"We are going to be spied upon, and it is perfectly horrid," she said, under her breath, "but never mind, I am determined to stand the test."
The day happened to be a lovely one, and Florence looked carefully through her wardrobe. She finally decided to put on the light summer silk which Mrs. Aylmer had provided for her. She looked very nice in that silk, almost pretty, and as all its accompaniments were perfect, the lace ruffles round the neck, the lace hanging over her hands, the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of every sort just as they ought to be, the hat which she was to wear with the dress, specially chosen by the London dressmaker for the purpose, no one could look more elegant than Florence did as she stood in the hall of Cherry Court School just before she started for Cherry Court Park.
Kitty, on the other hand, had thought very little about her dress; she had no fine clothes to wear, so she just put on a clean white muslin dress, tied a colored sash round her waist, put her sailor hat on her head, and ran downstairs, a light in her eyes and a pleased smile round her lips.
"I cannot be anything great," she whispered to her heart, as she glanced for a moment at Florence, who looked something like a fashion plate as she stood in the hall, "but at least I"ll be myself. I"ll try--yes, I"ll try very hard to forget all about the Scholarship to-day. I want to make dear Sir John happy, and I hope, I do hope he"ll tell me something about father and the time they spent together outside Sebastopol."
Mary Bateman was the downright sort of girl who never under any circ.u.mstances could trouble herself about dress. She wore her best Sunday frock, that was all, and her best hat, and her gloves were a little darned at the tips, but she looked like a lady and was not the least self-conscious.
Sir John"s own carriage was to arrive to fetch the ladies to the Park.
Cherry Court Park was between two and three miles away from Cherry Court School, and Mrs. Clavering and her three pupils greatly enjoyed their drive to the splendid old place. Kitty had been there twice before, once with her father and once without him, but neither Florence nor Mary had ever seen the interior of the Park. Mary"s exclamations of rapture as they drove under the overhanging trees and down the long winding avenue were frequent and enthusiastic. Florence, however, scarcely spoke; she was not a girl to be much impressed by external beauty; she was thinking all the time how she could keep the best and most amiable part of her character to the fore. What did Sir John mean to do? What sort of test was he going to apply to her? She felt that she must be armed on every point.
"My dear girls," said Mrs. Clavering, just as they were approaching the house, "I see you are all a little nervous, thinking that a somewhat strange test will be applied to you to-day, but I a.s.sure you, my dears, that nothing of the kind is intended, and I beg of you, as you wish to impress your kind host favorably, to be at any cost natural and true to yourselves. Florence dear, I would specially beg of you to remember my words. Don"t set your heart too much on any earthly good thing, my child, for often those who lose gain more than those who win."
But Florence shook off the gentle hand; she could scarcely stand Mrs.
Clavering"s words just then, and avoided meeting her eyes.
Sir John stood on the steps of his magnificent old house to welcome his guests. As the carriage drew up beside the porch he came down and extended his hand to each.
"Welcome, welcome," he said, "thrice welcome! What a lovely day we have! Mrs. Clavering, I hope to have the privilege of taking you round my gardens, which are just in their autumn prime, and as to you three girls, will you amuse yourselves exactly as you please until luncheon-time?"
"Thank you so much," said Mary, in her blunt voice. She could never act a part to save her life. "That is just what I should like best to do," she added, smiling and dimpling. She had a jolly little face, somewhat tanned with the sun, two round good-humored brown eyes, and a wide mouth. Her teeth were white, however, and her smile pleasant.
"Kitty, my dear," said Sir John, turning to Kitty Sharston, "you have been here before and I depute to you the task of doing the honors.
Take the girls wherever you please. If, for instance," added Sir John, "you three would like to have a row on the lake there is the boat all moored and ready. Kitty, you know how to handle an oar?"
"Rather," said Kitty; "I have rowed more or less since I could walk."
"Well, then, that is all right; but if you require any a.s.sistance you have but to call one of the gardeners, there are sure to be plenty about. Now off you go, all three; forget the old man, and enjoy yourselves as happy girls should."
As Sir John spoke he gave his arm with old-fashioned courtesy to Mrs.
Clavering, and the two turned away.
"Now, is not this just like dear Sir John?" said Kitty, beginning to dance about. "Come, girls, I"ll have greatest pleasure in taking you about."
"I am surprised to hear that you know all about Cherry Court Park,"
said Florence, in a somewhat cross voice, but then she remembered herself and made an effort to smile.
"I have been here twice before," said Kitty. "What do you say to having a row? Mary, what do you wish?"
"If you will allow me to do exactly what I like," said Mary, "I don"t want anyone to guide me; I want to wander here, there, and everywhere just at my own sweet will. I have brought my little sketch-book with me, and mean to sketch some of these splendid old trees. Mother is so fond of outdoor sketches, and I could seldom indulge her with anything so fine as I could get in an old place like this. Just go off where you please, girls, and don"t bother about me."
Off ran Mary on her st.u.r.dy legs, and Florence looked after her with a laugh.
"Poor Mary," she said, in a contemptuous tone.
"Why poor?" asked Kitty; "I think Mary is such a downright, jolly, sensible sort of girl."
"Oh, very downright and sensible," said Florence. "Kitty, do you really want to go in the boat?"
"Not if you don"t want to go," said Kitty, looking somewhat anxiously at her companion.
"But I see you do; I notice the expression in your eyes."
"Well, it"s very sweet in the boat, it does soothe one so; the last time I was there it was with father; but never mind, I won"t go if you would rather not. Shall we sit under this tree and talk?"
"Yes, let us," said Florence. "I feel very cross to-day; I don"t exactly know what is the matter."
"I wish you would tell me some of your troubles, Flo."
"How can I; you are my enemy."
"Nonsense, nonsense! how can you regard me in that light? You make me quite miserable when you talk as you do."
"And I meant to be amiable to-day," said poor Florence, "but somehow everything grates. It is Aunt Susan. Kitty, you cannot understand my position. I have to be civil and pleasant to one whom I--but there, don"t talk of it."
"I don"t quite understand; I wonder if you feel for your Aunt Susan as I feel for Helen Dartmoor."
"The lady you are to live with if you lose the Scholarship?"
"Yes," replied Kitty, sadly.
"You had better make up your mind to like her then, Kitty, for you will have to live with her."
"Why do you say that?"
"Only that I mean to get the Scholarship, and I think my will is stronger than yours."
"It is not a case of will," said Kitty, trembling a little as she spoke.
"Isn"t it? I rather fancy it is. But there, we are to be amiable to-day, are we not? Look at Mary sitting under that tree and sketching as if her life depended on it. I wonder if she is really doing it hoping to please Sir John."
"Not a bit of it; that would not be Mary"s way. All the same," added Kitty, in a thoughtful voice, "he will be delighted. Mary"s sketches are very spirited, and Sir John loves people to appreciate his place.
He will ask you what you think about it at lunch, Florry; you had really better let me show you round a bit."
"If that is the case, certainly," said Florence. She got up, and she and Kitty began to wander through the different grounds. They had nearly completed their peregrinations, having wandered over many acres of cultivated and lovely land, when the luncheon bell summoned them back to the house.
"Oh, I am so hungry," said Kitty, "and Sir John has the most splendid luncheons. I wonder where Mary is."
The girls looked to right and left, but could not see a sign of Mary Bateman anywhere. They approached the house. A great big colley came up, wagging his tail slowly, and thrust his nose into Kitty"s hand.
"Dear old Watch, how sweet you are!" said the girl.
She bent down, flinging her arms round the colley"s neck, and pressed a kiss on a white star on his forehead.
Just then Sir John"s voice was heard calling them. "Hey, little women," he said, "I hope you had a pleasant time and enjoyed yourselves as much as I meant you to."
"Yes, I have enjoyed myself immensely," said Kitty. "Haven"t you, too, Florry!"