"Now, that is quite too bad," exclaimed Miss Stevens, "but at least take one or two, child; that much couldn"t possibly hurt you, and your papa need never know."
Elsie gave her a look of grieved surprise.
"Oh! could you think I would do that?" she said. "But _G.o.d_ would know, Miss Stevens; and I should know it myself, and how could I ever look my papa in the face again after deceiving him so?"
"Really, my dear, you are making a very serious matter of a mere trifle," laughed the lady; "why, I have deceived my father more than fifty times, and never thought it any harm. But here is something I am sure you can take, and indeed you must, for I bought both it and the candy expressly for you."
She replaced the candy in the drawer as she spoke, and took from another a splendidly-bound book which she laid in Elsie"s lap, saying, with a triumphant air, "There, my dear, what do you think of that? is it not handsome?"
Elsie"s eyes sparkled; books were her greatest treasures; but feeling an instinctive repugnance to taking a gift from one whom she could neither respect nor love, she made an effort to decline it, though at the same time thanking the lady warmly for her kind intentions.
But Miss Stevens would hear of no refusal, and fairly forced it upon her acceptance, declaring that, as she had bought it expressly for her, she should feel extremely hurt if she did not take it.
"Then I will, Miss Stevens," said the little girl, "and I am sure you are very kind. I love books and pictures, too, and these are lovely engravings," she added turning over the leaves with undisguised pleasure.
"Yes, and the stories are right pretty, too," remarked Miss Stevens.
"Yes, ma"am, they look as if they were, and I should like dearly to read them."
"Well, dear, just sit down and read; there"s nothing to hinder. I"m sure your little friends can do without you for an hour or two. Or, if you prefer it, take the book and enjoy it with them; it is your own, you know, to use as you like."
"Thank you, ma"am; but, though I can look at the pictures, I must not read the stories until I have asked papa, because he does not allow me to read anything now without first showing it to him."
"Dear me! how very strict he is!" exclaimed Miss Stevens.
"I wonder," she thought to herself, "if he would expect to domineer over his wife in that style?"
Elsie was slowly turning over the leaves of the book, enjoying the pictures very much, studying them intently, but resolutely refraining from even glancing over the printed pages. But at length she closed it, and, looking out of the window, said, with a slight sigh, "Oh! I wish papa would come; but I"m afraid he won"t for a long while, and I do so want to read these stories."
"Suppose you let me read one to you," suggested Miss Stevens; "that would not be _your_ reading it, you know."
Elsie looked shocked at the proposal. "Oh! no, ma"am, thank you, I know you mean to be kind; but I could not do it; it would be so very wrong; quite the same, I am sure, as if I read it with my own eyes," she answered hurriedly; and then, fearing to be tempted further, she excused herself and went in search of her young companions.
She found them in the drawing-room.
"Wasn"t it too provoking, Elsie, that those people didn"t send home my bracelet last night?" exclaimed Caroline Howard. "I have just been telling Lucy about it. I think that it was such a shame for them to disappoint me, for I wanted to have it on the tree."
"I am sorry you were disappointed, Carry, but perhaps it will come to-day," Elsie answered in a sympathizing tone. And then she showed the new book, which she still held in her hand.
They spent some time in examining it, talking about and admiring the pictures, and then went out for a walk.
"Has papa come in yet, mammy?" was Elsie"s first question on returning.
"Yes, darlin", I tink he"s in the drawin"-room dis berry minute," Chloe answered, as she took off the little girl"s hat, and carefully smoothed her hair.
"There, there! mammy, won"t that do now? I"m in a little bit of a hurry," Elsie said with a merry little laugh, as she slipped playfully from under her nurse"s hand, and ran down-stairs.
But she was doomed to disappointment for the present, for her papa was seated on the sofa, beside Miss Stevens, talking to her; and so she must wait a little longer. At last, however, he rose, went to the other side of the room, and stood a moment looking out of the window.
Then Elsie hastened to take her book from a table, where she had laid it, and going up to him, said, "Papa!"
He turned round instantly, asking in a pleasant tone, "Well, daughter, what is it?"
She put the book into his hand, saying eagerly, "It is a Christmas gift from Miss Stevens, papa; will you let me read it?"
He did not answer immediately, but turned over the leaves, glancing rapidly over page after page, but not too rapidly to be able to form a pretty correct idea of the contents.
"No, daughter," he said, handing it back to her, "you must content yourself with looking at the pictures; they are by far the best part; the stories are very unsuitable for a little girl of your age, and would, indeed, be unprofitable reading for any one."
She looked a little disappointed.
"I am glad I can _trust_ my little daughter, and feel certain that she will not disobey me," he said, smiling kindly on her, and patting her cheek.
She answered him with a bright, happy look, full of confiding affection, laid the book await without a murmur, and left the room--her father"s eyes following her with a fond, loving glance.
Miss Stevens, who had watched them both closely during this little scene, bit her lips with vexation at the result of her manoeuvre.
She had come to Roselands with the fixed determination to lay siege to Mr. Horace Dinsmore"s heart, and flattering and petting his little daughter was one of her modes of attack; but his decided disapproval of her present, she perceived, did not augur well for the success of her schemes. She was by no means in despair, however, for she had great confidence in the power of her own personal attractions, being really tolerably pretty, and considering herself a great beauty, as well as very highly accomplished.
As Elsie ran out into the hall, she found herself suddenly caught in Mr. Travilla"s arms.
""A merry Christmas and a happy New Year!" little Elsie," he said, kissing her on both cheeks. "Now I have caught you figuratively and literally, my little lady, so what are you going to give me, eh?"
"Indeed, sir, I think you"ve helped yourself to the only thing I have to give at present," she answered with a merry silvery laugh.
"Nay, _give_ me one, little lady," said he, "one such hug and kiss as I dare say your father gets half-a-dozen times in a day."
She gave it very heartily.
"Ah! I wish you were ten years older," he said as he set her down.
"If I had been, you wouldn"t have got the kiss," she replied, smiling archly.
"Now, it"s my turn," he said, taking something from his pocket.
"I expected you"d catch _me_, and so thought it best to come prepared."
He took her hand, as he spoke, and placed a beautiful little gold thimble on her finger. "There, that"s to encourage you in industry."
"Thank you, sir; oh! it"s a little beauty! I must run and show it to papa. But I must not forget my politeness," she added, hastily throwing open the drawing-room door. "Come in, Mr. Travilla."
She waited quietly until the usual greetings were exchanged, then went up to her father and showed her new gift.
He quite entered into her pleasure, and remarked, with a glance at Miss Stevens, "that her friends were very kind."
The lady"s hopes rose. He was then pleased with her attention to his child, even though he did not altogether approve her choice of a gift.
There was a large party to dinner that day, and the children came down to the dessert. Miss Stevens, who had contrived to be seated next to Mr. Dinsmore, made an effort, on the entrance of the juveniles, to have Elsie placed on her other side; but Mr. Travilla was too quick for her, and had his young favorite on his knee before she could gain her attention.