"It was not possible, papa. The kitchen is absolutely full of boxes--it will take a while to clear it; and I wanted first to get a corner for you to be comfortable in. We will get things in order as fast as we can. Now the kettle boils, Barker, don"t it? You may put in the eggs."
"My dear, I do not think this is the place for the sofa."
"Oh no, papa, I do not mean it; the room looking towards the water is the prettiest, and will be the pleasantest; that will be the sitting-room, I think; but we could only do one thing at a time. Now, you shall have your tea and toast in two minutes."
"There is no doing anything well without system," said the colonel.
"Arrange your work always, and then take it in order, the first thing first, and so on. Now I should have said, the _first_ thing here was the kitchen fire."
Esther knew it was not, and that her doings had been with admirable system; she was a little disappointed that they met with no recognition. She had counted upon her father"s being pleased, and even a little surprised that so much had been done. Silently she made his tea, and toasted him with much difficulty a slice of bread. Mrs. Barker disappeared with her skillet. But the colonel was in the state of mind that comes over many ease-loving men when their ease is temporarily disturbed.
"How long is it going to take two people to get these things unboxed and in their places?" he inquired, as his eye roved disconsolately over the room and its packing-cases. "This is pretty uncomfortable!"
"_Three_ people, papa. I shall do the very best I can. You would like the sitting-room put in order first, where your sofa and you can be quiet?"
"You are going to school."
"Oh, papa! but I must see to the house first. Barker cannot get along without me."
"It is her business," said the colonel. "You are going to school."
"But, papa, please, let me wait a few days. After I once begin to go to school I shall be so busy with study."
"Time you were. That"s what we are come here for. The season is late now."
"But your comfort, and the house, papa?"
"My comfort must take its chance. I wish you to go to Miss Fairbairn on Monday. Then Barker and Christopher can take the house between them."
There was no gainsaying her father when once an order was given, Esther knew; and she was terribly disappointed. Her heart was quite set on this business of righting and arranging the new home; n.o.body could do it as it should be done, she knew, except by her order; and her own hand longed to be in the work. A sudden cloud came over the brightness of her spirit. She had been very bright through all the strain and rush of the morning; now she suddenly felt tired and dispirited.
"What is Christopher doing?"
"Papa, I do not know; he has been opening boxes."
"Let him put the kitchen in order."
"Yes, papa." Esther knew it was impossible, however.
"And let Barker get the rooms up-stairs arranged."
"Papa, don"t you want your sitting-room prepared first?--just so that you may have a corner of comfort?"
"I do not expect to see comfort, my dear, for many a day--to judge by what I have around me."
Esther swallowed a choking feeling in her throat, commanded back some tears which had a mind to force their way, and presided over the rest of the meal with a manner of sweet womanly dignity, which had a lovely unconscious charm. The colonel did even become a little conscious of it.
"You are doing the best you know, my dear," he condescended kindly. "I do not grudge any loss of comfort for your sake."
"Papa, I think you shall not lose any," Esther said eagerly; but then she confined her energies to doing. And with nerves all strung up again, she went after breakfast at the work of bringing order out of disorder.
"The first thing for you to do, Barker," she said, "is to get papa"s sleeping-room comfortable. He will have the one looking to the west, I think; that is the prettiest. The blue carpet, that was on his room at Seaforth, will just do. Christopher will undo the roll of carpet for you."
"Miss Esther, I can"t do nothing till I get the kitchen free. There"ll be the dinner."
"Christopher will manage the kitchen."
"He can"t, mum. He don"t know one thing that"s to be done, no more"n one of his spades. It"s just not possible, Miss Esther."
"I will oversee what he does. Trust me. I will not make any bad mistakes, Barker. You put papa"s room in order. He wishes it."
What the colonel desired had to be done, Barker knew; so with a wondering look at Esther"s sweet, determined face, she gave in. And that day and the next day, and the third, were days very full of business, and in which a vast deal was accomplished. The house was really very pretty, as Esther soon saw; and before Sat.u.r.day night closed in, those parts of it at least which the colonel had most to do with were stroked into order, and afforded him all his wonted ease and luxury. Esther had worked every hour of those days, to the admiration of her subordinates; the informing spirit and regulating will of every step that was taken. She never lost her head, or her patience, or her sweet quiet; though she was herself as busy as a bee and at the same time constantly directing the activity of the others. Wise, and quick-witted, and quick to remember, her presence of mind and readiness of resource seemed unfailing. So, as I said, before Sat.u.r.day night came, an immense deal of work was accomplished, and done in a style that needed not to be done over again. All which, however, was not finished without some trace of the strain to which the human instrument had been put.
The sun had just set, and Esther was standing at the window of her father"s room, looking out to the west. She had been unpacking his clothes and laying them in the drawers of his bureau and press.
"Miss Esther, you"re tired, bad!" said the housekeeper wistfully, coming up beside her. "There"s all black rings under your eyes; and your cheeks is pale. You have worked too hard, indeed."
"Never mind," said Esther cheerfully; "that will pa.s.s. How pretty it is, Barker! Look out at that sky."
"Yes "m, it"s just the colour from that sky that keeps your cheeks from showin" how white they be. Miss Esther, you"ve just done too much."
"Never mind," said the girl again. "I wanted to have papa comfortable before I went to school. I am going to school Monday morning, Barker.
Now I think he"ll do very nicely." She looked round the room, which was a pattern of neatness and of comfort that was both simple and elegant.
But the housekeeper"s face was grave with disapproval and puckered with lines of care. The wistful expression of anxiety upon it touched Esther.
"Barker," she said kindly, "you do not look happy."
"Me! No, Miss Esther, it is which I do not expect to look."
"Why not?"
"Mum, things is not accordin" in this world."
"I think you are mistaken. Do you know who the happy people are?"
"Indeed, Miss Esther, I think they"re the blessed ones that has gone clean away from the earth."
"Oh no! I mean, people that are happy now and happy here, Barker."
"I am sure and I don"t know, Miss Esther; if it wouldn"t be little children,--which is, them that is too young to know what the world is like. I do suppose they are happy."
"Don"t you know, the Bible says some other people are happy?"
"The Bible!"
Mrs. Barker stared, open-mouthed, at the face before her. Esther had sat down by the window, where the glow from the west was upon it, like a glory round the head of a young saint; and the evening sky was not more serene, nor reflected more surely a hidden light than did the beautiful eyes. Mrs. Barker gazed, and could not bring out another word.
"You read your Bible, don"t you?"