CHAPTER XIII
UNCLE PETER.
On her way to school Nan made up her mind to a certain course ofaction. When she had done so she was full of a sense of relief. Sheresolved to tell Augusta what she had determined to do as soon aspossible. And as the two girls generally had the schoolroom tothemselves after early dinner, her opportunity was not far to seek.
On this special day the whole house was more or less in a state ofexcitement; the spare room--the best spare room of all, the room whichwas called the Blue Room--was being got ready. The housemaids werebusy turning out all the furniture, sweeping and dusting, polishingand cleaning.
"We never give that room except to some one who is very, very sweet,"said Nora; "but nothing is good enough for Uncle Peter."
Mrs. Richmond's face fairly shone with pleasure, and her littledaughters laughed often for no special reason, the invariable remarkbeing, "It is only because of Uncle Peter." But they had gone back toschool, and the midday meal was over, and Nan and Augusta were alonein the schoolroom. Augusta was seated in a rocking-chair in thewindow, Jack curled up in her lap. Jack had long ceased to take anynotice of Nan, and Nan had sorrowfully resigned him to his realmistress.
"He is my dog no more," the little girl thought; but the weight on herheart prevented her feeling the loss of Jack as she otherwise wouldhave done.
Nan sat at the table, her lesson-books piled up in front of her;Augusta was buried in a new story-book, and forgot every one butherself. Presently Nan spoke.
"Augusta," she said, "I have been thinking."
"Well?" said Augusta. She put down her book and glanced at Nan.
Nan had a frown between her brows, but notwithstanding this fact herhandsome little face looked very striking.
"She will be far more beautiful than any of us when she is grown-up,"thought Augusta. "Why should she have such a remarkable face? I hateher for it."
"Unless you have something very important to say, please reserve yourconversation until I get to a less fascinating part of my book," saidAugusta. "The hero is on the eve of proposing to the heroine, and Icannot make out whether she will accept him or not."
"That is only a book, and I am real," was Nan's answer. "I want to saysomething to you."
"Yes?"
"I have been making up my mind. You know what happened on the day youcame."
"Oh, that old story over again!" said Augusta. "Well, of course Iknow."
"I cannot forget it."
"So I see. You certainly have a terribly tender conscience, seeing theway you abuse it."
"Oh, you do not know how unhappy I feel! You were surprised when, anight or two ago, I wanted to see Mr. Pryor. I will tell you what Idid; I do not mind confessing to you. No one would take me, and I ranthere all the way by myself."
"You did, Nan! You are a daring little piece. Upon my word, there issomething I rather admire about you. I could not be so out and outwicked--not for anybody."
"All the same, I think you are wickeder than me, Augusta," said Nan.
"You do, do you? Well, now, do you think that is a very polite thingto say, particularly when you have put yourself in my power as you aredoing?"
"I am so much in your power," replied poor Nan, "that a little more ora little less does not matter. I did go and see Mr. Pryor."
"And whoever is this wonderful Mr. Pryor?"
"He is an old gentleman--awfully good."
"Awfully dull, you mean."
"No; that he is not. He is not a bit dull; he has always been greatfun. He lived in the house with me and mother, and when mother died hewas so kind! And when mother was ill he often talked to her, and hetold me---- Oh Augusta! please--please listen. He told me that motherwanted me to be the best girl."
"Poor thing! it is well that she is out of the world," said Augusta.
"I know it is, Augusta--I know it is--for I am not a bit good; but Mr.Pryor wants me to be good, and I went to see him, but---- Oh, well!never mind; he is gone."
"What! has he died too?"
"No, he is not dead, but it is as bad as if he were to me. He has goneto Spain to see his son, who is very ill. I went to visit him all fornothing."
"You disobeyed Aunt Jessie for nothing. Certainly you are a nice girl!Don't you think you owe something to her?"
"I owe a lot to her. Now, Augusta, I am coming to what I want to sayto you. I want to forget what happened that time, and I want to livequite straight from this out. I am going to put all the past away fromme, and I want to live straight."
"What do you mean by straight?"
"Oh! how am I to explain? I want to get in the middle of the road, youknow--always in the middle, never going the least bit to the left orthe right."
"That sounds very pretty, but the meaning of it is beyond me," saidAugusta.
"You would understand if you tried to; you are not at all stupid, youknow."
"Thanks, dear, for the compliment."
"And I wanted to tell you I am going to keep straight; and as you areto be here for a year"----
"Ah! I thought the shoe pinched in that direction," said Augusta, witha laugh.
"It does, Gussie--it does. I am ever so sorry! I could have loved you,of course; but I have always been just afraid of you."
"And you will go on being afraid of me, honey, won't you?"
"That is what I do not want to be. I want you never, never again totempt me to be naughty. Do not tempt me any more, Augusta; that iswhat I want to ask."
"You are a nice girl! I tempt you! What next?"
"Oh! you know you did. You know but for you I would have told allabout Pip. You know but for you---- Oh Augusta! how can you pretend?You know; you must know."
"I know you are a very stupid, silly little girl, and that you growmore troublesome and more silly every day. Why, what is the matternow?"
"I cannot bear it," said Nan.
She gave a cry and burst into floods of tears.
Now, this was by no means what Augusta wished. Nan in tears--inviolent tears--was intolerable. She put down her book. She advancedtowards Nan; then she stood still.
She stood absolutely still, staring straight before her; for the doorwas open, and a tall young man, with slim and graceful figure, brightblue eyes, curly hair, and the pleasantest face in the world, wasstanding on the threshold.
"I am Uncle Peter," he said in the gayest of voices. "Is anybody athome?"
Poor Nan dashed away her tears. The stranger--this delightful uncle ofthe little girls--even he was to see her in disgrace and in tears.Augusta spoke at once.
"I am Augusta Duncan," she said. "I am no relation of yours, but I dohope you will take me for a niece too. Aunt Jessie will be so sorry tomiss you! But she will be back again in an hour or two."
"And this little girl?" said Uncle Peter. He glanced with the kindestof expressions in his eyes at Nan. "She is a little bit troubled aboutsomething."
"Nan darling, do cheer up now," said Augusta; "do, darling--do."
Augusta went up to Nan and kissed her.
"What a kind--hearted girl!" thought Captain Richmond. "And what across face the little one has! But she seems to be in trouble all thesame."
"Come!" he said in a pleasant voice; "no one cries when I am by. Ihate tears so much that they never flow when I am in theneighbourhood. You must cheer up now that I have come to the house.And is no one else at home? Is there no one to welcome me but apretence niece, and the other"----
"Oh! no niece at all--no niece at all," said poor Nan; "but I wish Iwas."
"Then you shall be; you shall be little niece---- What is your name?"
"Nancy."
"Little new niece Nancy. Come over here."
So Nan went to the Captain, and he put his arm round her waist, andshe leant up against him while he chatted to Augusta.
He did not say another word to her, but once he took her little handand squeezed it. What was the matter with her? All her sorrows seemedto go, and all her anxieties to melt into thin air. Augusta was doi
ngthe grown-up young lady, chatting on all sorts of subjects, and Nandid not speak a word--not even once did she open her lips--but whenCaptain Richmond looked down at her she raised her eyes and lookedfull at him.
"Cross!" he said to himself; "why, it is one of the dearest littlefaces in the world. But who is the poor little one, and why was she sovery sad when I put in my appearance?"
"We must get you tea; you shall have it in the schoolroom," saidAugusta. "Aunt Jessie will not be in till about six o'clock; you know,no one expected you until the evening."
"It is my way always to do the unexpected," replied Captain Richmond."I took an earlier train and got here about six hours before I wasexpected. And where are my nieces proper? Why do not they come toembrace their uncle?"
"They are at school; but, oh! won't they be delighted? I am afraidyour room is not ready. Nan, go and tell the servants that CaptainRichmond has come. Go at once, dear, and order tea up here.--Do yougreatly mind, Uncle Peter (because I must call you that), having teain the schoolroom with us?"
"I should love it," replied Captain Richmond. "But see, Nan, littleone, that you order a big tea. I want a whole pot of sardines--thereis nothing on earth I love like sardines--and a couple of new-laideggs, and toast and cream. Do you understand?"
"Cross!" he said to himself; "why, it is one of thedearest little faces in the world."]
"Oh yes," said Nan, colouring very high; "and may you not havemuffins, don't you think?"
"I do quite think I might. Now be quick, little woman, and order thebiggest tea cook will send up."
"He is good," thought Nan as she went singing down the passage. "He isnice. He is quite as nice as Kitty said he was; I think he is evennicer. It is not what he says; it is the look in his eyes. I am surehe keeps in the middle of the road, and I will--I will keep therenotwithstanding Augusta. Oh! I am glad he has come. He makes me feelstrong. I was so shaky, as if I had no backbone, but I think he willgive it to me--I am sure he will give it to me--and I will keep in themiddle of the road. Oh! he is nice--he is."
While Nan was away Captain Richmond asked one or two questions abouther of Augusta.
"Who is that dear little mite?" he said. "What a sweet little face shehas!"
"She is a little girl to whom Aunt Jessie is very kind," repliedAugusta.
"Any one would be kind to her; she looks such a sweet little thing!"
Augusta longed to give some of her true opinions of Nan, but she wasfar too astute for this.
"Of course, she is a very nice child," she said; "and she is greatlyto be pitied."
"Poor little thing! What was she crying about? Her sobs were sobitter!"
"She is very sensitive; I was just trying to put a little common-senseinto her."
"She wants very special treatment," said Captain Richmond. "I am gladI have come; I always like children of that sort. She is in deepblack, too."
"She is in mourning for her mother."
"Oh! an orphan? Poor little one! Is her father alive?"
"No. I think perhaps, Uncle Peter, you ought to know: dear Aunt Jessieis supporting her for nothing. Is it not splendid of her?"
"It is the sort of thing my sister-in-law would do," replied theCaptain; and he gave Augusta a very straight and cold look out of hiseyes. She saw that he did not think the better of her for having madethis speech, and jumped up to get the table ready for tea.
The meal was in full progress; Nan, at Captain Richmond's specialrequest, was pouring out cup after cup for his benefit; Augusta wasseated near, with flushed cheeks, entertaining him to the best of herabilities, when shouts and whoops were heard, and Nora and Kittydanced into the room.
Then indeed there were high-jinks.
"Oh, for shame! Uncle Pete--oh, for shame! to comebeforehand.--Augusta, how long have you had him?--Nan, is he notjust--just as nice as I said?" These words came from Kitty.
"You really make me blush, Kitty; you must be careful what you say,"remarked her uncle. "Do not mind her, Nancy; I am a very ordinaryperson, with lots of faults."
"You have not a fault--not one," said Nora.
"Oh! haven't I? I will just declare to you now a very big fault ofmine. It is this--I hate being praised."
The Captain looked as if he meant this, for his bright blue eyesflashed fire just for an instant, but then they resumed their oldmerry expression.
"I have all kind of plans to propose," he said. "I shall be here forat least a fortnight, and then I am not going very far away--only asfar as Aldershot--so you will see a good bit of me."