IN DISGRACE AGAIN
He held out one foot to be admired.
'Yes,' I said, 'they are very nice indeed, and Miss Lally was so patient
about them. I'll have to think of some other knitting for her.'
'O nurse!' said Master Francis quickly, then he stopped. 'I must ask
Lally first,' he went on; and I heard him say, as if speaking to
himself--'it would be nice to please auntie.'
For a day or two after that I saw there was some mystery going on.
Master Francis and Miss Lally were whispering together and looking very
important, and one fine afternoon the secret was confided to me.
Miss Bess was out with her mamma, and Master Francis had disappeared
when we came in from our walk, a rather short one that day. Suddenly,
just as we were sitting down to tea, and I was wondering what had
become of him, he hurried in, and threw a small soft white packet on to
Miss Lally's lap.
'O Francie!' she said, 'have you really got it?'
Then she undid the parcel and showed it to me; it was white wool.
'Francie has bought it with his own money,' she said, 'for me to knit a
pair of boots for baby, and oh! nursie, will you show me how? They're to
be a present from Francie and me; me the knitting and Francie the wool,
and we want it to be quite a secret till they're ready. It's so warm now
I can knit up in the attic. Won't mamma be pleased?'
'Certainly, my dear,' I said. 'I'll do my best to teach you. They'll be
rather difficult, for we'll have to put in some fancy stitches, but I
think you can manage it now.'
Master Francis stood by, looking as interested and pleased as Miss Lally
herself.
'That was all the wool Prideaux' daughter had,' he said. 'Do you think
there'll be enough, nurse? She'll have some more in a few days.'
'I doubt if there'll be enough,' I said, 'but I can tell better when
we've got them begun.'
Begun they were, that very evening. Miss Lally and Master Francis set to
work to wind the wool, having first spent some time at an extra washing
of their hands, for fear of soiling it in the very least.
'It's so beautifully white,' said Miss Lally, 'like it says in the
Bible, isn't it, nursie? It would be a pity to dirty it.'
Dear me! how happy those two were over their innocent secret, and how
little I thought what would come of Master Bevil's white wool bootikins!
The knitting got on nicely, though there were some difficulties in the
way. The weather was getting warmer, and it is not easy for even little
ladies to keep their hands quite spotlessly clean. The ball of wool had
to be tied up in a little bag, as it would keep falling on the floor,
and besides this, Miss Lally spread out a clean towel in the corner
where she sat to work in the attic.
I gave Miss Bess a hint that there was a new secret and got her to
promise not to tease the children, and she was really good about it, as
was her way if she felt she was trusted. Altogether, for some little
time things seemed to be going smoothly. Master Francis was most
particular to do nothing that could in the least annoy his uncle and
aunt, or could seem like disobedience to them.
After the long spell of fine weather, July set in with heavy rain. I
had now been a whole year with the dear children. I remember saying so
to them one morning when we were all at breakfast.
It was about a week since the baby's boots had been in hand. One was
already finished, in great part by Miss Lally herself, though I had had
to do a little to it in the evenings after they were all in bed, setting
it right for her to go on with the next day.
With the wet weather there was less walking out, of course, and all the
more time for the knitting. On the day I am speaking of the children
came down from the attic in the afternoon with rather doleful faces.
'Nursie,' said Miss Lally, 'I have been getting on so nicely,' and
indeed I had not required to do more than glance at her work for two or
three days. 'I thought I would have had it ready for you to begin the
lace part round the top, only, just fancy the wool's done!'
'They'll have more at the shop by now,' said Master Francis. 'If only it
would clear up I could go to the village for it.'
'It may be finer to-morrow,' I said, 'but there's no chance of you going
out to-day; even if it left off raining, the ground's far too wet for
you with your rheumatism. Now, Miss Lally, my dear, don't you begin
looking so doleful about it; you've got on far quicker than you could
have expected.'
She did look rather doleful all the same, and the worst of it was that
though Master Francis would have given up anything for himself, he never
could bear Miss Lally to be disappointed.
'I'm so much better now, nurse,' he said. 'I don't believe even going
out in the rain would hurt me.'
'It's _possible_ it mightn't hurt you, but----' I was beginning, when I
heard Master Bevil crying out in the other room. Miss Lally had now a
little room of her own on the other side of the nursery, and we had
saved enough of Miss Bess's chintz to smarten it up. This had been done
some months ago. I hadn't too much time now, and the young girl who
helped me was no hand at sewing at all. Off I hurried to the baby
without finishing what I was saying to Master Francis, and indeed I
never gave another thought to what he'd said about fetching the wool
till tea-time came, and he didn't answer when we called him, thinking he
was in his own room.
Just then, unluckily, my lady came up to the nursery to say good-bye to
the children, or good-night rather, for she and Sir Hulbert were going
to dine at Carris Court, which is a long drive from Treluan, and the
roads were just then very heavy with the rain. She came in looking quite
bright and cheery. I can see her now in her black lace dress--it was far
from new--it was seldom my lady spent anything on herself--but it suited
her beautifully, showing off her lovely hair and fair complexion. One
little diamond star was her only ornament. I forget if I mentioned that
as well as the strange disappearance of money at the death of old Sir
David, a great many valuable family jewels, worth thousands of pounds,
were also missing, so it was but little that Sir Hulbert had been able
to give his wife, and what money she had of her own she wouldn't have
spent in such ways, knowing from the first how things were with him.
She came in, as I said, looking so beautiful and bright that I felt
grieved when almost in a moment her look changed.
'Where is Francis?' she asked quickly.
'He must be somewhere downstairs, my lady,' I said. 'He's not in his
room, but no doubt he'll be coming directly.'
Esther, the nursery-maid, was just then coming in with some tea-cakes
Mrs. Brent had sent us up.
'Go and look for Master Francis, and tell him to come at once,' said my
lady. 'Surely he can't have gone out anywhere,' she added to me; 'it's
pouring, besides he isn't allowed to go out without leave.'
'He'd never think of such a thing,' I said quickly, 'after being so ill
too.' But even as I spoke the words, there came into my mind what the
boy had said that afternoon, and I began to feel a little anxious,
though of course I didn't let my lady see it, and I did my best to
smooth things when Esther came back to say that he was nowhere to be
found. It was little use, however, my lady began to be thoroughly put
out.
She hurried off to Sir Hulbert, feeling both anxious and angry, and a
good half-hour was spent in looking for the boy before Sir Hulbert could
persuade her to start. He was vexed too, and no wonder, just when my
lady had been looking so happy.
'Really,' I thought to myself, 'Master Francis is tiresome after all.'
And I was thankful when they at last drove off, there being no real
cause for anxiety.
No sooner had the sound of the carriage-wheels died away than the
nursery door opened and Master Francis burst in, looking for once like
a regular pickle of a boy. His eyes bright and his cheeks rosy, though
he was covered with mud from head to foot, his boots really not to be
thought of as fit to come up a tidy staircase.
'Hurrah!' he cried, shaking a little parcel over his head. 'I've got it,
Lally. And I'm not a bit wet after all, nurse!'
'Oh no!' said Miss Bess, who did love to put in her word, 'not at all.
Quite nice and dry and tidy and fit to sit down to tea, after worrying
mamma out of her wits and nearly stopping papa and her going to Carris.'
Master Francis's face fell at once. I was sorry for him and yet that
provoked I couldn't but join in with Miss Bess.
'Go upstairs to your room at once, Master Francis, and undress and get
straight into your bed. I'll come up in a few minutes with some hot tea
for you. How you could do such a thing close upon getting better of
rheumatic fever, and the trouble and worry it gave, passes me! And
considering, too, what I said to you this very afternoon.'
'You didn't actually say I wasn't to go,' he said quickly. 'You know
quite well why I went, and I'm not a _bit_ wet really. I'm all muffled
up in things to keep me dry. I'm nearly suffocating.'
'All the worse,' I said. 'If you're overheated all the more certain
you'll get a chill. Don't stand talking, go at once.'
He went off, and I was beginning to pour out the tea, which had been
kept back all this time, when, as I lifted the teapot in my hand I
almost dropped it, nearly scalding Miss Baby who was sitting close by
me, so startled was I by a sudden terrible scream from Miss Lally; and,
as I have said before, anything like Miss Lally's screams I never did
hear in any nursery. Besides which, once she was started, there was
never any saying when she'd leave off.
'Now, whatever's the matter with you, my dear?' I said, but it was
little use talking quietly to her. She only sobbed something about 'poor
Francie and nursie scolding him,' and then went on with her screaming
till I was obliged to put her in the other room by herself to get quiet.
Of all the party Miss Bess and Miss Baby were the only ones who did
justice to Mrs. Brent's tea-cakes that evening. They did take Miss
Lally's screaming fits quietly, I must say, which was a good thing, and
even Master Bevil had strong nerves, I suppose, for he slept on sweetly
through it all, poor dear. For myself, I was out and out upset for once,
provoked and yet sorry too.
I went up to Master Francis and did the best I could for him to prevent
his taking cold. He was as sorry as could be by this time, and he had
really not meant to be disobedient, but though I was ready to believe
him, I felt much afraid that this new scrape wouldn't be passed over
very lightly by his uncle and aunt. After a while Miss Lally quieted
down, partly, I think, because I promised her she might go up to her
cousin if she would leave off crying, and the two passed the evening
together very soberly and sadly, winding the fresh skein of white wool
which had been the cause of all the trouble.
After all Master Francis did not take cold. He came down to breakfast
the next morning looking pretty much as usual, though I could see he was
uneasy in his mind. Miss Lally too was feeling rather ashamed of her
screaming fit the night before, for she was growing a big girl now, old
enough to understand that she should have more self-command. Altogether
it was a rather silent nursery that morning, for Miss Bess was concerned
for her cousin too.
I had quite meant to try to see my lady before anything was said to
Master Francis. But she was tired and later of getting up than usual,
and I didn't like to disturb her. Sir Hulbert, I found, had gone out
early and would not be in till luncheon-time, so I hoped I would still
have my chance.
I hardly saw the elder children till their dinner time. It was an extra
long morning of lessons with Miss Kirstin, for it was still raining, and
on wet days she sometimes helped them with what they had to learn by
themselves.
The three hurried up together to make themselves tidy before going down
to the dining-room, and I just saw them for a moment. Master Bevil was
rather fractious, and I was feeling a little worried about him, so that
what had happened the night before was not quite so fresh in my mind as
it had been; but I did ask Miss Lally, who came to me to have her hair
brushed, if she had seen her mamma, and if my lady was feeling rested.
'She's getting up for luncheon,' was the child's answer, 'but I haven't
seen her. Mrs. Brent told us she was very tired last night. Mrs. Brent
waited up to tell mamma Francie had come in.'
After luncheon the two young ladies came up together. I looked past
them anxiously for Master Francis.
'No,' said Miss Lally, understanding my look, 'he's not coming. He's
gone to papa's room, and papa and mamma are both there.'
My heart sank at the words.
'Mamma's coming up to see baby in a little while,' said Miss Bess. 'She
was so tired, poor little mamma, she only woke in time to dress for
luncheon, and papa said he was very glad.'
Miss Lally came round and whispered to me.
'Nurse,' she said, 'may I go up to the attic? I want to knit a great lot
to-day, and if I stayed down here mamma would see.'
'Very well, my dear,' I said. 'Only be sure to come downstairs if you
feel chilly.'
There was really no reason, now that she had a room of her own, for her
ever to sit in the attic, but she had taken a fancy to it, I suppose,
and off she went.
Miss Bess stood looking out of the window, in a rather idle way she had.
'Oh dear!' she said impatiently; 'is it _never_ going to leave off
raining? I am so tired of not getting out.'
'Get something to do, my dear,' I said. 'Then the time will pass more
quickly. It won't stop raining for you watching it, you know. Weren't
you saying something about the schoolroom books needing arranging, and
that you hadn't had time to do them?'
Miss Bess was in a very giving-in mood.
'Very well,' she said, moving off slowly. 'I suppose I may as well do
them. But I need somebody to help me; where's Lally?'
'Don't disturb her yet awhile, poor dear,' I said. 'She does so want to
get on with the work I've told you about.'
Miss Bess stood looking uncertain. Suddenly an idea struck her.
'May I have Baby then?' she asked. 'She could hold up the books to me,
and that's about all the help I need, really.'
I saw no objection, and Miss Baby trotted off very proud, Miss Bess
leading her by the hand.
The nursery seemed very quiet the next half-hour or so, or maybe longer.
I was beginning to wonder when my lady would be coming, and feeling glad
that Master Bevil, who had just wakened up from a nice sleep, was
looking quite like himself again before she saw him, when suddenly the
door burst open and Master Francis looked in. He was not crying, but
his face had the strained white look I could not bear to see on it.
'Is there no one here?' he said.
Somehow I didn't like to question him, grieved though I felt at things
going wrong again.
'No,' I replied. 'Miss Bess is in the schoolroom with----,' then it
suddenly struck me that my lady might be coming in at any moment, and
that it might be better for Master Francis not to be there. 'Miss
Lally,' I went on quickly, 'is at her knitting in the attic, if you like
to go to her there.'
He turned and went. Afterwards he told me that he caught sight of my
lady coming along the passage as he left the room, and that he hurried
upstairs to avoid her. He didn't find Miss Lally in the attic as he
expected, but her knitting was there lying on the floor, thrown down
hurriedly, and though she had not forgotten to spread out the clean
towel as usual, in her haste she hadn't noticed that the newly-wound
ball of white wool had rolled some distance away from the half-finished
boot and the pins.
Afterwards I will tell what happened to Master Francis, up there by
himself in the attic.
To make all clear, I may here explain why he had not found Miss Lally in
her nook. The book-tidying in the schoolroom had gone on pretty well,
but after a bit, though Miss Baby did her best, Miss Bess found the want
of some one who could read the titles, and she ran upstairs to beg Miss
Lally to come for a few minutes. The few minutes turned into an hour or
more, for the young ladies, just like children as they were, came across
some old favourites in their tidying, and began reading out bits here
and there to each other. And then to please Miss Baby they made houses
and castles of the books on the floor, which she thought a beautiful new
game, so that Miss Lally forgot about her knitting, while feeling, so to
say, at the back of her mind quite easy about it, thinking she had left
it safely lying on the clean cloth.
They were both so much taken up with what they were about, that it never
struck them to wonder what Master Francis was doing with himself all the
afternoon.
My lady and I meanwhile were having a long talk in the nursery. It had
been as I feared, Sir Hulbert having spoken most severely to the boy,
and my lady having said some bitter things, which already she was
repenting, more especially when I was able to explain that Master
Francis had really not been so distinctly disobedient as had seemed the
case.
'We must try and put it right again, I suppose,' she said rather sadly,
as she was leaving the room. 'I wish I didn't take up things so hotly at
the time, but I was really frightened as well as angry. Still Sir
Hulbert would not have spoken so strongly if it hadn't been for me.'
This was a great deal for my lady to say, and I felt honoured by her
confidence. I began to be more hopeful again, and tried to set out the
tea rather nicer than usual to cheer them up a little.