CHAPTER VIII
A HAPPY BREAKFAST
Mrs. Forbes was on the porch next morning when Mr. Evringham returnedfrom his canter.
"Fine morning, Mrs. Forbes," he said, as he gave Essex Maid into Zeke'shands.
"Very fine. A regular weather breeder. It'll most probably rainto-morrow, and what I wanted to speak to you about, Mr. Evringham, is,that the child hasn't any rubbers."
"Indeed? What else does she need?"
"Well, nothing that I can see. Her things are all good, and she's gotenough of them. The trouble is she says she has never worn rubbers anddoesn't want to, and if she gets sick I shall have to take care of her;so I hope, sir, you'll say that she must have them."
"Not wear them? Of course she must wear them," returned Mr. Evringhambrusquely. "Get them to-day, if convenient, Mrs. Forbes."
The housekeeper looked relieved.
"I hope she's not making you any trouble, eh?" added Mr. Evringham.
"Not any more than she can help, I suppose," was the grudging reply."She's a smart child, and being an only one, she's some notional. Shewon't eat this and that, and doesn't want to wear rubbers, but she'shandy and neat, and is used to doing for herself; her mother hasn't hadtime to fuss with her, of course, and that's lucky for me. She seemsvery well behaved, considering."
Jewel had made heroic efforts while Mrs. Forbes assisted at her morningtoilet, and this was her reward.
"Well, we mustn't have you imposed upon," returned Mr. Evringham,feeling guilty of the situation. "The child must obey you implicitly,implicitly."
So saying he passed into the house, and after making a change in histoilet, entered the dining-room. There he was seated, deep in hisnewspaper and waiting for his coffee, when the door opened, light feetran to him, and an arm was thrown around his neck. He looked up to meeta happy smile, and before he could realize who had captured him, Jewelpressed a fervent kiss upon his cheek.
"Oh, grandpa, how nice and cold your cheek feels! Have you been outdoors already?"
Mr. Evringham could feel the said cheek grow hot in surprise at thisonslaught. He held himself stiffly and uncomfortably in the encirclingarm.
"Yes, I've been out on horseback," he returned shortly. "I go everymorning."
Jewel's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I'm so glad. Then I can watch you. I love tosee anybody ride. When I see a beautiful horse something inside me getswarm. Father says I like just the same things he does. I must let youread your paper, grandpa, but may I say one thing more?"
"Yes."
"I didn't come last evening to kiss you good-night because you hadsomebody with you in the library, and, the giant--and Mrs. Forbeswouldn't let me; but I wanted to. You know I wanted to, don't you? Ifelt all sorry inside because I couldn't. You know you're the only realrelation I have in the castle"--Here Mrs. Forbes's entrance with thecoffee interrupted the confidence, and Jewel, with a last surreptitioussqueeze of Mr. Evringham's neck, intended to finish her sentenceeloquently, left him and went to her chair.
"You're to sit here this morning," said Mrs. Forbes, indicating theplace opposite her employer. "Mrs. Evringham and her daughter don't comedown to breakfast."
Jewel looked up eagerly. "Not ever?" she asked.
"Never."
The child shot a radiant glance across at her grandfather which hecaught, the thread of his business calculations having been hopelesslybroken. "Oh, grandpa, we're always going to have breakfast alonetogether!" she said joyously. Noting Mrs. Forbes's set countenance, sheadded apologetically, "They're so pretty, cousin Eloise and aunt Madge,I love to look at them, but they aren't my real relations, and," herface gladdening again, "to think of having breakfast alone with you,grandpa, makes me feel as if--as if I had a birthday!"
Mr. Evringham cleared his throat. The situation might have been a littleeasier if Mrs. Forbes had not been present, but as it was, he had neverfelt so embarrassed in his life.
"Now eat your oatmeal, Julia," said the housekeeper repressively. "Mr.Evringham always reads his paper at breakfast."
"Yes," replied the child with docility. She poured the cream from asmall silver pitcher with a neatness that won Mrs. Forbes's approval;and Mr. Evringham read over headlines in the paper, while he sipped hiscoffee, without understanding in the least the meaning of the words.Mrs. Forbes was right. Discipline must be maintained. This was the timeduring which he wished to read his paper, and it was most astonishing tobe so vigorously taken possession of by an utter stranger. Now was thetime to repress her if she were to be repressed. Mrs. Forbes was right.After a while he glanced across at the child. She looked very smalland clean, and she was ready with a quick smile for him; but she put alittle forefinger against her lips jocosely. He cleared his throat againand averted his eyes, rumpling the paper as he turned a leaf.
Mrs. Forbes left the room with the oatmeal dishes.
Jewel leaned forward quickly. "Grandpa," she said earnestly, "if youwould declare every day, over and over, that no error could come nearyour house, I think she would go away of her own accord."
Mr. Evringham stared, open paper in hand. "What? Who?"
"Mrs. Forbes."
"Go away? Mrs. Forbes? What are you thinking of! I couldn't get onwithout Mrs. Forbes."
"Oh!" Jewel leaned back with the long-drawn exclamation. "I thought shewas what made you look sorry."
"No indeed. I have enough things to make me sorry, but she isn't one ofthem."
"Do you like her?" wonderingly.
"I--why--I respect her profoundly."
"Oh! It must be lots easier to respect her pro--the way you do, than tolike her; but," with firm lips, "I've got to love her. I told Anna Belleso this morning, and especially if you want her to stay."
"Bless my soul!" Mr. Evringham looked in dismay as his _vis-a-vis_. "Youmust be very careful, Julia, not to offend or trouble her in any way,"he said.
"All right, grandpa, I will, and then will you do me a favor too?"
"I must hear it first."
"Would you mind calling me Jewel? You know it isn't any matter about therest, because they're not my real relations, but Julia is mother's name,and Jewel is mine; and when I love people very much, I like them to callme Jewel."
Mrs. Forbes here entered with a tray, and Mr. Evringham merely said,"Very well," twice over, and retreated into his newspaper.
On the tray were boiled eggs. Jewel glanced quickly up at Mrs. Forbes'simpassive face. She might have remembered. Probably she did remember.
Life had not taught the child to be shy, as has been evidenced; soalthough Mrs. Forbes was an awing experience, she felt strong in thepresence of her important grandfather, and only kept silence now inorder not to interrupt his reading.
When at last he laid down his paper and began to chip an egg, Jewelglanced at those which Mrs. Forbes had set before her. Her little facehad grown very serious.
"Grandpa, do you think it's error for me not to like eggs?" she asked."Mother never said it was. She was willing I should eat something else."
"Of course, eat whatever you like," responded Mr. Evringham quickly.
Mrs. Forbes seemed to swell and grow pink. "You always have eggs, sir,and if there's two breakfasts to be got, will you kindly tell me whatthe other shall be?"
Mr. Evringham glanced up in some surprise at the unfamiliar tone.
"Oh, the oatmeal is a plenty," said Jewel, looking at the housekeeper,eager to mollify her.
"Try an egg. Perhaps you'll like them by this time," suggested Mr.Evringham.
"Do you like everything to eat, grandpa?"
Mr. Evringham, being most arbitrary and peculiar in his tastes, couldonly gain time by clearing his throat again, and taking a drink ofcoffee.
"Mrs. Forbes will bring you a glass of milk, I dare say," he returnedat last, without looking up; and the housekeeper turned with ponderousobedience and left the room.
Nimbly Jewel slid down from her chair, and running around the table toher grandfather's place, put both her arms around his neck and whi
speredto him eagerly and swiftly, "If you have such a pro--something respectfor Mrs. Forbes, and it makes her sorry because I won't eat eggs,perhaps I ought to. If it offends thy brother to have you eat meat, youmustn't, the Bible says, so I suppose, if it makes Mrs. Forbes turn redand perhaps get the stomach ache to have me not eat eggs, I ought to;but grandpa, if you decide I must, please let me wait till to-morrowmorning, so I can say the Scientific Statement of Being all day--"
Here Mrs. Forbes entered with a glass of milk on a little tray. Shestood transfixed at the sight that met her.
"That child hasn't the fear of man before her eyes!" she ejaculatedmentally, then she marched forward and deposited the milk beside Jewel'sempty plate, while the child ran back and took her seat.
Mr. Evringham, gazing at his visitor in mute astonishment, was muchdisconcerted to receive a confiding gesture of raised shoulders andeyebrows, which, combined with a little smile, plainly signified thatthey had been caught. He took up his newspaper mechanically.
He had never had a daughter, and caresses had seldom passed betweenhim and his children. His duties as a family man had always beenperfunctory. He was tingling now from the surprise of Jewel's action,the feeling of the little gingham clad arms about his neck, the touchof the rose-leaf skin as she swept his cheek and ear in her emphatichalf-whisper.
His mental processes were stiff when the subject related to thingsapart from the stock market, his horses, and golf, but he was finallyunderstanding that his granddaughter had come to Bel-Air, prepared byaccounts which had cast a glamour over everything and everybody in it.She had evidently found Mrs. Forbes fall below her expectations. He hadbeen disillusioned concerning Mrs. Evringham and Eloise. As yet the halowith which he himself had been invested was intact. Was it to remainso? He still saw how foolish he had been to send for the child. Hestill wished, of course, that she was in Chicago now, instead of sittingacross there from him in crisp short skirts, her head and shoulders onlyshowing above the high table, and a little smile of good understandingwaiting for him each time he looked up.
He had done very well during a lifetime without being hugged, yet theinnocent incense, which had been rising spontaneously before him eversince the child entered the dining-room, had a strangely sweet savor.Such was the joy of breakfast alone with him that it made her feel as ifshe had a birthday! Perfectly absurd! Quite the most absurd thing thathe had ever heard in his life.
Mrs. Forbes spoke. "Perhaps it is to be the same way about the rubbers,Mr. Evringham!" she said, much flushed. "Perhaps you will not insistupon Julia wearing rubbers!"
"Oh yes, yes, certainly," returned Mr. Evringham hastily, anxiousto reinstate himself. "I wish you to have a pair of rubbers at once,Julia--Jewel. You surely don't mean that your mother has allowed you towet your feet."
"I--I never noticed, grandpa, but," hopefully, "she lets me wet myhands, so why not my feet?"
"Bless me, what ignorance! Because the soles of your feet have largepores through which to catch cold. Hasn't any one ever told you that?"
Jewel smiled. "That would be a queer arrangement for God to make, don'tyou think?" she asked softly. "Just as if He expected us to walk on ourhands."
Mrs. Forbes's eyes widened, and an irrepressible "Well!" escaped fromher lips. "Has that young one reverence for anything in heaven above orearth beneath?" she queried mentally.
Mr. Evringham managed to recover himself sufficiently to say, "Youshouldn't speak so, Jewel."
"But you know how it was about the tree of knowledge, grandpa," repliedthe child earnestly. "God told Adam not to eat of it, because then he'dbelieve in good _and_ evil, and that always makes such lots and _lots_of trouble. The Indians don't have to wear rubbers."
"Drink your milk, Jewel," returned Mr. Evringham uncomfortably, nothaving the temerity to lift his eyes as high as his housekeeper'scountenance. "No matter about the Indians. You are a civilized littlegirl, and you must wear rubbers while you live with me. Mrs. Forbes willvery kindly buy them for you."
"Oh, I have money," returned Jewel brightly. "I have three dollars,"she added, trying not to say it boastfully. "Fifty cents for every weekfather and mother are going to be away."
Mr. Evringham wiped his mustache. "You need not spend any of it for therubbers," he returned. "You are buying those to please me."
"I shall love to wear them to please you, grandpa," she returnedaffectionately. "I'll put them on every time I can think of it."
"Only when it is wet, of course," he said. "When it is rainy."
"Oh yes," she returned, "when it's rainy."
"Harry looked like my father, and she does, by Jove," mused Mr.Evringham. "She's like me. Knows what she wants to eat, and cares for ahorse, if she is a strange little being."
"You say you like horses?" he remarked suddenly.
"I just love them," answered Jewel, "and I came real close to them once.Father took me to the horse show."
"He did, eh?"
"Yes, he told mother he was going to blow me to it." The child laughed."Father's the greatest joker; he says the funniest things. He didn'tblow me to it at all. He took me in the cable car, and we had more_fun_! It was the most be--eautiful place you ever saw."
"It was, eh?"
"Yes. The music was playing, and there were coaches and four-in-handsand horns and men in red coats and beautiful little shiny carriages--andthe horses! Oh, they all looked so proud and glad, and they trotted andran and jumped over high fences, and the harness jingled and the peoplecheered!" The child's cheeks were glowing.
Mr. Evringham gave an exclamation that was almost a laugh. "You didn'tsleep much that night, I'll wager!"
"No, I didn't want to. I stayed awake a long time to realize that Goddoesn't love one of His children any better than another, so of coursesome time I'll wear a tall shiny hat and ride over fences just likeflying. I'll have a horse," Jewel added slowly, looking off with a raptexpression as at a long-cherished vision, "with a white star in hisforehead!"
"H'm! Very good taste," returned Mr. Evringham, scarcely knowing what hewas saying, so dazed was he by the extraordinary mixture of ideas.
After breakfast he had his usual interview with Mrs. Forbes concerningthe important event of dinner. Jewel had run upstairs to dress AnnaBelle.
The menu decided upon, Mr. Evringham still lingered.
"Mrs. Forbes, I have never had any experience with little girls. Youhave, no doubt," he said. "Am I right in thinking that my granddaughteris--is a rather unusual specimen?"
"She's older than Dick's hatband, sir," rejoined the housekeeperpromptly.
"Are they, perhaps, teaching differently in the schools from what theyused to?"
"Not that I know of, Mr. Evringham."
"She uses very unusual expressions. I can't make it out. You are anintelligent woman, Mrs. Forbes. Did you ever happen to hear of such athing as the--a--a--Scientific Statement of Being!"
"Never in my life, sir," returned the housekeeper virtuously.
"Extraordinary language that, from a--a child of her years. She seemsto have been peculiarly brought up. You heard her reference to--in factto--the Creator."
"I did, sir. At the breakfast table, too! I was as shocked as you were,sir. Her mother put a Bible into her trunk, but it's plain she nevertaught her any reverence. The Almighty give her a jumping horse indeed!If you'll excuse me, Mr. Evringham, I think you should have saidsomething right there."
The broker pulled his mustache. "I've listened to more unreasonableviews of heaven," he returned.
"Do you think it was heaven she was talking about!"
Mr. Evringham shrugged his shoulders. "You can't prove anything by me.She's the most extraordinary child I ever listened to."
Mrs. Forbes pursed her lips. "You'd not believe, sir, how differentlyshe behaves when she is alone with me. As mild-mannered and quiet asyou'd wish to see anywhere. She scarcely speaks a word."
Mr. Evringham bit his lip and nodded. It gave him some amusement inthe midst of his perplexity to remember
the manner in which he had beenadvised to exorcise this tower of strength altogether.
"It's my opinion, sir, that children should be made to eat what is setbefore them," went on Mrs. Forbes, reverting to her principal grievance.
"It would save you a lot of trouble if I had been trained that way--eh,Mrs. Forbes?" returned the other, with extraordinary lightness.
"You are a very different thing, I should hope!" exclaimed Mrs. Forbessolemnly.
"Yes, about fifty years different. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks,eh? You might have some chops for her luncheon, perhaps, and an extraone for her breakfast. She hasn't eaten anything this morning."
For the first time an order from Mr. Evringham evoked no reply fromhis housekeeper. He felt the weight of her disapproval. "But get theovershoes by all means, as soon as convenient," he made haste to add."Ring for Zeke, if you please, Mrs. Forbes. I must be off."