MOLLIE'S WELCOME.
THE train was speeding towards London, bearing Gertrude to her new home.
The partings had all been said. Oh, the terrible wrench it was to leave
her mother, to know that henceforth she must be left to Phyllis's care
and thoughtfulness!
Then Phyllis! How her large eyes had filled with tears, and how sober
her sweet face had looked as she realized for the first time her
responsibilities as sole home-daughter!
And then the third parting had perhaps been the worst of all, because
the feeling on both sides had not been able to be expressed.
"Will you think of me and trust me, Gertrude?" was all that Otto's dry
lips had been able to falter.
And Gertrude had put her hand in his, and had answered a very quiet,
"Yes, Otto," as their eyes met.
Now, seated in the train, she felt as if she would like to have been
able to live the last twelve hours over again.
Towards afternoon a cab drove up to that certain road near Hampstead
where the Shaddocks lived, and Gertrude and her two modest boxes were
deposited within the hall of her new home.
"Good afternoon, Miss Ashlyn," said a tall, pleasant-looking girl of
about thirteen, coming out of the dining-room, where she had been
waiting on purpose to receive her governess. "Mother is out just now,
but told me to make you welcome."
"Thank you," said Gertrude. "Are you Mollie?"
"Yes. Will you like to remove your things, or will you have some tea
first?"
The prospect of a cup of tea after her long journey looked very
inviting, and gave Gertrude a pleasant impression of her new
surroundings that such a thing should have been thought of.
"Stay!" said Mollie, ere she could reply. "I will have it brought to
your room; you will feel more at home so."
"She won't!" said Ned, peeping in at the door and hearing his sister's
remark. "People don't get at home in their bedrooms! Besides, I want to
see Miss Ashlyn, and if you shut her up there, I shan't."
Mollie tossed her head at this advice. While Ned came forward on
Gertrude's holding out her hand, with an awkward attempt to be at his
ease.
"I shall soon be at home, I dare say," said Gertrude, as brightly as
she could, though her heart felt like a lump of lead, and she would
like to have hidden her face and had a good cry.
"Come up-stairs, Miss Ashlyn," said Mollie then, "and do not mind Ned.
He is always rude."
The matter-of-fact tone of this revelation was very astonishing, but
Mollie left no time for Ned's rejoinder, as she tripped on before,
having taken up Gertrude's umbrella and waterproof in her hand.
"This is your room," she said, when they had gained the top floor. "You
will find a nice view from the windows, which 'I' think compensates for
the stairs!"
"Beautiful!" said Gertrude.
"Susan will bring up your boxes in a moment. Oh! Here she is with your
tea. We shall have high-tea at seven o'clock. When you are ready, if
you will ring, Susan will tell me, and I will come up to show you the
way down."
"Thank you, Mollie," said Gertrude gratefully. "You seem to have
thought of everything!"
The girl looked rather astonished, but answered, abruptly, "Oh, that is
nothing. I hope your tea will be good."
She left the room, and Gertrude laid her bonnet down and threw off her
jacket, just as two maids came to her door with her boxes.
They were soon uncorded, the servants glancing at her a little
curiously, though not unkindly. And then the door was shut and she was
alone.
She looked round; her room was large and well-furnished, with a
somewhat low ceiling, but the window was wide and low too, giving an
impression of space and expanse very cheering to the country girl, who
had dreaded brick walls and endless roofs.
No walls or roofs, at least near ones, obtruded themselves on her view.
Before her stretched the gardens of neighbouring houses, and beyond
these were a few more distant streets of villas, shut in finally by
green hills and fields, with Highgate spire in the distance.
Then she turned her attention to her tea. On the dainty tray was
a pretty tea-set with a plate of sandwiches and some cake for her
refreshment.
So she sat down to partake of it, leaving her boxes and all else till
she should have tasted that fragrant cup which had been prepared.
Greatly revived, and feeling that the world looked decidedly less dark
than it had done a quarter of an hour ago, she rose and prepared to
unpack her boxes, having gathered that this was what Mollie expected
her to do.
The things which had taken so long to work at and pack at home, took
but little time to take out of the box and arrange neatly in the
wardrobe. All was done very quickly, and then she stood ready to begin
her new life.
"This is the last time I shall be mistress of my own time," she said to
herself with a little smile on her lips. "How strange it will seem!"
Then she knelt down by the bed, and asked that she might be blessed in
this home and be made a blessing.
Then she rang her bell, as directed, and waited Mollie's appearance
with beating heart.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]