"Let mammy take your hat and scarf," said Elsie. "You"ll stay and spend the day with me, won"t you?"
"Thank you, no; I came to carry you off to Ashlands to spend a week.
Will you come?"
"I should like to, dearly well, if papa gives permission."
"Well, run and ask him."
"I can"t; unfortunately he is out, and not expected to return till tea-time."
"Oh, pshaw! how provoking! But can"t your mamma give permission just as well?"
"If it were only for a day she might, but I know she would say the question of a longer visit must be referred to papa."
"Dear me! I wouldn"t be you for something. Why, I never ask leave of anybody when I want to pay a visit anywhere in the neighborhood. I tell mamma I"m going, and that"s all-sufficient. I don"t see how you stand being ordered about and controlled so."
"If you"ll believe me," said Elsie, laughing a gay, sweet, silvery laugh, "I really enjoy being controlled by papa. It saves me a deal of trouble and responsibility in the way of deciding for myself; and then I love him so dearly that I almost always feel it my greatest pleasure to do whatever pleases him."
"And he always was so strict with you."
"Yes, he is strict; but oh, so kind."
"But that"s just because you"re so good; he"d have an awful time ruling me. I"d be in a chronic state of disgrace and punishment; and he obliged to be so constantly improving me and frowning sternly upon my delinquencies that he"d never be able to don a smile of approval or slip in a word of praise edgewise."
"Indeed you"re not half so bad as you pretend," said Elsie, laughing again; "nor I half so good as you seem determined to believe me."
"No, I"ve no doubt that you"re an arch hypocrite, and we shall find out one of these days that you are really worse than any of the rest of us. But now I must finish my errand and go, for I know you"re longing to be at those books. Do you get a ferruling every time you miss a word?--and enjoy the pain because it pleases papa to inflict it?"
"Oh, Lucy, how can you be so ridiculous?" and a quick, vivid blush mounted to Elsie"s very hair.
"I beg your pardon, Elsie, dear, I had no business to say such a thing," cried Lucy, springing up to throw her arms round her friend and kiss her warmly; "but of course it was nothing but the merest nonsense. I know well enough your papa never does anything of the kind."
"No; if my lessons are not well prepared they have to be learned over again, that is all; and if I see that papa is displeased with me, I a.s.sure you it is punishment enough."
"Do you think he"ll let you accept my invitation?"
"I don"t know, indeed, Lucy. I think he will hardly like to have me give up my studies for that length of time, and in fact I hardly like to do so myself."
"Oh, you must come. You can practise on my piano every day for an hour or two, if you like. We"ll learn some duets. And you can bring your sketch-book and carry it along when we walk or ride, as we shall every day. And we might read some improving books together,--you and Herbert, and I. He is worse again, poor fellow! so that some days he hardly leaves his couch even to limp across the room, and it"s partly to cheer him up that we want you to come. There"s nothing puts him into better spirits than a sight of your face."
"You don"t expect other company?"
"No, except on our birthday; but then we"re going to have a little party, just of our own set,--we boys and girls that have grown up--or are growing up--together, as one may say. Oh, yes, I want to have Carrie Howard, Mary Leslie, and Enna stay a day or two after the party. Now coax your papa hard, for we must have you," she added, rising to go.
"That would be a sure way to make him say no," said Elsie, smiling; "he never allows me to coax or tease; at least, not after he has once answered my request."
"Then don"t think of it. Good-bye. No, don"t waste time in coming to see me off, but go back to your books like a good child. I mean to have a little chat with your mamma before I go."
Elsie returned to her lessons with redoubled energy. She was longing to become more intimately acquainted with Ellen Montgomery, but resolutely denied herself even so much as a peep at the pages of the fascinating story-book until her allotted tasks should be faithfully performed.
These, with her regular daily exercise in the open air, filled up the morning; there was a half hour before, and another after dinner, which she could call her own; then two hours for needlework, music, and drawing, and she was free to employ herself as she would till bed-time.
That was very apt to be in reading, and if the weather was fine she usually carried her book to an arbor at some distance from the house.
It was reached by a long shaded walk that led to it from the lawn, on which the gla.s.s doors of her pretty boudoir opened. It was a cool, breezy, quiet spot, on a terraced hillside, commanding a lovely view of vale, river, and woodland, and from being so constantly frequented by our heroine, had come to be called by her name,--"Elsie"s Arbor."
Arthur, well acquainted with these tastes and habits, sought, and found her here on the afternoon of this day--found her so deeply absorbed in Miss Warner"s sweet story that she was not aware of his approach--so full of sympathy for little Ellen that her tears were dropping upon the page as she read.
"What, crying, eh?" he said with a sneer, as he seated himself by her side, and rudely pulled one of her curls, very much as he had been used to do years ago. "Well, I needn"t be surprised, for you always were the greatest baby I ever saw."
"Please let my hair alone, Arthur; you are not very polite in either speech or action," she answered, brushing away her tears and moving a little farther from him.
"It"s not worth while to waste politeness on you. What"s that you"re reading?"
"A new book Mr. Travilla gave me."
"Has no name, eh?"
"Yes, "Wide, Wide World.""
"Some namby-pamby girl"s story, I s"pose, since you"re allowed to read it; or are you doing it on the sly?"
"No, I never do such things, and hope I never shall; papa gave me permission."
"Oh; ah! then I haven"t got you in my power: wish I had."
"Why?"
"Because I might turn it to good account. I know you are as afraid as death of Horace."
"No, I am not!" dried Elsie indignantly, rich color rushing all over her fair face and neck; "for I know that he loves me dearly and if I had been disobeying or deceiving him I would far sooner throw myself on his mercy than on yours."
"You would, eh? How mad you are; your face is as red as a beet. A pretty sort of Christian you are, aren"t you?"
"I am not perfect, Arthur; but you mustn"t judge of religion by me."
"I shall, though. Don"t you wish I"d go away?" he added teasingly, again s.n.a.t.c.hing at her curls.
But she eluded his grasp, and rising, stood before him with an air of gentle dignity. "Yes," she said, "since you ask me, I"ll own that I do. I don"t know why it is that, though your manners are polished when you choose to make them so, you are always rude and ungentlemanly to me when you find me alone. So I shall be very glad if you"ll just go away and leave me to solitude and the enjoyment of my book."
"I"ll do so when I get ready; not a minute sooner. But you can get rid of me just as soon as you like. I see you take. Yes, I want that money I asked you for yesterday, and I am bound to have it."
"Arthur, my answer must be just the same that it was then; I can give you no other."
"You"re the meanest girl alive! To my certain knowledge you are worth at least a million and a half, and yet you refuse to lend me the pitiful sum of fifty dollars."
"Arthur, you know I have no choice in the matter. Papa has forbidden me to lend you money without his knowledge and consent, and I cannot disobey him."
"When did he forbid you?"
"A long while ago; and though he has said nothing about it lately, he has told me again and again that his commands are always binding until he revokes them."