THINGS STRAIGHTEN OUT.
It is three months later, a lovely evening in June, and the back garden
of No. 2 Heather Road was a blaze of fine flowers, and under the
apple-tree in the centre of the lawn sat four girls in dresses which
looked a little too elaborate and costly for a quiet tea in a little
suburban villa.
So apparently thought the thrifty old housekeeper, who came out in a
plain alpaca gown, and said, 'Ah, my bairns, but you'll soil your
beautiful frocks sitting on those garden-seats!'
'We can't possibly wear our ordinary frocks to-day, nursie; it would be
a dreadful come down. Why! you have taken off your "silken gown," and
it's Stella's wedding-day!' cried Vava merrily.
Evidently she had forgiven her sister the surprise she had given her on
that eventful breaking-up day, for she looked the picture of happiness.
'And do you think I'm going to cook in a silk gown, whatever the day?
No, indeed! it's safely packed away, as yours ought to be, young
leddies!'
'We are going back to the workaday world to-morrow, nursie; let us stop
in fairyland for to-day,' said Eva.
Mrs. Morrison smiled at her; they all called her nursie now, even Doreen
had been allowed this privilege, and that was not the only privilege she
had been allowed, for, to her amazement, she had been invited to be a
bridesmaid to her goddess of beauty at the quiet wedding at a West-End
church. Perhaps Vava was as surprised as Doreen; Amy and Eva she
understood, but Doreen she had not expected to be asked, although the
Stella of the last three months had been a Stella she had not known
before.
Stella had explained it very simply. 'I should like to have those who
have been good to me in my days of adversity,' she said, 'and among
these were the Hackneys.'
And the four fashionably dressed girls were Stella's four bridesmaids,
for Mr. James had begged for an early wedding; and when Stella demurred
because of the new responsibilities she had taken upon her with the new
house, Mrs. Morrison had come to the rescue, and offered to keep house
for Amy and Eva.
'But, nursie,' Stella had said, 'we want you at Lomore; your rooms are
there waiting for you, and why should you stay down here away from your
home when there is no need?'
'There is need, Miss Stella; they need me, and I could not leave them
just now. Your first duty is to your husband; mine is dead, and I am of
use here; but I'll come up home for a holiday in the summer when my
young leddies take theirs.'
Then Vava stoutly announced that if nursie stayed at No. 2 Heather Road
so should she; and if she had not quite meant it, for Lomore was home to
her too, the gleam of joy in Mrs. Morrison's eye at the suggestion
decided her.
At this Stella protested still more strongly; but it was really a way
out of a difficulty, for Vava was very happy at school and with Mrs.
Morrison, and she would spend the long summer holidays at Lomore, and in
the autumn Stella would be at her town house, and Vava could be
constantly with her.
And so the tangled skein straightened itself out, and the little
household at No. 2 Heather Road went on very happily.
Eva was acting up to her suggested motto of 'Save' to such good purpose
that, thanks to overtime and rigid self-denial, encouraged by Mrs.
Morrison, she had paid off half her debt.
'Fancy, fifteen pounds in three months! At that rate I shall soon be
able to look the whole world in the face!' she cried as she handed the
last instalment of the fifteen pounds to the kindly creditor.
Mrs. Morrison was as pleased as the girl; not that she was anxious to
have the money back, but that she wanted Eva to be out of debt.
Stella, whom her short spell of poverty had made thoughtful on such
matters, gave the bridesmaids their dresses, which meant best
summer-frocks and hats for them all, and saved Eva that expense; and of
pleasures they had no lack, for Mr. Montague Jones's car was always
running down to Blackstead.
Mrs. Montague Jones could not adopt Vava, but she insisted on
considering her a relation, and Vava never felt lonely, even while
Stella was away on her honeymoon. And when she returned, on her way up
north, she fetched Vava and Mrs. Morrison, and took them to Lomore with
her that they might be with her when she went to the home of her
fathers, and see the welcome she received.
And it was a warm welcome, a welcome to the late Laird's daughter and to
the new young Laird, who had won for himself golden opinions during the
short time he had reigned there, for his father had made over the
property to his son when, unknown to Stella, and before he had been
engaged to her, he had sought out her special protegees and assured them
of his friendship.
'All that time ago!' commented Vava; but she thought it best to refrain
from alluding to the time when Stella behaved so badly to her present
husband that she (Vava) had pitied him. 'Grown-up people are odd. I
prefer schoolgirls myself; you can understand them,' she said with
emphasis.
THE END.
BOOKS FOR GIRLS
BY MAY BALDWIN.
HOLLY HOUSE AND RIDGE'S ROW
A CITY SCHOOLGIRL
A SCHOOLGIRL OF MOSCOW
TWO SCHOOLGIRLS OF FLORENCE
PEG'S ADVENTURES IN PARIS
THE SUNSET ROCK
MURIEL AND HER AUNT LU
MYSIE: A Highland Lassie