"It is not half as lively and amusing with that old----" "cat," Paulina was probably going to say but for a "hush" from Clodagh, for it was to her young cousin she was whispering on their way to the drawing-room.
"Well--with _her_ here," she continued. "They are all so desperately in awe of her, I can"t understand it."
"But do be careful," urged Clodagh. "She may overhear, and you really should be polite and respectful. As you say yourself, age alone demands it."
"I"m not going to be rude," Paulina replied, and she meant what she said, though in her heart she had not forgiven the reproof she had received, especially as she knew she had deserved it. But just as they were entering the long parlour, Clodagh stopped her.
"Cousin," she said, "I cannot rest with the thought of all our things--yours especially--in such confusion upstairs. Will you allow me to go to our rooms now and arrange them, partly at least? I am sure Mrs.
Marriston and her daughters will excuse me, if you explain to them."
Paulina hesitated. She had a horror of seeming to treat her young relation as an inferior, and yet she saw that it would really be kinder to agree. Just then Thomasine came up to them, and on Paulina"s putting the question to her she took Clodagh"s part.
"Yes," she said, "I think it would be far better than for this child to stay down till late, and then probably not get to bed for ever so long." For the Marristons fully understood the position. So Clodagh, much relieved, bade Thomasine a cheerful good-night and ran off.
She worked hard--unpacking, separating, to some extent packing again, for the weather was very hot and she knew that certain clothes could not possibly be required during the few days of their stay at the Priory.
She was quick and intelligent and sensible, still she was very young and her task was not an easy one, and but for her extreme anxiety to be of real use to her cousin, she would almost have despaired of managing it.
"But it would never do for me to lose heart at the first start," she said to herself, "and of course, unless I prove fit for the post, Paulina could not afford to keep me with her, as Lady Roseley explained.
For she is not _very_ rich, and it is such a blessing to be with her instead of with strangers who knew nothing about me except that I was poor and homeless."
So she cheered up and worked on bravely. The evenings were long, for it was barely past midsummer, and the dinner had been early, so she had time enough to arrange her cousin"s belongings, though she had scarcely touched her own, when Paulina made her appearance yawning and wishing herself in bed.
"Good gracious, child!" she exclaimed, as she caught sight of Clodagh, "are you at it still? Why, I expected to find you undressed at least, if not in bed. But I must say you seem to have a head on your shoulders. My things look most methodically arranged. And how about your own?"
"Oh," said Clodagh, much pleased, in spite of feeling very sleepy and tired, "I shall soon get them done. I will not make any noise if you go to bed now, but I should like to feel things were tidy before----"
But Paulina interrupted her.
"Nonsense," she said. "I insist on your going to bed yourself. Just get out what is absolutely necessary. You can finish in the morning, and remember," she went on, for she was standing with the door open, and the corridor was still enc.u.mbered, "remember to ask the servants to pile up or carry away some of these boxes. One can scarcely get in and out of the rooms. I wish your luggage were a little more concentrated. You have such a number of small cases and bags."
"Yes," Clodagh agreed. "You see I have never travelled any distance till now," and she eyed her goods and chattels somewhat disconsolately.
"We must arrange about it," said Paulina vaguely. "But now, get to bed quickly," and after all, Clodagh felt that she really was getting too sleepy to do more than was unavoidable, and in a short time both girls were fast asleep, Clodagh"s last waking thought being a resolve to get up very early indeed to complete her arrangements.
"I wish I could have got it all done to-night, but anyway the confusion outside could not be cleared till to-morrow."
She was tired and she slept soundly, still not quite dreamlessly. One very queer experience she had, and even when she was wide-awake, and daylight streaming in, she could not make up her mind if it had been dream or reality.
This was it, "and," she said to herself, "I am almost certain I was awake."
It was midsummer weather, as I said, so the window was wide open, and suddenly through the silence Clodagh heard a familiar sound. It was that of bees humming. It grew nearer and nearer, and opening her eyes--or dreaming that she did so--she looked up. The room was flooded with moonlight, and in it she perceived the source of the sound. Two large bees were buzzing about, very busy apparently, but as there were no flowers on the table or mantelpiece, Clodagh wondered sleepily what could have attracted them.
"I hope they won"t sting me," she thought, for the humming grew nearer, and then, strange to say, out of it gradually soft-whispering words shaped themselves.
"Don"t wake her, whatever you do," said one bee. "She is fast asleep and we must obey orders."
"But we can"t help humming," murmured the other.
"Well, hum gently. It will soothe her, and let us set to work, for there is plenty to do before daylight."
That was all she heard, and soothe her the sound must have done, for she knew nothing more till she really and unmistakably awoke, to see the sunshine--the lovely, clear early summer morning sunshine--pouring in, to hear the dear birds welcoming another happy beautiful day.
Clodagh started up. She had never felt fresher or brighter; all last night"s tiredness had gone. She was used to early rising, and felt that to stay lazily in bed was impossible.
"It would be delicious out-of-doors," she thought, "but I _must_ finish the tidying and sorting, if possible before Paulina awakes," and she sprang out of bed.
But--she rubbed her eyes--was she dreaming? The cupboards, of which there were two in the old-fashioned room, the roomy chest of drawers, all stood open, as if to exhibit their contents and demand approval, and in them were arranged with the perfection of neatness and judiciousness all her possessions, last night in disorder and barely unpacked. And on a chair lay her garments for the day, not only those she had herself placed there, but a spotless cool white gown--much cooler than the black one she had travelled with--the very one she had been hoping to get out and don that morning.
"Have I done it all in my sleep?" she asked, and then some undefined feeling made her open the door and peep out into the pa.s.sage. Wonder of wonders! All the confusion had disappeared. There stood there, in dignified importance, two roomy, substantial trunks only, one of which she recognised as her cousin"s princ.i.p.al one, with her initials in small bra.s.s nails on the lid, the other, similar in make and appearance, with the first letters of her own two names marked in the same way. The very sort of thing she had begun to long for since seeing Paulina"s.
She lifted the lid--a series of trays was disclosed, and examining further, she perceived at the bottom, most beautifully folded, all her own thicker clothing, gowns and woollens quite unsuitable for present wear, and as she went on in breathless excitement to peer into her cousin"s, there was the same arrangement. The very garments she had herself put aside for the present, the evening before, lay there undisturbed, or rather, she suspected, far more exquisitely folded than she had left them. And all the rest, the bandboxes and carpet-bags and unbusiness-like odds and ends she had brought over the sea, had disappeared, as if by magic.
"And magic it is," she said to herself, for, as she stood there listening, a clock in the distance struck five, not another sound or rustle was to be heard. Not a soul was as yet astir in the old house.
Clodagh danced back into her room.
"The fairies are afield," she sang to herself softly. Never had she felt so gay and light-hearted. "I shall dress and run out into the garden,"
she thought. "There is nothing to keep me indoors. Everything is safe"--for the heavy despatch-box she knew to be in Paulina"s keeping.
"What will the servants think when they see it?"
What they did think was that each thought the others had cleared away the pile of the young ladies" luggage, leaving only what was required.
Or at least, as no questions were asked, no remarks made, they probably thought so, if they thought about it at all! Perhaps their curiosity was put to sleep by some uncanny though not maleficent influence. Who can say?
And in a very short time Clodagh was ready, and hat in hand, looking like the very spirit of the morning in person, she ran downstairs to find the old hall-porter sleepily unbarring the great door, though, sleepy as he was, he could not restrain a smile of admiration and a respectful "You be early about, Miss," to which she laughingly replied, "Who could help it, once they were awake, on such a morning?"
Yet another surprise awaited her, as you shall hear.
The Priory grounds were fairly extensive and delightfully quaint. Great laurel hedges, alternating with curiously high-clipped yews, and some magnificent elms added to the impression of s.p.a.ce, as well as to that sort of pleasant "mystery" without which no garden is thoroughly fascinating.
"What a lovely place to explore!" said Clodagh to herself, as she turned down one long shady path, streaked here and there with the early sun-rays filtering through the foliage. Then a sound reached her ears, which recalled her experience of the night before. It was the humming of bees. She stood still for a moment to listen, feeling as if she were on the confines of some enchanted region. Then slowly, treading very softly, she went on. Yes--in a minute or two she saw at the end of the path a huge beautiful beehive, its inhabitants flying in and out, buzzing away, like the busy creatures they are. And in front of it stood a quaint little figure, whom Clodagh this time had no difficulty in at once recognising as the mysterious "Cousin Felicity" again.
Her laces and diamonds of the evening before seemed a dream, though her dress was dainty enough, much finer in quality than the very homely attire in which Clodagh had first seen her. It was a gown of flowered chintz, of the delicate colouring and excellent material that one now and again finds treasured among family relics--such as "my great-grandmother"s" or even "great-great-grandmother"s dresses." And the skirt was drawn through the pocket-holes in the orthodox old-fashioned way, showing the pink cotton petticoat and the neat little high-heeled shoes. The whole figure, as she stood with her back to the new-comer, was so trim and slim and youthful, that it gave almost a shock to Clodagh when the little lady turned suddenly and she caught sight of the tiny, withered, white face, surmounted by a kind of mob cap, from beneath which escaped a few soft grey curls. Yet it was evident that Cousin Felicity was in very good health and spirits, for she smiled beamingly as she accosted the young girl.
"The top of the morning to you, my dear," she said. "That"s your national greeting, is it not? I knew you were not a lie-abed. Well, and how wags the world with you? I have been visiting my friends here, you see. We understand each other, these clever little creatures and I," and she fixed her bright eyes on Clodagh.
For a moment or two Clodagh stood silent. Then a smile broke over her face.
"Madam, lady, what shall I call you?" she exclaimed. "I must say it. I know the truth. You _are_ a fairy. It is you I have to thank for what has been done to help me in the night!"
"Call me what you please, my dear, when we are alone," said the old lady, "but keep what you know, or suspect--rather more than the actual fact, by the bye," she added--"keep it to yourself. I know you are discreet, otherwise I could not be of service to you as I intend to be.
Now tell me, child, what are your troubles or anxieties, for some I know you have----"
"I don"t feel as if I had any at all this morning," Clodagh interrupted laughingly.
"Ah, well--so much the better, it shows a healthy nature," was the reply. "But, tell me, is that very autocratic young woman, your cousin, good to you? Are you happy to be with her?"
"Yes, yes, truly I am," Clodagh replied eagerly. "That is to say, I feel sure I am going to be so. You see we only met again yesterday, after not having seen each other for several years, not since I have been grown-up. But I must explain. Paulina is very kind. I am sorry she was rude to you yesterday. She was sorry herself afterwards, but she is only quick-tempered and spoilt. She has a kind heart. When my dear grandmother died I should have been homeless, forced to earn my living with strangers, but for her," and by this time Clodagh"s eyes were filled with tears.
Cousin Felicity nodded her head slowly, and in a moment or two she spoke again.