"We all want him. What is to become of us without our father? I feel
as if I could never be happy again, but he said I must be. `Be as happy
as you can,' he said, `and make other people happy too. Never trouble a
bit about your lessons, but go on loving and making sunshine, and you'll
do a great work in the world.' Those were the very last words I heard
him speak."
It was a somewhat free translation, so far as lessons were concerned,
and the girls realised as much, being accustomed to Pixie and her ways,
but they allowed that part of the story to pass without comment, and
referred only to what was obviously a literal repetition.
"Well, then, of course, you must obey his last words! It would not be
like a good daughter if you didn't. You must go on loving us, and
making us happy, and we shall all be wretched if we see you fretting.
You do make us happy, you know, Pixie! We have been ever so much
livelier since you came. I think it ought to cheer anyone to know that
she can make thirty-three people happy, don't you, now?"
"Can I--can I really?" Pixie inquired wistfully. "I'm glad of that,
and I will try, but I can't help fretting a little first! I don't think
the Major would like it if I didn't fret for him." And at this moment
Miss Phipps came into the room and put an end to the conference.
"I can't let you sit up a moment longer, you weary little girl! Say
`Good-night' at once, and one of the girls shall go upstairs with you,
and help you to undress. Which will you have?"
Pixie looked from one to the other of her companions with uncertain
gaze. Where everyone was so kind it was hard to choose. Ethel had not
tossed her head once since she entered the room; Kate kept taking off
her spectacles, and polishing them on her handkerchief; Flora looked so
kind and comfortable; the "Bridgie's expression" was stronger than ever
in Margaret's eyes; but there was a something in Lottie's face--a
humble, wistful longing which was to be found nowhere else.
"Lottie, please!" she cried quickly; and the other girls realised at
once that the cure had begun, for Pixie was already forgetting herself,
and considering how she could make other people happy!
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
THE SISTERS' VISIT.
Pixie did not go home for the Easter holidays, for everything at the
Castle was so sad and unsettled that Bridgie felt it advisable that she
should stay away a little longer, and an invitation from Mr and Mrs
Vane came as a happy alternative.
On the whole she spent a happy three weeks, thoroughly enjoying the
luxury of her surroundings and the attention lavished upon her by every
member of the household. Mr Vane still remained grey and serious, but
he was unfailingly kind; while his wife belonged to the type designated
by schoolgirls as "simple darlings," and seemed to find no greater
pleasure in life than in making young people happy. It was evident that
they were both devoted to their only remaining child, though there was a
reserve in their manner which seemed to Irish Pixie perilously allied to
coldness. She was all unconscious that her own fearless intimacy of
manner made a precedent for little demonstrations of affection which had
hitherto been unknown in the household; but so it was, and her host and
hostess felt that they owed her a second debt of gratitude, whenever
Lottie volunteered a caress, or added a second kiss to the morning
greeting. Perhaps, in their determination to overcome their daughter's
faults, they had erred on the side of firmness, and so brought about
another temptation in the girl's terror of discovery; and if this were
so, what better instrument could have been found to draw them together
than fearless, loving, audacious Pixie?
When the time came to return to school, she received many pressing
invitations to return to a home where she would always be welcome, and
was able truthfully to assure the girls at Holly House that Lottie had
been "an angel" to her throughout the holidays.
After that the ordinary routine went on for a few weeks, broken by
nothing more exciting than the weekly letters from home; then came an
episode of thrilling interest, when Geoffrey Hilliard was shown into the
drawing-room, and Miss O'Shaughnessy summoned from her class and sent
upstairs to brush her hair, before going to interview him. He was
leaning against the mantelpiece as she entered, looking very tall and
handsome in his long frock coat, and he was smiling to himself with a
curious shiny look in his eyes, which at once arrested Pixie's
attention.
"How are you, Pixie? How are you, dear little girl?" he cried
gushingly.
Pixie remarked that she was in excellent health, privately not a little
taken aback by his fervour. "He seems mighty fond of me, all of a
sudden. Over at Bally William he didn't care half so much. I suppose
he missed me, after I'd gone!" She smiled at him encouragingly. "And
you are looking very well yourself. I'm pleased to see you!"
"I am very well, Pixie. Happiness agrees with me. I'm very happy--the
happiest man in the world! Do you know why? I am going to be married.
I came on purpose to tell you. Can you guess who `She' is?"
"How could I guess? I don't know your friends. There's no one at all
that it could be, unless, perhaps--"
Pixie stopped short suddenly, as certain memories darted into her mind.
The extraordinary manner in which Mr Hilliard was always appearing at
Knock Castle during the Christmas holidays; his interest in everything
Esmeralda did and said; the fixity of his gaze upon the beautiful face.
She gasped and blinked with surprise. "Not--_not_ Esmeralda?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Esmeralda, of course! Clever girl to guess so well!
It was settled only last Wednesday, and she sent me across to tell you
first thing, and ask your consent, as she couldn't be properly engaged
without it. You see this is an important matter for me, so you really
must be kind, for I can't give up Esmeralda, after waiting for her so
long. Will you have me for another brother, and let me do all I can to
make you happy?"
"I'm glad it isn't Bridgie," sighed Pixie irrelevantly; then, fearing
that she had failed in politeness, "But Esmeralda is nice too," she
added quickly. "She can't help having a temper, but she won't show it
to you, like she did to her brothers and sisters. And she _is_
beautiful! I've seen photographs of people they call beautiful here,
and they are frights compared with her. I suppose I can have her room
after she's married! It's got one of the turret windows, and I always
wanted it because of the view. I hope you will be happy, Mr Hilliard.
It was very kind of you to come and tell me. I'll write and ask
Esmeralda if I may be a bridesmaid."
Hilliard laughed, and muttered something about "sisterly candour." He
did not seem in the least alarmed at the thought of Esmeralda's temper,
and settled the bridesmaid question there and then with the utmost
confidence.
"Of course you shall be bridesmaid. The wedding will be in the summer
holidays, but you will see your sisters before then. You knew, of
course, that they were trying to let the Castle for a few years, until
Jack makes his fortune, and goes back to live there himself. Well, I am
glad to say a tenant has been found through a lawyer, and that
everything is satisfactorily arranged. He takes possession on the first
of September, and Bridgie is coming to live in London with Jack and the
boys, in a nice little flat, where you can spend your holidays. She
said I was to tell you that, and to say that you were not to fret for
the Castle, for you would see much more of each other than if she had
remained over there. She is coming to town in summer to look for the
flat, and Esmeralda is coming too, to buy fineries for the wedding, and
then we will all return to Ireland and have a quiet little wedding, and
you shall keep Bridgie company when I carry Esmeralda away. That's the
summer programme. I hope you approve!"
"I hate the man who's coming to Knock," said Pixie sadly; "but I am glad
Bridgie will be near, and it will be lovely on holidays. It must feel
strange to live in a flat; like being in a cage. I am sorry for the
people beneath, when the boys get romping round. If I were Bridgie, I'd
take a house, and then we could make as much noise as we liked. It's no
use pretending that we are a quiet family, because we're not. You might
think it was an army, to hear us tramp downstairs!"
"I--I think myself that a house would be more suitable!" said Hilliard,
smiling his humorous twisted smile; then he asked to see Mademoiselle,
and when he said to her in her turn that he had a piece of news to
impart, she nodded her head gaily, and cried, "So, so! I 'ope you will
be very 'appy!" and could not be induced to say that she was in the
least surprised. Pixie hoped that none of the girls would ask about the
new brother's business; for, after boasting of possible dukes, it was
really rather humiliating to come down to glue! What a comfort that
Lottie had turned over a new leaf, and abandoned her snobbish,
inquisitive questionings!
After that it was a case of counting the days until the arrival of the
sisters, and Pixie's companions were almost as excited as herself at the
prospect of seeing the much-talked-of Bridgie and Esmeralda in the
flesh. Miss Joan announced her intention of taking advantage of the
July sales to buy her trousseau--a delightful arrangement, for by the
time that dressmakers had done their work the holidays would begin, so
that the girls could be present at the great breaking-up festival, and
afterwards act as companions on the journey home. Pixie's elastic
spirits went up with a bound, and every week they grew higher and
higher, until at last it became a question of days, and Bridgie's letter
must needs be addressed to Jack's lodgings instead of Knock Castle, for
by the time it was delivered the dear visitors would have arrived in
town.
"Please come to see me soon," ran the letter, "and be sure to look your
nicest, because of the girls! They all want to see you, and I've told
them such lots about you. Please ask Miss Phipps to let me come out
often. Wednesday is the best day, because it's half-holiday, only I
should like other days better, because I should get off prep. Please
wear your best clothes!"
The two sisters laughed heartily over this missive, but Pixie's word was
law, and as usual they obeyed her instructions to the letter. A
telegram was sent off next morning to announce the hour in the afternoon
at which they hoped to call, and the morning was spent to such good
purpose that two most elegant and fashionable-looking young ladies drove
up to Holly House shortly before four o'clock. The third-form girls
were, to a man, peeping through the curtains of their classroom; Ethel
had left her music in the drawing-room, and rushed downstairs to reclaim
it the moment the door-bell rang; Kate suddenly felt it impossible to
live without a clean handkerchief, and on her way upstairs waited round
the corner of the hall until she could meet the visitors face to face;
Flora peeped through the banisters, and snored so loudly in her
excitement that she was in instant danger of discovery; and Pixie rushed
like a whirlwind from the top of the house, and flung herself into
Bridgie's arms.
They hugged and kissed, and kissed and hugged again, and fell apart to
gaze with eyes that suddenly brimmed with tears. No need to ask the
cause! The remembrance of the Major was in each heart, but Bridgie
dried her eyes, and said, as if answering the unspoken lament--
"But we have so much to be thankful for! Such a splendid let for the
Castle, and Jack so good, trying to find work for the boys, and Geoffrey
like another brother, and Esmeralda so happy."
No question about that! Esmeralda was radiant, more beautiful than
ever, and astonishingly grand. So was Bridgie! The little sister gazed
from one to the other with kindling eyes. Black dresses with tails to
them; fluffy gauze boas with ends floating to the knees; hats that were
not hats, but crinkled, brimless things like the Surbiton ladies wore in
the afternoons, and so light and gauzy that they might have been blown
away with a breath.
"You _are_ fine!" she gasped, and the girls laughed and cried merrily.
"We had our instructions, you see! We dared not come down until we had
bought new hats and gloves; and we put on our very best clothes for the
girls' benefit."
"And jewellery!" added Esmeralda; and Pixie looked at her with an even
more critical scrutiny. There was a little diamond brooch sparkling
among the laces at her throat. "Geoffrey gave me that!" There was a
gold bangle round her wrist, with a heart-shaped locket dangling from
the clasp. "Geoffrey gave me that!" There was a dainty little watch
pinned on to her dress. "Geoffrey gave me that!"
"Deary me," quoth Pixie at last, "it must be rather nice being engaged."
"It is, my dear. Quite nice! And he gave us these boas too,--insisted
upon buying them when he came shopping with us this morning. He said
boas were the fashionable thing, and he really dared not allow us to
face `the girls' without them. He is very extravagant, but he says he
will only be engaged once, and after we are married he will be as
careful as I like. It was through his lawyer that we found our tenant.
Geoffrey told him about the place, and it seemed that it was just
exactly what a client had been wanting. We have not seen him yet, but
he is tremendously interested in old places, and is going to spend a lot
of money putting things into repair, which, of course, is a very good
thing for us. He has taken it for ten years, and by the end of the
lease Jack hopes he may be able to go back himself, for part of the
year, at any rate. It is hard to leave Knock, but not so hard as we
expected, for I am to be married, and the rest of you will be together,
and able to enjoy seeing the sights, and all the fun and bustle of town
life."
"And it will be so good for the boys! They were idling away their time,
but now they will have to set to work in earnest to make their way in
the world. It will be the making of them, so even if we do feel
homesick at times it will be a light price to pay for their good," said
Bridgie hastily, for the tears were beginning to rise again in Pixie's
eyes at the thought of leaving the dear old home. "Dear me, I am
longing to see `the girls'! Aren't we going to see `the girls'? What
is the use of our dressing up like this if we are not to see `the
girls'?"
"Come along! Come along! Miss Phipps said I was to take you round
before she came in to give you tea. Come along, and see them now,"
cried Pixie, prancing to the door with eager steps, and forgetting
everything else in the excitement of the coming introduction, as it had
been intended that she should do. Bridgie and Joan followed close
behind, smiling in anticipation; but it was rather an embarrassing
occasion, when the door of the big classroom was thrown open, and
fifteen girls rose to their feet and stood staring with unblinking eyes,
while Fraulein smiled and bowed from the end of the long table. Bridgie
wanted to say something graceful and appropriate, but could only blush,
and smile, and stammer feebly. "Oh-h! How do you do? Is there anyone
here that I know by name? Flora--Margaret--Kate? Are any of your
special friends here, Pixie? Please introduce me."
"That's Flora!" said Pixie, pointing barefacedly across the room. "The
fat one. Kate is next to Fraulein--with specs. Margaret is having her
music lesson. That's Ethel in the middle, with the frizzy hair. This
is my sister Bridgie that I've told you about."
The faces of the girls thus singled out for special notice were wooden
in stolidity. Not a flicker of animation lit up their features; they
stood like pokers staring blankly before them, as if they had heard no
word of what was passing, and poor Bridgie murmured more disconnected
nothings, while Esmeralda looked from one to the other with her haughty,
patronising smile. It was quite a relief when the door was shut, and
the presence of Mademoiselle in classroom number two insured one
listener at least who would speak in reply. The greeting was a warm one
on both sides, but conversation was deferred until tea-time, when
Mademoiselle had been asked to join the party in the drawing-room, and
after just a minute's wait a move was made upstairs to the room where
Pixie slept. Here there were photographs to exhibit, and a number of
tiny ornaments which had been gifts from other girls.
"Ethel gave me that the day that I was ill.--Fanny bought me that when
she went out for the day. It cost threepence. Wasn't it dear? Dora
Ellis and Vera Knowles clubbed together and bought me that at the
bazaar. It's supposed to be for matches. I am going to give it to Jack
at Christmas. That's Ethel's mother! She is really awfully nice,
though you wouldn't think so. That's Flora's little brother. Isn't he
like Mellin's Food? Ethel has silver brushes. I wish I might have
silver things. She is awfully proud of her dressing-table. If I stand
on my pillow I can just see over the curtain between our beds. I
painted eyes on my forehead one night, and tied my hair round it. It
looked lovely,--just like a monkey! and then I crept up quietly, and put
it over for Ethel to see. She did howl! Shall we go downstairs now?
You'll have a scrumptious tea. Visitors always do. That's one reason
why it's so nice having them coming to see you."
Miss Phipps and Mademoiselle were waiting in the drawing-room, and, to
the amusement of her sisters, Pixie became a model of decorum the moment
she entered their presence, and handed about cake and tea in the most
staid and deliberate fashion. To see her stand with her heels drawn
neatly together in the first position; to hear her demure, "Yes, Miss
Phipps!" "No, Miss Phipps!" was almost too much for Esmeralda's
composure, and she was glad to leave the house with the promise of
having Pixie to spend a long day in town at the beginning of the
following week, while that young lady herself was so eager to return to
her companions and hear their criticisms on her visitors that she bore
the parting with wonderful resignation.
Fortunately for all, approval was unanimous, and the girls declared in a
breath that never, no never, had they seen anyone so "simply sweet" as
Bridgie, so "frightfully pretty" as Esmeralda. Bridgie was a darling;
her eyes were so kind and loving and sorry for you, and didn't she look
an angel when she smiled? Esmeralda was like a queen; they could quite
imagine that she had a temper, but when she laughed she had the sweetest
dimples! Did her hair curl naturally? Fancy! She was really and truly
like a picture, and not a bit like a person who was alive. Didn't they
look ducks together--one so fair, and one so dark? So on, and so on,
until Pixie was one big beam of joy and contentment.
During the next fortnight Pixie spent no less than three days with her
sisters, and had the felicity of helping to choose the little house, in
which they were to begin the new life. After an inspection of various
flats Bridgie was quite of one mind with her youngest sister in
believing that either they themselves or every other tenant in the
building would have to give notice within a week of their arrival. It
was so preposterous to think of creeping on tiptoe in consideration for
your neighbours below, and speaking in hushed tones because of your
neighbours above, while, in spite of high rents, the passages seemed so
cramped, oh, so painfully cramped and narrow! Even a little house was a
castle, comparatively speaking; and in due time one was found which
promised to be healthy and convenient, and was put in the hands of
painters and paper-hangers to be ready for the removal in autumn.
CHAPTER THIRTY.
THE PRIZE IS WON.
When the breaking-up gathering was held, Pixie was proud indeed, for if
other girls had fathers and mothers present, she had two sisters and
Jack and Geoffrey Hilliard into the bargain, and there was no doubt that
they were the handsomest and most attractive of all the guests. There
was only one drawback to her happiness, and that was that there was no
chance of being called forward to receive a prize, and so cover herself
with glory. She devoutly hoped that the class lists might not be read
aloud, to betray how very, very near the bottom she was to be found, and
heaved a deep sigh of relief when little Beatrice Ferrars marched up to
receive her certificate, and so end the list of honours. But it
appeared that it was not quite finished, for Miss Phipps rose to her
feet and began to speak amid a general murmur of excitement.
"We now come to perhaps the most interesting item on our programme--the
bestowal of a prize by the girls themselves, instead of by the teachers.
For the benefit of those who have not been present at one of these
gatherings before, I must briefly explain that this prize consists of
five pounds to be expended in books, and is the gift of the father of
one of the pupils. Its object is to encourage among the girls a spirit
of kindliness and consideration, a readiness to hold out a helping hand,
to assist another to overcome a weakness, and, in short, to _befriend_,
in the best sense of the word. The prize is given once a year at the
end of the summer term, and, as I have said, is awarded by the vote of
the girls themselves. As they have the best opportunity of judging, it
is only right that the decision should come from them, and it is
pleasant to know that this year at least there is absolute unanimity
among them. I have gone over your voting papers, girls, and have
pleasure in telling you that, with the natural exception of the winner
herself, the same name was given by all. There is one girl who,
whatever may be her faults and shortcomings, has never failed to show
the most generous and unselfish friendship, one girl who has put her own
interests aside and been content to suffer for the sake of others, one
girl who has ever been on the watch to do a kindly act or speak a loving
word, a girl whom everyone loves, who counts every member of the
household among her admirers, and that girl's name is--"
She paused and looked smilingly at her pupils, and on the instant came
the loud answering cry. The girls waved their hands in the air, they
drummed on the ground with their feet. "Pixie!" they cried, "Pixie
O'Shaughnessy!" and "Pixie!" once again, "Bravo, Pixie!" "Three cheers
for Pixie!" until they were hoarse with shouting, and Miss Phipps held
up her hand for silence.
It was really a most exciting scene. Every eye was riveted on Pixie
herself, who had applauded as violently as her companions when Miss
Phipps first asked her question, and whose shrill cry of "Margaret!
Margaret!" had been frozen on her lips by the sound of her own name.
There she sat with her mouth agape, too much overcome by surprise to
have any thought for appearances, and there sat Bridgie looking on and
crying copiously with happiness, and Esmeralda blinking the tears away
and laughing furtively at Jack, who was grunting to himself, "Silly
fuss! Silly fuss!" and putting on a great appearance of boredom to
distract attention from the tears on his eyelashes. There sat Mr and
Mrs Vane, too, beaming with pleasure that their prize should have gone
to Pixie of all people, and Lottie rubbing her hands and growing
hysterical in delight. Then Pixie was marched up to the desk to be
presented with the envelope containing the crisp new note, and when she
had taken it she must needs turn round and face the audience, instead of
scuttling back to her seat in abashed, self-conscious fashion like other
girls, and even address a word of acknowledgment for the applause
bestowed upon her. "I'm very much obliged to ye!" she said in the
broadest of Irish accents, and all the fathers and mothers lay back in
their chairs and laughed until they were tired, and clapped so
enthusiastically that it was a marvel that their beautiful light kid
gloves did not split an halves.
In the drawing-room afterwards Pixie was quite the heroine of the
occasion, and was greeted on all sides, and warmly congratulated on her
success. Mr and Mrs Vane asked especially to be introduced to Bridgie
and her party, and eventually sat down an the same corner to partake of
tea. Pixie could not hear all that they said, but they looked at her as
they spoke, and their faces were very kindly, so that she was pleasantly
conscious of being the subject of conversation. Then Mrs Vane began to
speak of the contemplated removal to town, and made many kind offers of
help and hospitality, while her husband put in a word about the dear old
Castle.