was followed by an unexpected apparition.
"_Godmother_," the girl exclaimed, scarcely able to believe her eyes,and starting to her feet as she spoke.
"Yes, godmother herself," said Lady Cheynes, coming forward. "But, mydear child, what are you thinking of--what is everybody thinking of toallow it?--you sitting up here in the cold on a bitter day like this?Do you want to get ill? Why it's enough to give you a sore throat orbronchitis or a frightful cold in your head to say the least."
"I don't feel so very cold, thank you, godmother," said Ella meekly. "Idon't catch cold easily, and I want to make myself hardy. I--I had somelittle things to do up in my own room."
Lady Cheynes glanced at the stockings Ella had not had time to put outof sight.
"Darning stockings!--hum--can't one of the maids do that for you? Youdon't mean to say Madelene expects you to do this sort of thing. And--surely--if you do want to sit up in your own room you can give orders tohave a fire lighted, can't you?"
Lady Cheynes frowned. Ella had never seen her look so stern.
"Oh--I'm sure--Hester would have lighted it if I had wanted it. And Imight have stayed down stairs only--it's very dull," she burst outnervously. "Papa isn't any better to-day--he can't leave his room, anddown stairs it all seems so big and lonely."
Ella's voice quivered before she got to the end of the sentence; she wasso very sorry for herself. Her godmother eyed her keenly.
"When do Madelene and Ermine come home?" she asked. "This afternoon, Isuppose."
"Oh, no," said Ella. "The ball--the dance at the Belvoirs' is only thisevening. They are staying, I think, till to-morrow."
"Humph," said Lady Cheynes. "You don't care for dancing, I suppose?"
This was too much. Ella's face was a study. "_Me_" she exclaimed, "notcare for dancing. Who ever said so?"
The old lady laughed a little.
"I don't know--nobody perhaps. I was judging by circumstantialevidence. A girl of your age, who did care for it, would have managedby hook or by crook to get leave to go."
Ella gasped.
"Do you really think so?" she exclaimed. "Why, godmother, the questionwas never raised in the least; the _possibility_ of such a thing wasnever alluded to. If I had thought there was the faintest chance of itI should have nearly gone out of my mind."
"Did you never tell your sisters how much you would have liked to go?"asked Lady Cheynes.
"No," said Ella. "They may have guessed it, but we hardly alluded to itat all. But oh, godmother, please don't say _now_ there might have beenany chance of my going. It is--it is more than I can bear to think ofit."
She clasped her hands together and looked up in the old lady's face, herlovely brown eyes brimming over with tears.
Lady Cheynes said nothing. She walked to the window and stood therelooking out.
"How well I remember the view from this room," she said dreamily,speaking as much to herself as to Ella. "This was our nursery, too. Irecollect one day my doll's falling out, between the bars, and when shewas picked up and brought to me her face was all disfigured and cracked.Wax dolls cost a small fortune in those days. I remember thinking Inever _never_ could be happy again! Dear me--it is only a question ofproportion after all--a child's bitter sorrow is as bad to it, as whatseem more real sorrows are to older people. It seems a pity to--toadd," but here she stopped, rather abruptly.
Ella had left off crying in the interest of listening to her godmother.She was disappointed that Lady Cheynes said no more.
"Yes?" she said insinuatingly; "what were you saying, godmother? `Apity to add to'?"
"Never mind, child. I was thinking aloud. Now, take off that shawl andrun down to the warm library, like a sensible girl. If you must finishdarning your stockings, take one or two of them with you. There is noone but Barnes to be shocked. I am going to see your father if he isnot asleep, and then I shall ask you to give me a scrap of luncheon. Ionly came home last night, and I heard Marcus was ill and drove over atonce."
Ella obeyed. The two went down stairs together. Then in reply to LadyCheynes' message came one from her nephew, saying that he was awake, andbegged her to go to see him.
Ella sat alone in the library. She felt considerably less desolate anddepressed, and it certainly was more comfortable than up stairs in thecold. She was very glad to have her godmother's company at luncheon,anything was better than sitting alone through the meal with Barnes andhis subordinates fidgeting about. And she was by no means sorry thatthe old lady should have come upon her as she had done, for however fondshe was of her grand-nieces Ella felt certain Lady Cheynes did notapprove of the present state of things.
"If she had been at home, I do believe I should have gone," thoughtElla.
Suddenly the door opened and her godmother reappeared. Her eyes lookedvery bright, there was a slight flush upon her soft old cheeks and asmile, a peculiar smile, flickered about her mouth.
"Godmother," exclaimed Ella, as she had done up stairs in her own room."What is it?" she went on, feeling a sort of vague excitement. "Youlook as if you had something to tell me. You are smiling, so it can'tbe anything wrong. What have you been talking about to papa?"
Lady Cheynes drew a chair close to Ella's, and sat down.
"Supposing I were a _fairy_ godmother, Ella, just for fun, you know,what would you ask me to do to cheer you up a little this dreary day?"
Ella opened her eyes wide, very wide--and I almost think she opened hermouth too.
"Godmother?" she said, while a rosy colour crept over her face, "oh,godmother, what _do_ you mean?"
CHAPTER NINE.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
"Godmother," Ella repeated, "what do you mean?"
Lady Cheynes smiled.
"Supposing I were to tell you you were to go to the dance at theBelvoirs' to-night after all?" she said.
Ella's face fell a little.
"Godmother," she replied, "I'm afraid you're teasing me; I _couldn't_ gonow."
"Not if I took you? I was asked of course--they are very old friends,and I did not answer definitely, not being sure when I was returninghome. Indeed till this morning I thought it was over, that it was lastnight."
"But," Ella went on, the corners of her mouth drooping like a littlechild's, "I haven't any frock, godmother. That makes it quiteimpossible."
"I don't know. Hester tells me there is a very pretty little whitetulle frock almost ready for you. Madelene has been having it made byMelanie--in case of anything unexpected, I suppose," said Lady Cheynesquietly.
Ella looked as if she could scarcely believe her ears.
"_Madelene_ has been getting a frock ready for me," she said. "Perhaps,perhaps, godmother it was for a surprise. Wouldn't she be vexed at myknowing it? Do you--would you _dare_ to let me wear it? Oh,godmother," and her eyes sparkled, "how lovely it would be!"
"_Will_ be," said her godmother, smiling more and more. "Listen, Ella,I've got your father's leave to take you. You are to drive home with meimmediately after luncheon. Hester is putting up the frock and my maidwill set to work and finish it. Now think, have you everything else youneed--gloves--shoes?"
"I have gloves--tan-coloured ones, but they're quite new and nice andlong. They are the last pair of those poor auntie gave me. I havenever needed to wear such long ones here! And shoes--I have no whiteones, godmother."
"You must have white ones," said Lady Cheynes. "Ah well--perhaps we canget some at Weevilscoombe. I can send a man in to the shoemaker'sthere. Or if not--" and the old lady hesitated. "Never mind--we'llmanage somehow. Now, my dear, run up stairs and show Hester all thatyou want packed up. You must be quick, for we shall leave immediatelyafter luncheon."
Scarcely knowing if she were standing on her head or her heels, off flewElla. Up stairs in her room she found Hester, who now that the younglady was in such luck thought it well to sober her down a little bylooking rather grim.
"Oh, Hester," cried Ella, flying at the old servant, se
izing her by theshoulders and whirling her round, "did you ever know anything so lovely?Have you packed up the frock? Do tell me about it--how did you knowabout it? Was it to be a surprise and oh! Hester, what will my sisterssay when they see me there? I'm so awfully afraid they'll be vexed,even though they won't show it to her ladyship."
Hester stopped short in the packing she was already in the midst of.
"Now, Miss Ella," she said, "that just shows how little you know yoursisters. Vexed