"Baby!" cried the little girl, with a joyous shout, clapping her chubby hands, "pretty baby Elsie take"; and the small arms were held out entreatingly.
"No, Elsie is too little to hold it," said her papa; "but she may kiss it very softly."
The child availed herself of the permission, then gently patting the newcomer, repeated her glad cry, "Baby, pretty baby."
"Elsie"s little brother," said her mamma, tenderly. "Now, dearest, let mammy take her away," she added, sinking back on her pillows with a weary sigh.
He complied, then bent over her with a look of concern. "I should not have brought her in," he said anxiously; "it has been too much for you."
"But I wanted so to see her delight. One more kiss, papa, before you go, and then I"ll try to sleep."
Elsie did not recover so speedily and entirely as before, after the birth of her first babe; and those to whom she was so dear grew anxious and troubled about her.
"You want change, daughter," Mr. Dinsmore said, coming in one morning and finding her lying pale and languid on a sofa; "and we are all longing to have you at home. Do you feel equal to a drive over to the Oaks?"
"I think I do, papa," she answered, brightening. "Edward took me for a short drive yesterday, and I felt better for it."
"Then, dearest, come home to your father"s house and stay there as long as you can; bring babies and nurses and come. Your own suite of rooms is quite ready for you," he said, caressing her tenderly.
"Ah, papa, how nice to go back and feel at home in my own father"s house again," she said, softly stroking his head with her thin white hand as he bent over her, the sweet soft eyes, gazing full into his, br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with love and joy. "I shall go, if Edward doesn"t object. I"d like to start this minute. But you haven"t told me how poor mamma is to-day?"
"Not well, not very much stronger than you are, I fear," he answered, with a slight sigh. "But your coming will do her a world of good. Where is Travilla?"
"Here, and quite at your service," replied Mr. Travilla"s cheery voice, as he came in from the garden with his little daughter in his arms.
He set her down, and while he exchanged greetings with Mr. Dinsmore, she ran to her mother with a bouquet of lovely sweet-scented spring blossoms they had been gathering "for mamma."
"Thank you, mother"s darling," Elsie said, accepting the gift and tenderly caressing the giver; "you and papa, too. But see who is here?"
The child turned to look, and with a joyous cry "G"anpa!" ran into his outstretched arms.
"Grandpa"s own wee pet," he said, hugging the little form close and covering the baby face with kisses. "Will you come and live with grandpa in his home for awhile?"
"Mamma? papa too?" she asked, turning a wistful look on them.
"Oh, yes; yes indeed, mamma and papa too."
"Baby?"
"Yes, baby and mammies and all. Will you come?"
"May Elsie, mamma?"
"Yes, pet; we will all go, if your papa is willing." And her soft eyes sought her husband"s face with a look of love and confidence that said she well knew he would never deny her any good in his power to bestow.
"I have been proposing to my daughter to take possession again, for as long a time as she finds it convenient and agreeable, of her old suite of rooms at the Oaks. I think the change would do her good, and perhaps you and the little ones also," Mr. Dinsmore explained.
"Thank you; I think it would. When will you go, little wife?"
"Papa proposes taking me at once."
"My carriage is at the door, and this is the pleasantest part of the day,"
remarked Mr. Dinsmore.
"Ah, yes; then take Elsie with you, and I will follow shortly with children and servants. There is no reason in the world why she should not go, if she wishes, and stay as long as she likes."
The change proved beneficial to Elsie; it was so pleasant to find herself again a member of her father"s family; and that even without a short separation from her husband and little ones.
Here, too, absent from the scenes so closely a.s.sociated with the memory of her beloved mother-in-law, she dwelt less upon her loss, while at the same time she was entertained and cheered by constant intercourse with father, Rose, and young brother and sister. It was indeed a cheering thing to all parties to be thus brought together for a time as one family in delightful social intercourse.
Yet, though the invalids improved in spirits, and to some extent in other respects, they did not regain their usual strength, and the physicians recommending travel, particularly a sea voyage, it was finally decided to again visit Europe for an indefinite period, the length of their stay to depend upon circ.u.mstances.
It was in June, 1860, they left their homes; and traveling northward, paid a short visit to relatives and friends in Philadelphia; then took the steamer for Europe.
A few weeks later found them cozily established in a handsome villa overlooking the beautiful bay of Naples.
They formed but one family here as at the Oaks; each couple having their own private suite of apartments, while all other rooms were used in common and their meals taken together; an arrangement preferred by all; Mr.
Dinsmore and his daughter especially rejoicing in it, as giving them almost as much of each other"s society as before her marriage.
In this lovely spot they planned to remain for some months, perchance a year; little dreaming that five years would roll their weary round ere they should see home and dear native land again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST.
"He who loves not his country can love nothing."
--BYRON.
"There were sad hearts in a darken"d home, When the brave had left their bower; But the strength of prayer and sacrifice Was with them in that hour."
--MRS. HEMANS.
The sea voyage had done much for the health of both ladies, and the soft Italian air carried on the cure. Mr. Dinsmore, too, had recovered his usual strength, for the first time since his attack of fever.
There was no lack of good society at their command; good both socially and intellectually. American, English, Italian, French, etc.; many former friends and acquaintances and others desiring to be introduced by these; but none of our party felt disposed at that time to mix much with the outside world.
Elsie"s deep mourning was for her sufficient excuse for declining all invitations; while Rose could plead her still precarious state of health.
She wore no outward badge of mourning for Mrs. Travilla, but felt deep and sincere grief at her loss; for the two had been intimate and dear friends for many years, the wide disparity in age making their intercourse and affection much like that of mother and daughter.
The condition of political affairs in their own country was another thing that caused our friends to feel more exclusive and somewhat reluctant to mingle with those of other nationalities. Every mail brought them letters and papers from both North and South, and from their distant standpoint they watched with deep interest and anxiety the course of events fraught with such momentous consequences to their native land.
Neither Mr. Dinsmore nor Mr. Travilla had ever been a politician; but both they and their wives were dear lovers of their country, by which they meant the whole Union. The three who were natives of the South acknowledged that that section was dearer to them than any other, but that the whole was nearer and dearer than any part; while Rose said "she knew no difference; it was all her own beloved native land, to her mind one and indivisible."
They led a cheerful, quiet life in their Italian home, devoting themselves to each other and their children; Mr. Dinsmore acting the part of tutor to young Horace, as he had done to Elsie.
Her little ones were the pets and playthings of the entire household, while she and their father found the sweetest joy in caring for them and watching over and a.s.sisting the development of their natures, mental, moral, and physical. Their children would never be left to the care and training of servants, however faithful and devoted.