"But," said Mrs. West, in perplexity, "the letter said a little girl."
"Yes, I know," said Leonora. "Poor papa always called me his little
girl, and if he had lived until I was an old woman it would have been
the same. And he forgot that you could not possibly know how old I was.
I'm sorry you are disappointed, Aunt West, but I am eighteen years old.
You see, papa was married one year after he went to America--and--"
Just here Captain Lancaster interposed:
"Aren't you going to kiss your niece, Mrs. West?"
"Oh, dear me, yes; I was so surprised, I quite forgot!" cried the good
woman. She went up to Leonora, put her arms around the graceful figure,
and kissed the round cheek.
"Welcome to England, my dear child," she said. "I shall love you
dearly, I am sure. Sit down, do, in this chair, while I take your
things."
And in her flurry she pushed forward the small rocking-chair with
elaborate courtesy, whereat Leonora laughed good-naturedly.
"Either the chair is too small, or I am too big," she said; "I am
afraid to trust myself upon it." She went and sat down on a pretty
old-fashioned sofa. Then she glanced around and saw that Captain
Lancaster had gone.
"Are you disappointed because I am not a little girl, Aunt West?" she
inquired, as she removed her hat and smoothed her rough tresses with
her small, white hands.
"I--I don't know--yet," said the good woman; "I am so flustered by the
surprise, and--and--I wonder what Lady Lancaster will say?"
"What has Lady Lancaster to do with me?" demanded Miss West, in her
pretty, abrupt way, fixing her large eyes wonderingly on her aunt's
face.
"Oh, nothing!" answered Mrs. West, rather vaguely.
"I should think not, indeed," said Leonora, in a very decided tone.
"Are you tired, my dear? Should you like to go to your room and rest?"
inquired the housekeeper, changing the subject.
"No, I am not tired, thank you, aunt; but I will go to my room if you
please," Leonora answered. There was a little disappointment in her
tone. The young face looked sober.
"This way, then, my dear," said Mrs. West. She led the girl through
her own neat bedroom, into a prettier one, small, but furnished with a
white bed, a blue carpet, and some blue chairs--these latter also the
spoils of the garret, but looking very well after the furbishing Mrs.
West had given them.
Leonora cast a rapid, comprehensive glance around her, then went over
to the ewer and bathed her face and hands.
"I hope your room suits you, Leonora," said Mrs. West, lingering, and
half-abashed. Something about the fair, self-possessed girl seemed to
vaguely suggest better things. Beside her grace and beauty the room
looked poor and mean.
"Oh, yes, thank you, aunt," Leonora returned, quietly. She had taken
her combs and brushes out of her dressing-bag now, and Mrs. West saw
that they were an expensive set, pearl and silver-backed, as elegant as
Lady Lancaster's own.
"My dear, could your papa afford handsome things like these?" she said.
Leonora flushed rose red.
"Not always," she said. "But he was very extravagant whenever he had
money. He made a great pet of me, and sometimes--when he had good
luck--he bought the loveliest things for me. Perhaps, if he had taken
more care of his money, you need not have been burdened with the care
of his orphan daughter now."
There was a dejected tone in her voice that went straight to the
housekeeper's womanly heart.
"Oh, you poor fatherless child!" she cried. "Do you think I could mind
dividing my savings with Dick West's child? He was a bonny lad, was
Dick! I always loved him, although he was no real kin to me, and only
my husband's brother."
Leonora's eyes shone very bright now through the tears that filled them.
"Oh, Aunt West, you will love me too a little, then--for poor papa's
sake!" she cried, and Mrs. West answered, with sudden warmth and
tenderness:
"Indeed I will, dear. You shall be like my own daughter to me."
A moment later she added, ruefully:
"I'm sorry I could not have a nicer room for you, Leonora. But, you
see, I thought this would do very well for a child."
"Oh, indeed, it does not matter in the least. I shall not stay in it
much. I shall be out-of-doors nearly all the time."