“Theo-_do_-ra!” Drusilla’s broad cadence issued from the pantry window.
Drusilla was the coffee-coloured maid of all work, who was serving
temporarily as mouthpiece for Mrs. Trench. “Come home this minute,
honey. You got to do an errand befoh lunch.”
Theodora reflected that there was time for twenty such errands. And her
perplexity grew when, after a few minutes, she saw Eileen pass through
the wicket gate to take Mrs. Ascott an embroidery pattern from an old
number of the Self Culture magazine. She remembered distinctly that
Mrs. Ascott had said she did not care particularly about it. That was a
week ago. Why had mamma dragged it out now, and sent it over by Eileen?
With all her wizard penetration, the child had never glimpsed the deep
windings of her mother’s mind. Mrs. Ascott could not be counted on
to take a lively interest in two of the Trench children, and for the
present Eileen was the focal point of her mother’s concern. More and
more the conviction grew that this woman from the great outside world
had been sent by Divine Providence to aid in bringing to swift climax
what otherwise might have been a long drawn out affair.
Long engagements were dangerous. Sylvia had been engaged to Tom
Henderson for two years. If she, Lavinia Larimore, had listened to
Calvin, when he begged her to run away and be married, the night he
proposed to her.... It was when she reached this stage in her silent
soliloquy that she determined to have Drusilla call Theodora home, and
send Eileen to Vine Cottage in her stead.