exposure," he said to hiseldest daughter in a low voice, "you know we cannot be sure of herhealth yet, and she has hitherto been always in such mild places. Butof course we must not make her fanciful."
"No, papa. I quite understand," said Madelene, gently.
But this little incident did not tend to smooth down the ruffled wingsof the small personage who followed her sister up the wide staircasewith the gait of a dethroned queen.
"For to-night, Ella," said Madelene, "I think you had better sleep in mydressing-room. There is a nice little sofa-bed there that Erminesometimes uses when we have a fancy for being quite close together.Sometimes when papa is away this big house seems so lonely."
"Is there no bed in the--the _nursery_?" she inquired icily.
"Oh, yes," said Madelene, "there has always been a bed there. It is acomfortable little room; it is not what used to be the _night_ nursery;that has been turned into a large linen room. But this is what was yourday nursery when you were a tiny child. You can't remember the house inthe least of course?"
"Not in the least."
"We have used the nursery, as we still call it, now and then forvisitors when the house was very full," Madelene went on.
"Oh, yes; for ladies'-maids, I suppose," said Ella pleasantly.
"No," said Madelene, "not for ladies'-maids. We would not put oursister in a room used for servants. And I do not wish you to sleepthere till it has been made quite comfortable. It is perfectly cleanand aired, but I shall change some of the furniture to make it looknicer, even though you are only to have it temporarily, and, to-night,as I said, you can sleep in my dressing-room. Here it is." She threwopen a door as she spoke and passed quickly through the large bedroom itopened into to a smaller one beyond. Both rooms were very pretty andhandsomely furnished, with all sorts of girlish "household gods" about,telling of simple but refined tastes, and long association. For in thebookcase, side by side with the favourites of Madelene's grown-up years,were old childish story-books in covers that had once been brighter thannow, and behind the glass of the cabinets were many trifling ornamentsof little value save for the memory of those by whom, or the occasionson which, they had been given.
Ella glanced around with a peculiar expression. The fresh admirationwhich had escaped her at sight of the garden was wanting. She saidnothing, but stood looking in at the dressing-room door.
"Thank you," she said, "if I may leave my hat and jacket here just now;I will fetch them again as soon as I know where to put them. But Ishould prefer not to sleep here--I suppose there is no actualobjection--it is not particularly inconvenient," with a slight accent onthe two last words, "that I should sleep at once in what is going to bemy room. I should very much prefer doing so."
"No," said Madelene in a rather perplexed tone, "it can be got ready atonce if you really wish it." She was anxious not to oppose Ella whennot actually obliged to do so, and she determinedly swallowed her ownnot unnatural disappointment that the young girl should seem soreluctant to meet her in any direction "half-way."
"Thank you," said Ella, more heartily than she had yet spoken, "yes, Ishould like it very much better. Perhaps you would not mind showing memy room now," she went on, "then when it is ready I can find my way toit alone without troubling you again."
Miss St Quentin did not speak, but she turned to leave the room,followed as before by Ella. They crossed the landing and passed downanother corridor.
"Down there," said Madelene, pointing to the end of the passage, "areyour real rooms--those that Ermine and I have been planning about foryou. The nurseries are down this way," and she descended a few stepsleading on to another smaller landing, from which a flight of backstairs ran down to the ground floor. "I warn you that the room will notseem very attractive, but there is a nice look-out at this side. Ourmother and--and yours--both liked these nurseries. They get all the sungoing, in winter."
It was a plain room certainly, old-fashioned-looking, for it was lesslofty than the other side of the house, and the furniture, such as therewas, was simple and seemed to have seen good service. The carpet wasrolled up, and the small bed was packed into a corner; thewindow-curtains were pinned up to keep them clean, though enough wasleft visible to show that they were of faded chintz.
Ella in her turn was silent, but she at once deposited the littlehand-bag she carried, and her parasol on the only available place,namely the top of the chest of drawers, with an air of takingpossession.
"I suppose my little box--I only brought one quite small one with me--may be brought up here?" she said.
"Yes, certainly, but you _must_ leave the room to the housemaids for anhour or two," Madelene replied. "Will you dress in Ermine's room, inpreference to mine? It is nearer--just up the little flight of stairs."
"I don't mind in the least," said Ella. "I must say I had no idea, notthe very slightest, that my coming would have caused such a fuss.Perhaps I should apologise, but--I begin to see I have been veryfoolish. I have been allowing myself to forget the real state of thecase, I suppose."
"What do you mean by the real state of the case?" asked Madelene, calmlyresting her eyes on her sister's face.
"Why--" began Ella, a little discomfited though she would not show it,"I mean that you and Ermine are not, after all, my own sisters. I seemto be a sort of nobody's sister--or nobody's anything, and yet this ismy own father's house. I do not see why everybody should be so downupon me."
"Nobody wishes to be down upon you, Ella," said Madelene gently. "And Iknow that I have done and will do all I can to prevent papa being vexedwith you. But it has not been a good beginning--there is no use inconcealing it, and Ermine and I had wished to welcome you heartily. Andwon't you come to my dressing-room after all, Ella, and let me feel thatthings are not uncomfortable for you?"
But Ella stood firm. She shook her little head, though a slight smilequivered about her mouth too.
"No thank you," she said, "I like much better to begin as I am going tobe. I hope you don't think me such a donkey as to mind what kind of aroom I have."
"_I_ mind," said Madelene, as she turned away. The housekeeper andhostess instincts were very strongly developed in Miss St Quentin andElla had succeeded in wounding her in a tender place.
A few minutes later, when Ermine had come up stairs and was standing inher own room, thinking about getting ready for dinner, there came aknock at the door, and in answer to her "come in" Ella appeared. Shewas carrying a dress on her arm.
"Would you mind--?" she began. "Oh I am afraid I am disturbing you--Ithought Madelene said something about--that I might dress in here."
"So you may if you like," said Ermine, not too graciously it must beallowed, for she suspected Ella had been annoying her elder sister."There is plenty of time. I will go to Madelene till you are ready.You can ring for Stevens, the second housemaid, to help you."
If Ella had had any idea of making friends with Ermine in preference toMadelene it was speedily discarded.
"I detest them both," she exclaimed, as soon as the door had closed onher sister, "nasty, cold, stuck-up things. I almost think I'd rather beback with aunt, if it wasn't for that _horrid_ old Burton. But I'llnever let auntie know--no _never_, that I'm not happy here. It would besuch a triumph to that old wretch."
And this lively reflection stopped Ella's seeking relief for heroutraged feelings in tears, which she had been very nearly doing.
"Nobody shall be able to say I'm a cry-baby who doesn't know her ownmind," she said resolutely, as she dressed herself quickly butcarefully, for Ella had no love of making a fright of herself!
CHAPTER FIVE.
ERMINE'S INSPIRATION.
When his daughters were leaving the room that evening after dinner,Colonel St Quentin detained Madelene by an almost imperceptible gesture.On her side Madelene glanced at Ermine, and by the slightest possibleturn of her eyelids recommended Ella to her care. None of this was lostupon the young lady.
"Going to talk me over again," she said to h
erself as she followedErmine, "well, they'll have plenty of opportunities of doing so beforethey've done with me, I'm afraid."
"Sit down for a minute or two, can't you, my dear?" said her father, asMadelene stood beside him; "it fidgets me to see you standing. SurelyErmine can look after that child for a few minutes."
"Oh, yes," Miss St Quentin replied, drawing a chair close to herfather's as she spoke.
"It's about her I want to speak of course," Colonel St Quentin went on."I have been thinking a great deal about her