by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER VII.
TEA ON THE LAKE.
It was with some difficulty that Rosamund persuaded Irene to obey herorders; but firmness won the day. That young lady was accustomed toruling with a rod of iron, but she had at last found a girl who was notthe least afraid of her, who really did not mind what she did, and whoinsisted on taking one oar while she took the other. This was a newexperience, and she could do nothing, try as she would, to terrifyRosamund, who laughed when she assured her that she was a changeling,and might perhaps take any form at any time, and might return to herreal home with the fairies at any moment; who laughed still more merrilywhen she vowed she would upset the boat.
"I can swim like a duck," said Rosamund, "and I am a great deal biggerthan you are; and, clever as you think yourself, you would be no matchfor me in the water."
In the end the merry laugh, the good nature, the charm and beauty of theface, touched something which had never yet been awakened in Irene'swild little heart. She turned to her oar, and they rowed quite silently,and soon both girls landed on the shore. There they found Lady Janeawaiting them.
"As you did not get leave, dear, to come here to-day, I think I hadbetter take you back myself to the Merrimans', for I should like to seeMr. Merriman and have a chat with him; so will you come straight with meto the carriage?"
"May I come too?" asked Irene suddenly.
"No, dear, I think not. I could not take you in that red frock. If youwere to put on a white dress, perhaps; but I think not to-day, Irene."
Lady Jane looked anxiously at her little daughter. Irene gave a wildlaugh, which really sounded to poor Rosamund as scarcely human, and thenext moment, with a whoop, she disappeared into the thick shrubbery ofyoung trees near by. Her voice could then be heard calling, "Frosty!Frosty! come at once;" and then a thin and very emaciated woman was seencoming out of a summer-house just beyond.
Meanwhile Lady Jane put her hand on Rosamund's arm.
"You have done wonders," she said. "You amaze me. I scarcely know how tothank you. Come with me at once. I must see more of you; but you willhave to go home now."
Rosamund took the lady's hand, and they walked up to the house, where anopen landau was waiting for them. They drove quickly through the summerair. Rosamund remained silent, afraid to speak, and yet longing to saysomething. It was not until they had gone nearly a mile that Lady Janebroke the silence.
"I have always felt that if her heart could be touched she would be allright," was her first remark. "I think, somehow, you have touched it.She has been a great and dreadful trial to me--her extraordinaryspirits, the way she fears nothing, the impossibility of giving her theslightest discipline, the--the"----
Here the poor lady burst into tears.
"Oh, don't, Lady Jane!" said Rosamund. "I am not a very good girlmyself, and perhaps that is why I partly understand her. At the presentmoment I hate my position. I like Mr. and Mrs. Merriman very well, andsome of the girls; but I can't stand that priggish Lucy. Perhaps thatis why I comprehend Irene--anyhow, if I may sometimes come to see her."
"Sometimes, dear! Sometimes! But I am going to see Mr. Merriman on thatvery point this evening. I want you to be constantly with her."
"How can I be if I have to do all my lessons?"
"I will write to your mother. Something will have to be done. I can'tlose this one chance. It was Heaven directed me; and, oh, your face inchurch--so like your mother's, and withal so spirited and so sweet! Andthen I felt that if only my little darling were in any way like you! Ihave had sorrow in my life; but no sorrow has been so great and terribleas that which I have endured with regard to that poor child."
"She has a lovely face," said Rosamund; "but the fact is, she isuntamed. She wants some one to tame her; and no one can break her in.She must be led, not driven."
"I know it; but then I cannot lead her, and she has got the whole houseso thoroughly in her power that she gloats over the position. But I mustnot say any more."
"I am afraid Mr. and Mrs. Merriman will be very angry with me," saidRosamund; "but, to tell the truth," she added, "I should not mind a bitif I had not met Irene. But somehow, now, I would rather be good thannaughty, because I want really to help her."
They had now turned in at the avenue and were driving up to the house.They could see several girls coming to meet them. Jane Denton was thefirst to notice Rosamund. She went up to her at once.
"Oh, Rose," she said, "they are making such a fuss!" and then shecolored and glanced at Lady Jane.
"Don't say a word against Rosamund. Whether she has been disobedient ornot, she has done a splendid afternoon's work," said Lady Jane. Then sheadded, "Introduce me to your young friend, my dear."
Rosamund did so. Jane was much pleased. She had heard a good deal aboutLady Jane in the course of the afternoon, and when Lucy and Mrs.Merriman and one or two other girls were inveighing against Rosamund'sextreme naughtiness in going to see the great lady without permission,Jane was envying her in her heart.
Now Rosamund jumped lightly from the carriage, put her hand insideJane's arm, and conducted Lady Jane into the house. She walked straighttoward the study, that sacred room which was seldom invaded, and openingthe door, announced Lady Jane Ashleigh, then at once closed it behindthe good lady, and went with her friend Jane Denton into the grounds.
"You have got into a scrape," said Jane. "I never knew anything like it.What a pity you went!"
"Oh! don't bother me, Jane. I really don't care a bit if they do punishme. What punishment can they inflict?"
"Lucy said that you ought to be expelled," said Jane. "You never knewanything like her rage. But I rather think she did harm than otherwise,for the Professor said to her, 'Oh, gently, Lucy--gently. It is herfirst offense.' So I don't expect they will do that."
"It would be rather delightful if they did," said Rosamund, "for then Icould go to Lady Jane and have a right good time. There, come along. Ihave a lot to tell you, but nothing at all to tell the others. Here theyare coming to meet us, with that precious Lucy at their head. Wouldn't Ilike to take her out on the lake?" thought Rosamund, but she did notutter her thought aloud.
The fact was, seeing these good, well-behaved girls brought back a greatdeal of her naughty spirit, whereas terribly naughty Irene made her feelmore or less good.
"What a strange creature I am!" she thought, with a sigh. "And how can Ihope to influence any one?"
Meanwhile Lucy came straight up until she stood a few feet away fromRosamund.
"I wonder," she said, speaking in even a more formal way than usual,"how you can look me in the face, Rosamund. Have you ever been at schoolbefore?"
"I don't call this school," said Rosamund; "it is a private house. It istrue we are subject to rules." Then she added, making a great effort tocontrol herself and to speak quietly, "I will tell your father andmother what I feel with regard to this day's expedition; but I will nottell you, for you are only a school-girl like myself, and I expect, whenall is said and done, not a bit better."
"Not a bit better?" repeated Lucy, her voice almost choking. "Why, Inever disobeyed my parents in the whole course of my life."
"I am not aware that I have disobeyed mine," said Rosamund. "But," shecontinued, turning to the other girls, "I will talk of this to my masterand mistress, Professor and Mrs. Merriman, and not to you, Lucy."
Then she linked her hand through Jane Denton's arm, called to LauraEverett to follow her, while Annie Millar, Laura's special friend,immediately turned to join the little group, and the four children soonfound themselves in the shade of one of the thickest plantations inSunnyside.
"Oh dear! oh dear!" said Laura, speaking excitedly, "there has been afuss made. I always did admire you, Rosamund; but I must own I wasdisappointed at your creeping away in the manner you did, withouttelling anybody. And as to dear Professor Merriman, his face was quitefull of pain. I could scarcely bear to look at him."
"I am sorry I went," said Rosamund. "At least, in one sense I am sorry,but it was a mistake t
o prevent me. The fact is," she continued, "I amnot made like ordinary girls; I know I am not, and I could not stand thenarrow point of view which it seemed to me the Professor had assumed."
"But at school, remember, if there were no discipline there would be nochance of education," was Laura's next remark.
"I am sure Laura is right," said Annie Millar.
"Well, I hold with Rosamund to a certain extent," exclaimed Jane Denton.
Rosamund turned round to her own friend and smiled.
"Now, I will tell you something," she said. "I hold a distinct briefagainst myself. I did wrong, and yet in some ways I suppose I did rightto go. Girls, have you ever heard any particulars with regard to LadyJane Ashleigh?"
Laura's face turned very red.
"Of course, every one in the place respects her," she said.
"Yes, I know, and I am not a bit surprised. I told her quite franklythat I had come without leave, and she said she was sorry for that; andalthough she did wish to see me so much, she would insist on notallowing me to stay to supper, and brought me home, as you see,comparatively early. So you will understand that she at least is not toblame. Nevertheless, have you heard anything more of that household?"
"Only that there is a girl--a very queer girl--there," said Annie Millarin an almost spiteful voice.
"Some people say she is mad," said Laura Everett.
"Well, now, I am going to tell you something," said Rosamund. "I haveseen the girl. Her name is Irene. She has quite one of the mostbeautiful little faces I have ever looked at. And she is the wildest,queerest creature; but not a scrap mad in the ordinary sense of theword. She and I spent a good deal of the afternoon together, and I meanto see more of her, and to make her my friend."
"But you will have so many friends!" interrupted Jane.
"Yes, every one wants to be your friend, Rosamund," said Laura in agentle tone.
"And I am quite glad to be everybody's friend, if only Lucy Merriman maybe left out of the category," was Rosamund's answer. "But, all the same,I mean to make Irene Ashleigh my special friend above all others, andyou must none of you be jealous, because--because--well, I can'texplain."
"There are the Singletons," said Laura quickly. "Mr. Singleton came overthis afternoon with two of the girls, the two eldest ones; their namesare Maud and Alice, and they told us a lot about Irene. They seem tohave a perfect horror of her. They are awfully nice girls, and we are togo there on Wednesday afternoon, and I for one am looking forward to it.But, Rosamond, it is extraordinary that you should take up with her.They told us an awful story about how Irene treated their deargoverness, Miss Carter. They wouldn't tell us quite all, but they saidthat, for their parts, nothing would induce them to go to The Follies,although they had been asked ever so often. And as to poor Miss Carter,her nerves have not yet got over the awful shocks that Irene subjectedher to. Once she was almost drowned."
"Oh! I know all about that," said Rosamund, with a laugh. "Well, don'tkeep me now. I see Lady Jane driving away, and I am going straight tohave an interview with the Professor."
The girls watched her, in a little group, as she marched out of thewood, across the front lawn, and passed into the house by a side-doorwhich led straight to the Professor's study.
He was alone, expecting no one. He was somewhat tired, and life seemedto him a little more bewildering than usual. He had never greatlyapproved of his wife's scheme of having girls to live with them, but hadyielded to it at last under the pressure of necessity. He had noobjection to the scheme on any score except that he was afraid it mightabsorb all his time and thoughts; for he was so constituted that hecould never see a human creature, particularly a human creature introuble, without taking that person's part and endeavoring if possibleto set wrong right. And now, just what he feared had happened. He wasweak and ill, and his nerves shaken, and Lady Jane had been to him, andRosamund Cunliffe, the girl whom he most admired of all those who hadcome to live at Sunnyside, had directly disobeyed him, and Lady Jane hadmade a somewhat painful appeal to his sympathy. What was to be done?
Mrs. Merriman had hurried into the room the moment Lady Jane had left.
"Well," she said--"well, and what did Lady Jane say? And what are wegoing to do with that naughty girl? We ought to be firm with her. Wereally ought, Ralph."
The Professor looked gently at her, but did not speak.
"For Lucy's sake we ought to be firm," continued Mrs. Merriman. "Ofcourse, I don't want to be hard on any girl; but a direct act ofdisobedience----"
"It is her first offence; and, after all, the girl is impulsive and hasnever been subject to control, and there are extenuating circumstances,"said the Professor. "My dear," he continued, laying his hand on hiswife's very plump shoulder, "you must speak to Lucy from yourself, notfrom me, dear; for I am too tired. But you must speak to her fromyourself, and tell her that she is not to dictate any terms to us withregard to the pupils who come to be educated at Sunnyside. She herselfis but one of the pupils. And now, dear, leave me, please."
Mrs. Merriman did so, and a moment later Rosamund entered the room. Sheadvanced proudly, her head well thrown back, a spot of additional coloron each cheek, her brown eyes brighter than usual.
"Professor," she said before he could speak a word, for he was amazed ather entering into his presence, "I know I have been a very naughty girl.I did disobey you. I did go all by myself to The Follies. I was annoyedat your strict views, and I had not been accustomed to self-control. Ibeg of you to forgive me, and to forgive me although I am notparticularly repentant."
"What do you mean by that, Rosamund?" asked the Professor, his eyesdarkening and a look of pain crossing his face.
"Because I think I have helped Lady Jane, and I want, please, Professor,your forgiveness and then your help."
As she spoke she suddenly dropped on her knees by his side and laid onehand on his knee.
"I want your help," she said, looking up into his face, "for dear LadyJane was mother's friend, and she has got such a strange, wild,beautiful little daughter, whom nobody understands, and who is, Iconfess, exceedingly naughty. But I--yes, I, Professor--want to tameher."
"I have heard of her," said Professor Merriman. "There is no one livingin the place who has not heard of Irene Ashleigh. The fact is, her nameis a terror to the neighborhood. I have heard dreadful stories of thatchild, and the thought of her has weighed on my mind."
"As it is weighing on mine now," said Rosamund in a low voice, her eyessuddenly filling with tears.
"My dear, you have been sent to me to be trained as I would train my ownchild--to be trained in this little simple school, to be educated inmind and body, not to be thrown into contact with a girl who is in noway fit to know you. At present, Rosamund, you are under masters andgovernors, and have, according to scriptural precepts, to obey them.By-and-by your time of emancipation will come, and you will oweallegiance only to God and those whom you love, my dear; but until thattime comes it seems to me scarcely fit or advisable that you should haveanything to do with Irene. I told Lady Jane so this evening."
"You told Lady Jane that?" said Rosamund, rising to her feet, her facevery pale, her eyes dark as night.
"Yes, I did, for I considered it my duty."
"Then you would like me to leave you, Professor? You would like me towrite to my mother and explain all the circumstances to her, and beg andimplore of her to take me away?"
"You must please yourself, Rosamund," said the Professor; and now herose and in his turn laid his hand on her shoulder. "You have a generousheart, I can see. But you have never been subjected to the rigorous lawsof self-control. You showed a sad want of self-control when youdisobeyed me to-day, and again I perceive it breaking out. If you cannotobey me, Rosamund, you must go. Yes, I shall be sorry to have to say it,but you must go."
"And does that mean," said Rosamund, "that I am not to see Irene, that Iam not to try to help her, that I am not to be a friend to Lady Jane,that my mother's wishes in this matter are to be disregarded?"
Rosamund bowed her head. The tears she could not repress brimmed to hereyes. Suddenly she flung off the Professor's detaining hand.
"Oh, you are hard!" she said. "Is no one to help a girl who will soonbecome irreclaimable? Why, already I have an influence over her."
But the Professor did not answer.
"Give yourself a week," he said after a long pause; "then come to meagain with your resolution."
She was about to leave the room when he again laid his hand on her arm.
"Give me your word of honor, Rosamund Cunliffe, that you do not go againto The Follies until the week is up."
She looked at him, struggled to speak, but remained silent.
"Your word of honor," he repeated, "you do not go to The Follies untilthe week is up."
"My word of honor!" she said then in a faltering tone. "I will not go onone condition, that you allow me to write to Lady Jane."
"You may do that if you promise to tell her the exact truth, that youare on parole for a week. At the end of that time you may come to adecision. God grant it may be a right one! I trust you, but leave menow, please, dear."
Rosamund left the room.
