And so they did! Aunt Margaret would not have raised Jasper's hopes
without good reason, and she knew that there are ways and means of
hurrying up hampers and cases even by goods trains, when there is cause
for doing so. Morris, the Fareham gardener, had seen to it all, and the
well-chosen plants and flowers arrived in good order, looking none the
worse for their journey.
They gave all the children a busy and--for that very reason perhaps--a
happy afternoon, Jasper especially, as his mother chose out half-a-dozen
pots "for his very own" to keep on a tiny table in front of his window,
and the others were arranged in groups on flower-stands in the three
rooms downstairs, as neither Leila nor Chrissie cared to have any in
their own quarters.
"I'd only forget to water them," said Chrissie coolly, "and so would
Lell, I'm sure, and then there'd be fusses," and though Leila half
thought of firing up at this, her usual dislike to trouble gained the
day, and she said nothing.
"The drawing-room looks quite a different place with flowers and
greenery about," said Mrs Fortescue, "and Aunt Margaret's pretty
work-baskets and silver scissors and knick-knacks."
"And books," added Chrissie. "Aren't they lovely--the bindings, I
mean?" and she fondled the prayer-book which had so caught her fancy.
"I am afraid the prayer-book is more ornamental than useful to me now,"
said Miss Fortescue. "The print is too small for my old eyes. So I
have to use a much larger one. Yes--my corner looks quite homelike,
thanks to your table and that most comfortable arm-chair, Edith."
"I think we may sit in here this evening," said Mrs Fortescue, eyeing
the still darkened carpet. "We will leave the window open and keep up a
big fire till dark. But we had better not stay any longer just now. I
do hope to-morrow will be a brighter day."
"But it is not raining, though it is dull," said her aunt, "and the
children have not been out. I think we might have a little walk before
tea. I should like to know something of the neighbourhood."
"I can show you the post-office--it's nearer than the pillar-box," said
Jasper. "Mumsey lets me go to buy stamps--and the omlibus
startin'-place, and the church, and--"
"Don't be silly, Jasper," said Leila, who was feeling cross at having to
go out. "That's not what Aunt Margaret wants to see--not that there's
anything at all to see," she added gloomily. "It's perfectly hideous,
it's not like London at all."
"I thought you were within a mile of Kensington Gardens," said Miss
Fortescue quietly. "I have very pleasant associations with Kensington
Gardens and the old Palace."
"We've never been there since we came," said Leila. "Mother's been too
busy to take us, and besides--they're always stuffed with nursery-maids
and perambulators."
"Well--let us explore a little by degrees; as the spring comes on we
must find some pleasant walks. But we must be quick just now, or it
will be getting too late for even a short one."
And for a wonder the two sisters did manage to be ready when their aunt
came downstairs, followed by Jasper, who insisted on carrying her
"numbrella." Leila was feeling a little ashamed of her peevishness, and
Chrissie was still under the good impression of the morning. So both
were, for the time being, at their best, and the walk passed off
pleasantly.
But Aunt Margaret was very observant, and even now, in these first few
day's, when the novelty of her presence and the influence of her
never-failing cheerful kindliness did much to smooth things, her heart
was sometimes sad and anxious.
"They have been terribly spoilt," she said to herself, "and while life
was made so very easy for them, this did not show as it does now. Poor
dears--I hope we may be able to check this selfishness and want of
consideration for others--it may be more owing to want of thought than
to any deeper cause."
As time went on, however, her anxiety and disappointment increased.
Leila fell back into her indolent habits, and Christabel grew more
openly defiant and self-willed. And at last their mother felt that she
could no longer go on trying to make the best of things in hopes of
sparing her aunt distress, and herself perhaps, unselfish as she was,
some sharp mortification.
"I don't know what to do with either of the little girls," she said one
day, when things and tempers had been unusually trying. "I cannot bear
to say much about it to Reginald--he has enough to worry him in so many
ways. I had hoped that when we settled down into this new life they
would really try to be a comfort to us. But they think of nothing but
their own likes and dislikes--they don't seem to have the least idea of
obedience. Why, Chrissie was almost rude to _you_, dear aunt, at their
French lesson to-day--and Leila had evidently not pretended to learn
those verses! And you are _so_ good to them."
"Do not distress yourself for _me_," said Miss Fortescue. "We have all
been to blame in the past, and we must face it and do our best. I am
sure it will all come right in the end. Your children and Reginald's,
dear Edith, _cannot_ be really selfish."
Mrs Fortescue tried to smile.
"Perhaps _I_ have been selfish in not being stricter with them," she
said. "My one idea was to make them happy, and with the boys it seems
to have done no harm."
"Roland has had the discipline of school for several years," said Aunt
Margaret; "and as for little Jasper--well, really, he seems one of those
sweet natures that _can't_ be spoilt."
"And I fancy he has had rather a Cinderella-like life in the nursery,
boy though he is," said his mother. "How strange it seems that
selfishness in some should be good training for those who suffer from
it."
"But, on the other hand, there is the good example," replied Miss
Fortescue. "I have noticed several times that the little fellow's
gentleness and sweetness _have_ made his sisters ashamed of themselves--
Chrissie especially. And Jasper is not very strong, you know, whereas
the girls are overflowing with health, which may be a bar to sympathy
sometimes--all good gifts _may_ be abused. But I do hope that the great
change in their lives may prove a blessing in disguise to our little
girls."
"I had hoped so too," said their mother. "Indeed, Miss Earle said
something of the kind before she left. She had begun to feel very
discouraged."
"And other discipline will be sent if they do not profit by this," said
Miss Fortescue almost solemnly. "But let us hope that they will."
Life, however, as the days went on, was by no means as peaceful and
happy in the small house in Spenser Terrace as it might have been, and
should have been. And but for Aunt Margaret's unfailing sympathy and
hopefulness I scarcely think Mrs Fortescue could have kept up at all.
For she knew that she _must_ be cheerful when her husband was at home.
Life was far from easy for him at present; he was working hard in ways
that were new to him, and more trying than if he had been a younger man,
and a bright welcome and peaceful evenings were certainly due to him.
More than once she tried to make her little daughters understand this,
and for a few hours, a day or two at most, it seemed to impress them.
But, alas! all too soon the old habits overmastered them again: Leila
was as lazy and self-absorbed as ever; Chrissie disobedient and defiant.
Mrs Fortescue, with some difficulty, had found a daily governess,
living near them, who was glad to come for the morning hours and take
the children for a walk when lessons were over. She was a simple,
good-natured girl, well taught and well able to teach up to a certain
point, but she was a very different sort of governess from Miss Earle,
and very soon both Leila and Christabel began to take advantage of her
simplicity and half-timid manners.
One day, to her great distress, Mrs Fortescue, meeting the poor thing
on her way out, saw unmistakable signs of recent tears in her face and
eyes, and when a kind inquiry was made as to their cause, they burst out
again more freely.
"I'm afraid I must give it up," she sobbed, "and I was so glad to come
near home and all. And it's not easy for me to find pupils, as of
course I am not accomplished."
"But your English teaching is excellent," said Mrs Fortescue; "it is
all I require for the children at present. Please don't be
discouraged."
Still she sobbed on.
"It's--it's not that," she said, "except that if I were cleverer they--
they might respect me. Jasper is as good as gold, but--but the little
girls, the young ladies--they do not obey me in the least, and--and--
they say things--"
Mrs Fortescue turned and walked down the street with her. It was
quiet, and really less likely to be disturbed by passers-by than the
small house by incursions of children!
"What sort of things? Tell me more, I beg you, Miss Greenall."
"That--that I'm not a lady--and I have never pretended to be one in the
full sense of the word. Father was only a shop-keeper, and mother is a
farmer's daughter. But still--I don't think Christabel need speak as
she does. And leila dawdles on purpose to vex me sometimes, I do think,
and when I found fault to-day--she kept us waiting fully ten minutes--
she said of course _I_ couldn't understand what it was to have no
maid--`of course _you_,' she said, `have been used to huddling on your
clothes anyhow, ever since you were quite a baby almost'--and," Miss
Greenall continued, "I _know_ I am not untidy, though I dress plainly.
Mother brought us up to be very neat."
Mrs Fortescue sighed deeply.
"My dear Miss Greenall," she said, "your mother brought you up much
better than I seem to have brought up _my_ daughters. I am unspeakably
ashamed of them, and I beg you to accept my apology. And _they_ shall
apologise to you to-morrow morning."
But at this poor Miss Greenall looked up with frightened eyes. She was
a pretty fair girl, small and delicate-looking.
"Oh, please, please," she entreated, "do not tell them I have
complained. I could not go on if they knew it. I will try again and be
a little firmer with them, if only, only you will say nothing."
And, though against her own convictions, Mrs Fortescue had to agree to
what Miss Greenall asked.
And for a few days things were better. The little girls had been
startled by the sight of the tears which the poor governess had not been
able to repress--startled and shamed. Nor had Jasper's face of shocked
surprise lessened the impression.