
"No, stay here; I want you by my side," he said, smiling affectionatelyupon her.
"I'm glad you do! O papa, I have wanted you so badly!" she exclaimed,leaning her cheek against his arm and looking up lovingly into his face,"and so have Max and Gracie. Haven't we, Gracie?"
"Yes, indeed!" sighed the little one. "O papa, I wish you didn't ever haveto go away and leave us!"
"I hope to stay with you longer than usual this time, and when I must goaway again to leave you in a very happy home, where no one will wish toill-use you," he said, with a glad look and smile directed toward hisbride.
"No one at Ion or in any house of my dear mother's will ever show themanything but kindness and love if they are good and obedient," said Vi."We all obey grandpa, but we love to do it, because he is so dear andnever at all unreasonable."
"No, I am sure he is not," assented the captain, "and I shall esteem it agreat favor if he will count my darlings among his grandchildren. Howwould my little Gracie like to have a dear kind grandpa and grandma?" heasked, smoothing back the curls from the little pale face.
"Oh, ever so much, papa!" she responded with a bright and joyous smile. "Inever had any, papa, had I?"
"Not since you were old enough to remember."
Max did his errand promptly and well, returning just in time to go withthe others on board the train.
They took a parlor car and travelled with great comfort, a happy familyparty, father and children rejoicing in being together again after a longseparation, Violet sympathizing in their joy and finding herself neitherforgotten nor neglected by any one of the little group of which she formeda part.
Ever and anon her husband's eyes were turned upon her with a look of suchproud delight, such ardent affection as thrilled her heart with love, joy,and gratitude to the Giver of all good.
Max's eyes too were full of enthusiastic admiration whenever his glancemet hers, and with boyish gallantry he watched for opportunities to waitupon her.
Gracie regarded her with loving looks and called her mamma, as if the wordwere very sweet to say.
Lulu alone was shy and reserved, never addressing Violet directly andanswering in monosyllables when spoken to by her, yet showed nothing likeaversion in look or manner.
All went well for some hours, Max and Lulu partaking freely of the fruitand confectionery their father had provided, Gracie much more sparingly,eating less than he would have allowed her, being a sensible little girland fearful of such unwonted indulgence.
But so unaccustomed were her digestive powers to anything but the mostrestricted diet that they gave way under the unusual strain, and shebecame so ill that Violet and the captain were filled with alarm.
Fortunately they were rapidly nearing their destination, and were soonable to lay her upon the pretty, comfortable bed prepared for her and Luluin the new home by the sea, and summon a physician.
The Dinsmores and Travillas had arrived some days before and made allarrangements for a delightful welcome to the bride and groom. Bothcottages were in perfect order, and a bountiful feast, comprising all thedelicacies of the season, was set out in the dining-room of that overwhich Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore presided.
But Gracie's illness interfered somewhat with the carrying out of theirplans, dividing their emotions between pity and concern for the littlesufferer, and joy over the return of the newly married pair.
The feast waited while the ladies, the captain, Mr. Dinsmore, and thephysician were occupied with the sick child.
Max and Lulu, quite forgotten for the moment by their father and Violet,and much troubled about their little sister, would have felt very forlorn,had not Harold, Herbert, and Rosie set themselves, with the truepoliteness to which they had been trained, to making the little strangerscomfortable and at home.
They seated them in the veranda, where they could enjoy the breeze and aview of the sea, and talked to them entertainingly of the variouspleasures--bathing, boating, fishing, etc.--in store for them.
Presently Mr. Dinsmore came out with a prescription which he asked Haroldto take to the nearest drug-store.
"May I go too, sir?" asked Max. "Wouldn't it be well for me to learn theway there, so that I can do the errand next time?"
"That is well thought of, my boy," Mr. Dinsmore said, with a pleased look."But are you not too tired to-night for such a walk? it is fully a quarterof a mile."
"No, sir, thank you; a run will do me good after being so long cramped upin the cars."
"Ah," Mr. Dinsmore said, taking Max's hand and shaking it cordially, "Ithink I shall find you a boy after my own heart--active, independent, andready to make yourself useful. Shall I number you among my grandchildren?"
"I shall be very happy to have you do so, sir," returned Max, coloringwith pleasure.
"Then henceforth you may address me as grandpa, as these other youngfolks do," glancing at Rosie and her brothers. "You also, my dear, if youlike," he added, catching Lulu's dark eyes fixed upon him with a halfeager, half wistful look, and bending down to stroke her hair caressingly.
"Thank you, sir," she said, "I think I shall like to. But oh, tell me,please, is Gracie very sick?"
"I hope not, my dear; the doctor thinks she will be in her usual health ina day or two."
The boys were already speeding away.
The doctor had sent every one out of the sick-room except Mrs. Dinsmoreand Captain Raymond. The child clung to her long-absent father, and hewould not leave her until she slept.
Elsie led the way to Violet's room, and there they held each other in along, tender, silent embrace.
"My darling!" the mother said at length, "how I have missed you! how gladI am to have you in my arms again!"
"Ah, mamma! my own dearest mamma, it seems to me you can hardly be so gladas I am!" cried Vi, lifting her face to gaze with almost rapturousaffection into that of her mother. "I do not know how I could ever bear along separation from you!"
"You are happy?"
"Yes, mamma, very, very happy. I could never live without my husband now.Ah, I did not dream of half the goodness and lovableness I have alreadyfound in him. But ah, I am forgetting his children, Max and Lulu!" sheadded, hastily releasing herself from her mother's arms. "I must see wherethey are and that they are made comfortable."
"Leave that to me, Vi dear," her mother said; "you should be attending toyour toilet. I think the little sick one will fall asleep presently, whenshe can be left in Mammy's care, while we all gather about thesupper-table; and we must have you and Zoe there in bridal attire."
"Zoe! I hardly saw her in my anxiety about Gracie!" exclaimed Violet."Does she seem happy, mamma, and like one of us?"
"Yes, she is quite one of us; we all love her, and I think she is happyamong us, though of course grieving sadly at times for the loss of herfather. The trunks have been brought up, I see. That small one must belongto the two little girls."
"Yes, mamma, and suppose we let it stand here for the present so that Ican readily help Lulu find what she wishes to wear this evening."
"Yes, dear. I will go down and invite her up. Ah, here is mamma!" as Mrs.Dinsmore tapped at the half-open door, then stepped in. She embracedViolet with motherly affection. "A lost treasure recovered!" she saidjoyously. "Vi, dear, you
have no idea how we have missed you."
After a moment's chat, Rose and Elsie went down together to the veranda,where they found Lulu, making acquaintance with the other members of thefamily.
"This is a new granddaughter for us, my dear," Mr. Dinsmore said to hiswife.
"Yes, shall I be your grandma, my child?" asked Rose, giving Lulu anaffectionate kiss.
"And I too?" Elsie asked, caressing her in her turn.
"Two grandmas!" Lulu said, with a slightly bewildered look, "and neitherof you looking old enough. How will anybody know which I mean, if I callyou both so?"
"I think," said Mrs. Dinsmore, smiling, "it will have to be Grandma Roseand Grandma Elsie."
"Yes," said Mrs. Travilla, "that will do nicely. Now, my dear little girl,shall I take you upstairs that you may change your dress before tea?"
Lulu accepted the invitation with alacrity. They found Violet beginningher toilet while her maid unpacked her trunk.
"Lulu, dear," she said, as the child came in, "you want to change yourdress I suppose? Have you the key of your trunk?"
"Yes, ma'am," taking it from her pocket.
"Agnes," said Vi, "leave mine for the present (you have taken out all Iwant for the evening) and unpack that other."
The child drew near her young step-mother with a slightly embarrassed air."I--I don't know what to call you," she said in a half whisper.
Violet paused in what she was doing, and looking lovingly into theblushing face, said, "You may call me cousin or auntie, whichever youplease, dear, till you can give me a little place in your heart; then, asI am not old enough to be your mother, you may call me Mamma Vi. What isit you wish to say to me?"
"Mayn't I go into some other room to wash and dress?"
"Certainly, dear," Violet answered. Turning inquiringly to her mother,"What room can she have, mamma?"
"There is a very pleasant little one across the hall," Elsie said. "IfLulu would like to have it for her own, it might be as well to have hertrunk sent in before unpacking."
"Oh, I should like to have a room all to myself!" exclaimed Lulu. "I hadat Aunt Beulah's. Gracie slept with her, in the room next to mine."
"I supposed you and Gracie would prefer to be together in a room close toyour papa's," Elsie said; "but there are rooms enough for you to have oneentirely to yourself."
"Then she shall," Violet said, smiling indulgently upon the little girl."Would you like my mother or me to help you choose what to wear to-night?I want you to put on your best and look as pretty as ever you can."
Lulu's face flushed with pleasure. "Yes, ma'am," she said, going to hertrunk, which Agnes had now opened; "but I haven't anything half sobeautiful as the dress your sister has on."
"Haven't you? Well, never mind, you shall soon have dresses and otherthings quite as pretty as Rosie's," Violet said, stooping over the trunkto see what was there.
The child's eyes danced with delight. "Oh, shall I? Aunt Beulah neverwould get me the pretty things I wanted, to look like other girls, youknow, or let my dresses be trimmed with ruffles and lace like theirs. Iused to think it would be dreadful to have a step-mother, but now I'm sureit isn't always."
Violet smiled. "I hope we shall love each other very much, and be veryhappy together, Lulu," she said. "Now tell me which dress you want to wearthis evening."
"This white muslin," said the little girl, lifting it and shaking out thefolds. "I believe it's the best I have, but you see it has only tworuffles and not a bit of lace. And this sash she bought for me to wearwith it is narrow and not at all thick and handsome."
"No, it is not fit for Capt. Raymond's daughter to wear!" Vi exclaimed alittle indignantly, taking the ribbon between her thumb and finger. "But Ican provide you with a better, and you may cut this up for your doll."
"Oh, thank you!" cried Lulu, her eyes sparkling. "Step-mothers are niceafter all."
"But Lulu, dear," Elsie said, standing beside the little girl, andcaressing her hair with her soft white hand, "that is not a pretty orpleasant name to my ear; especially when applied to so young and dear alady as this daughter of mine," looking tenderly into Vi's fair face. "Tryto think of her as one who dearly loves and is dearly loved by yourfather, and ready to love his children for his sake."
"Yes, and for their own too," Violet added, "just as I love my darlinglittle sister Rosie. Now, Lulu, I think you have no more than time to makeyour toilet. She will find everything needful in that room, will she,mamma?"
"Yes; water, soap and towels. Can you do everything for yourself, mychild?"
"Yes, ma'am, except fastening my dress and sash."
"Then run in here or call to me when you are ready to have that done,"said Violet.
Lulu was greatly pleased with her room. It had a set of cottage furniture,many pretty ornaments, an inviting-looking bed draped in white, and lacecurtains to the windows; one of which gave her a fine view of the sea.
She made haste to wash and dress, thinking the while that their father'smarriage had brought a most delightful change to herself, brother andsister.
"What soft, sweet voices they all have in talking," she mused. "GrandmaRose, Grandma Elsie, and Mamma Vi. I'll call her that, if she'll let me,it's a pretty name. I like it, and I believe I have given her a littleplace in my heart already."
Just then Agnes knocked at the door to ask if she wanted anything.
"Yes," Lulu said, admitting her, "I'm ready to put on my dress and wouldlike you to button it for me."
"An' put dese on fo' you too, Miss?" and Agnes held up to the child'sastonished and delighted eyes a set of pink coral, necklace, bracelets andpin, and a sash of broad, rich ribbon just matching in color.
"Oh," cried Lulu half breathlessly, "where did they come from?"
"Miss Wilet sent 'em," returned Agnes, beginning her work; "an' she toleme to ax you to come in dar when I'se done fixin' ob you, an' let her seeif eberyting's right. Humph! 'twon't be, kase you oughter hab ribbon foryo' hair to match wid de sash."
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