COULD THIS BE AVERIL?
It was late in the afternoon of the following day that Mr. Harland and
his young companion drove through Kensington.
"You must be very tired, my dear," he observed, in quite a fatherly
manner, for during the last four-and-twenty hours their friendship had
made great progress.
"But no--why should I be tired?" returned the girl, in her pretty
French accent, which he already found so charming. "Monsieur, what has
there been to fatigue me? I have slept so well, oh, perfectly well, in
my little box of a berth. Did not the captain say himself that we had
a grand passage? I was not seasick, not the least little bit in the
world, and yet I have never found myself on a ship before."
"Well, it was a trifle rough toward three o'clock. But you must have
been fast asleep, Miss Annette."
"Yes; and as the waves only rocked me, I was glad, for I did not
much like the ship; the cabin was not so hot and crowded. But
the train--that was more amusing. I could look out on the flying
hedge-rows, and tell myself that this was England--my mother's country.
Even these streets please me, although I find so much noise a little
confusing. Are all your streets so terribly full, monsieur? There is no
room for those poor horses to pass."
"Oh, you should see some of our city streets--Cheapside, or by the
Mansion House. I wonder what you would say to the traffic there?
England is a busy place; people pride themselves on always being in a
hurry. This is quiet enough compared with some of our thoroughfares.
Look at those fine shops. I suppose, like other girls, you are never
weary of admiring smart things?"
"If one's purse were not always empty, it would be a pleasure," she
said, with a sigh; "but to see things is only to long for them, and
that makes one discontented. I think I like better to walk by the
river, or under the trees in the Promenade des Petits Fosses. You
have been there, monsieur. It is pleasant to sit there and watch the
children with their _bonnes_; in the evening it is so cool and shady.
It is there I so often greet my unknown friends. There is a little
French girl who is lame; I think she is a seamstress. Well, I have
seen her so often, that at last I made up my mind I would speak to her.
To-morrow I will say, 'Good-evening'--that was what I promised myself.
But you see, monsieur, it has all come to nothing, for monsieur has
come, and here I am driving with you through these wonderful English
streets."
"Yes, and in another moment we shall be at our destination. Do you see
that large red-brick corner house? That is Redfern House."
"Is it so? But, monsieur, my cousin must be very rich to live in so big
a house; it is larger than our English consul's;" and Annette looked a
trifle disturbed. Mr. Harland saw how the poor child twitched the ends
of her little silk kerchief, and shook the dust off her black serge
gown, while a frightened expression came into her large, soft eyes.
"I don't think Averil cares much for her large house," replied Mr.
Harland. "She is not a bit grand herself, so you need not look so
alarmed, my dear."
"It is foolish to be nervous," she stammered; "and of course you will
be with me, monsieur, and already you seem like an old friend. Ah, we
have stopped, and the door has opened like magic." But in spite of her
effort to speak bravely, Mr. Harland felt how her hand trembled as he
assisted her out of the cab, and could not forbear giving it a kindly
pressure.
The gray-haired butler who received them glanced at the young stranger
with benevolent interest.
"Where is Miss Willmot, Roberts?" asked Mr. Harland.
"She is in her private sitting-room, sir, and she begged you would go
to her there. Mrs. Willmot and the young ladies are dining out."
"Oh, then we shall be alone. Come along, Miss Annette;" and he took
the girl's arm, and conducted her quickly through the large hall, and
down a passage lined with bookcases, which gave it the appearance of a
narrow room. As Roberts opened the door a tiny figure in black appeared
on the threshold, and met them with outstretched hands.
"Ah, you have come at last! I thought you late. But you are very
welcome, Cousin Annette," accompanying the words with a warm kiss. "Mr.
Harland, thank you so much for bringing my cousin. You have acted like
a true friend. Will you sit in this comfortable chair, Annette? You
must be tired out after your long journey."
Annette left this assertion uncontradicted--she had simply no words at
her command. Could this be Averil? her cousin Averil? the mistress
of this grand house, whom she had so longed and dreaded to see? this
little creature, who was no bigger than a child? Why had not Mr.
Harland prepared her? It was impossible to conceal her astonishment,
and, to tell the truth, her disappointment. Happily, Mr. Harland
came to her relief by engaging Averil in a conversation about their
journey. He wanted to explain why they were late; it was owing to
the blockheadedness, as Mr. Harland termed it, of an official at the
custom-house; a couple of minutes would have been sufficient to have
investigated Miss Ramsay's modest luggage; but no, the idiot must
keep them waiting; and so on, detailing the grievance at full length.
Annette did not listen; she was regarding the slight, bent figure and
small, intent face opposite to her. Her cousin Averil was ill, or did
she always look so grave? But no; as she asked herself the question,
Averil broke into a sweet little laugh, and the next minute her quick,
observant eyes took in her cousin's puzzled scrutiny. She flushed
faintly, but the smile did not leave her lips.
"You are surprised to see such a very small person, are you not,
Annette? I suppose if I stood up, Mr. Harland, you would find that my
cousin is a head taller. People always begin by taking me for a child.
I am quite used to it," with easy frankness. "Confess you were saying
to yourself, Annette, 'Surely, this very little person can not be my
cousin Averil, who wrote me that letter.'"
"Oh, you are a witch," returned Annette, blushing, "or you would not
have read my thoughts. But indeed it is I who have been rude. How could
I know how you would look, my cousin? I am ashamed that I have been so
indiscreet."
"You have been nothing of the kind, dear. Why, what nonsense!"--for
Annette was evidently very much ashamed of herself. "You shall think
what you please about me, and I will promise to forgive you if you will
only tell me you are glad to find yourself at home." And here Averil
gave her one of the rare winning smiles that lighted up the little
dark face wonderfully. But she was almost sorry that she had made this
speech when she saw the tears spring to Annette's eyes.
"Home! is it indeed my home?" she said, wistfully, looking round the
room, which was full of beautiful things, and yet had the indescribably
cosy air that belongs to a well-used apartment. Annette had never seen
such a room; even the English consul had nothing to compare with it.
She knew that well, for she had often mended lace for Mrs. Greville,
the consul's wife, and yet they had a fine drawing-room, with red
velvet chairs and lounges. Annette was too bewildered, too ignorant,
to take in details; she was not aware of the value of those cool,
delicious little bits of landscape that hung on the walls, though they
rested her eyes with their suggestion of breezy moorlands and sunny
meadows. She glanced at the carved cabinets and book-cases, the soft
easy-chairs, the flowers, the birds, even the black poodle that lay
on the rug, with a sort of dreamy surprise. "I never thought any home
could be so beautiful," she finished, softly; "it does not seem true
that I am to live in it."
Averil laughed, and then checked a sigh. "I am so glad you like the
look of it," she said, simply. "Will you take off your hat, Annette?
The room is warm, and we are going to have tea. Ah, that looks much
more comfortable," as Annette obeyed her, and smoothed her dark-brown
hair.
"My cousin looks pale, and a little thin," she continued, turning to
Mr. Harland, who was watching the girls with benevolent anxiety. He was
hoping that his little traveling-companion would soon recover herself.
He had not seen her so timid and tongue-tied before. He wished Averil
could hear how prettily she could talk. When she spoke of anything
that interested her, her eyes got quite large and bright. And then how
fluent she could be!
Averil was evidently a patient person; she had made her little attempt
to put her cousin at her ease, and now she seemed inclined to let
things take their course. "She is tired and strange, poor child," she
said to herself, "and she finds it difficult to unbend; presently she
will talk to me of her own accord, for she looks both intelligent and
gentle." As she addressed Mr. Harland, Roberts entered the room with
the tea-things, which he arranged on a low table beside Averil's chair.
"Where is Miss Lottie?" she asked in an undertone; but Roberts did not
know--she had gone out early in the afternoon, and had not returned.
"Ah, to be sure; little Miss Jones generally has tea with you, does she
not, Averil?" observed Mr. Harland.
"I have not seen her since luncheon," she replied, and a slight
shade crossed her face. "I think her aunt must have given her some
commission, for Roberts tells me only Maud and Georgina were in the
carriage. Poor child! she will be tired. I must ask Milner to give her
some tea when she comes in."
"I never knew any one like you, Averil, for looking after people's
little comforts. I wonder what Miss Lottie would do without you, not to
mention a good many other people?"
Mr. Harland spoke in a joking tone, but Averil reddened as though she
detected a compliment. She was pouring out the tea, but as she rose to
carry a cup to Annette the girl started up impulsively.
"But it is not for you to wait on me, my cousin," she said, in quite
a shocked voice. "No one has ever waited on me, or brought tea to me
before."
"But you are tired, and have had a long journey, Annette; besides, I
love to wait on people."
"But you must not love what is wrong," returned Annette, quaintly.
"See, I will place myself beside you at that little table, and then you
will not jump up every minute; will not that be better, my cousin?"
"Yes, dear," and Averil, with quiet tact, made room for the girl
beside her; she even checked Mr. Harland with a glance when he would
have volunteered his services. "Annette has everything within reach
now," she said, pleasantly, and she took no notice when Annette,
with quick officiousness, insisted on waiting on monsieur; on the
contrary, she admired her graceful movements, and the utter want of
self-consciousness that was Annette's chief charm.
"What a pretty figure she has!" she thought, wistfully; "and perhaps,
if she were not so pale, so utterly colorless, her face might be pretty
too; anyhow, it interests me."
Mr. Harland could not stop long; he had to take an early train to
Chislehurst. Before he left he found an opportunity to give one of his
good-natured hints to Averil as she followed him out into the lobby.
"What do you think of her, eh, Averil? But I suppose it is too soon to
ask your opinion. I forgot, too, what a cautious little person you are."
"It is not always wise to speak. I am very much interested in my
cousin; she looks gentle and lady-like, but I should prefer to answer
your question a week later."
"Ah, to be sure--an Averil-like speech. Well, I only want to give you a
hint. She is a little shy, and the idea of all those people frightens
her. Let her be as quiet as possible this first evening."
"My dear Mr. Harland, she will see no one; I have arranged all that.
Mrs. Willmot and the girls are dining out, and I have ordered an
informal supper in my own room. Annette will like that much better,
will she not?"
"I should think so; that is a first-rate idea of yours, Averil. Do you
know I have quite taken to that little French girl? Pshaw! I always
forget she is English. Louie will be quite jealous when I tell her. By
the bye, you must bring her down to see my wife, Averil; she and the
girls will be delighted to make her acquaintance."
"I grieve that monsieur has gone," were Annette's first words as Averil
re-entered the room. "I look upon him as my first friend. Do you know,
I took him for my cousin? When Clotilde announced an English gentlemen
I thought, of course, that it was he. Forgive me, my cousin, if I make
you sad; people are so different; with some it is always silence--it is
as though speech would desecrate their dead; but for me, I am forever
speaking of my mother to Clotilde, to Manon, even to myself. Why should
the name we love most grow strange to one's lips?"
"You are quite right," returned Averil, softly; "if I have not
talked much about my dear father, it is for other reasons." Here she
stammered, hesitated, and then changed the subject.
"Annette, when I read your letter to him I grew quite sad. 'You must
bring her home to me.' That is what I told my good old friend Mr.
Harland. 'We must make her forget her troubles: she shall be like my
own sister.' Shall it be so between us, dear? Do you think you can care
for a poor crooked little body like me?" and her dark sad eyes rested
for a moment yearningly on her young cousin's face.
"Oh, I shall love you--you will see how well I shall love you,"
returned Annette, throwing her arms impulsively round Averil. "What
does it matter how you look, my cousin? Why is it you make such a
speech to me? You have kind eyes--I can trust them. Monsieur tells me
you have a good heart--is it not proof that you have written me that
letter, that you permit me to call this home? Let us not make any more
speeches to each other; it is all understood between us that we are
friends."
Averil's grave face softened. "I have one faithful little friend
already; how pleased I shall be to have another! As I told you, I do so
like taking care of people."
"Oh, but it is I who must wait on you," returned Annette, seriously.
"There is a look on your face, my cousin, as though you were always
thinking; it is not a frown," as Averil looked amused, "and yet your
forehead contracts itself--so," drawing her brows together; "it gives
one a fatigued sense, as though you were too heavily burdened; and you
are grave, and yet you have never known what it is to be poor."
"No; but I have sometimes forgotten to be grateful for my riches.
Annette, you are a shrewd observer; no one here notices my gravity.
But I must not let you go on talking like this. I want to show you your
room, and then you can make any change you like in your dress; not that
it matters to-night"--as Annette's face fell a little--"for, unless
Lottie join us, you and I will be alone. Will you come with me, dear?"
touching her arm, as Annette appeared lost in thought.
The staircase at Redfern House was wide and handsome, and the spacious
landing was fitted up prettily with cabinets of china and stands of
flowers.
"I have chosen a room near mine," continued Averil, quietly; "it is not
very large, but I think you will find it very comfortable."
"Comfortable! oh, it is far, far too grand for me. You must have
made a mistake my cousin;" and Annette's eyes grew large and round.
Perhaps, if Averil had seen the girl's sleeping-room in the Rue St.
Joseph, she might have understood the situation more perfectly; but to
her luxurious ideas there was nothing out of the common in the fresh
cretonne hangings, the pretty, well-appointed furniture, the couch
and writing-table. To be sure, there was nothing wanting to any young
lady's comfort; she had herself placed all kinds of knickknacks on the
toilet-table.
Annette stood by in puzzled ecstasy as her cousin opened the wardrobe
and drawers and then pointed out to her the tasteful little work-basket
and blotting-case. "You will find everything ready for your use. I
hope I have not forgotten anything. It has been such a pleasure to me
fitting up this room. Now I will leave you for a little while to rest
and refresh yourself, and then we will have some more talk;" and with a
nod and a smile Averil withdrew to her own room.