SUNNY DAYS.
IT was a hot day towards the end of July; and a fast train from
London was speeding westwards, bearing among its passengers three
young people going home for the holidays—namely, Celia and Eric
Wallis, and Lulu Tillotson. The two girls had met Eric by arrangement
at Paddington railway station, where they had had no time for
conversation; but now, settled for the journey in a comfortable
compartment which was not over-crowded, they found they could
exchange confidences.
"Isn't it like a dream, Eric?" Celia said, as she sat by her
brother's side, and glanced from him to Lulu opposite.
The boy smiled as he looked at her. She was prettier than ever,
he thought, with her cheeks flushed to a deeper hue than usual,
and her face aglow with excitement.
"Isn't what like a dream?" he asked, understanding perfectly all the
while what she meant.
"Why, you know! That we're going to the Moat House again! That we
shall see mother and Joy, and Uncle Jasper in the course of a few
hours, now! To me it seems like a wonderful, wonderful dream,
too good to be true."
"Oh, I can realize it all," Eric replied, laughing from pure
light-heartedness. "It seems very real to me. How did you like
spending the Easter holidays at school, Celia, by the way?"
"Not at all," she answered; "it was the most miserable time I ever
spent in my life, and I was thinking of Joy all the while, longing to
see her, to know from hour to hour how she was. Oh, I shall never
forget it, never!"
"You may depend upon it I was not very happy, either," Eric said,
earnestly. "I used to moon about by myself all day long, wondering
what news I should hear."
"And then, when you did get news, it was the best possible," Lulu
interposed, eagerly; "oh, it's quite marvellous to think Joy can walk
again!"
Yes, Joy could walk again. After the operation to her hip, she had
spent two months in the London hospital where it had been performed,
during which period her mother had occupied lodgings near; and when
at last she had been pronounced well enough to be moved, she had been
taken direct to the Moat House, where the east wing had been rebuilt,
and refurnished with Mrs. Wallis's own furniture from A—.
When the girl had seen the familiar articles around her, she had not
needed the assurance that henceforward this was to be her home,
for she had realized at once that Celia's misdemeanours had been
forgiven, and that Sir Jasper still adhered to his original intention
of providing for the futures of his niece and her children. As Joy
had been in the hospital during Easter, her sister and brother had
spent their holidays at their respective schools, so the young people
had not met for many months, and Celia and Eric were naturally much
excited at being together again.
"We shall have great fun this long vacation, you'll see," Lulu
proceeded; "father wrote and told me that Sir Jasper means to invite
me to the Moat House to stay, and Lawrence Puttenham will be at the
Vicarage, won't he, Eric?"
"Yes, for a month, I believe. I wonder if the Crumleigh Cricket Club
still flourishes?"
"You may depend it does. The Vicar takes such an interest in it, and
so does Sir Jasper."
"Did you see Uncle Jasper at Easter?" Eric inquired.
"Yes," Lulu nodded. "I spent a week-end at the Moat House with
father, and Sir Jasper was very nice to me. I think he's greatly
altered. On the Sunday he went to church with us, and—"
"Went to church with you!" Eric cried, vastly astonished. "Well,
I never!"
"He always used to be a regular attendant at church before his son's
death, but after that he wouldn't go anywhere till—"
"Till the carriage accident," Celia interposed, with a flash
of remembrance. "I recollect how surprised we were when he went
to the Vicarage to inquire for Joy."
"I expect you'll find Joy has put your nose out of joint altogether,"
Lulu told Celia, with her customary candour.
"I shall not mind that," Celia returned, really meaning what she
said.
Her brother looked at her again. She was quite like the old Celia,
he thought; her manner was not so assured, and she seemed far less
wrapped up in herself. Lulu, to outward appearances, had not much
altered, except that there was nothing noticeable in her dress now;
she talked almost incessantly during the journey, and at the few
stations at which they stopped, found great amusement in watching
the busy crowds on the platforms. They had lunch in the train, and
were exceedingly merry over their meal, so that the other travellers
in the compartment watched them with indulgent smiles, quite
realizing the situation that they were going home for the holidays.
"Mother wrote and told me what good reports she had had of your work
at school," Celia remarked to Eric; "she was pleased, and I am so
very glad!"
"Celia's been working hard, too," said Lulu; "she's a much more
promising pupil than I am."
"How's that?" Eric inquired, amused at Lulu's frankness.
"Oh, everyone says she's better able to concentrate her thoughts
than I am. I'm feather-brained, you know. My mind's 'positively
erratic,' so our arithmetic teacher declares. I'm dunce
at arithmetic, and that's a fact."
"But I daresay if you're a dunce at arithmetic you're sharp at other
things," Eric suggested, politely.
"Lulu doesn't do herself justice," Celia declared with a smile at her
friend; "she knows more about English history than any other girl
in the school."
As they neared the end of their journey, Celia grew more and more
nervous. Mingled with the intense joy with which she was looking
forward to be with her mother and sister once more, was the dread
with which she thought of meeting Sir Jasper. Seeing his confidence
in her had been so entirely destroyed, how could she hope that he
could ever look on her with anything but suspicion again? Celia knew
that her aspirations and views of life had so completely changed
during the past ten months that it would be impossible for her to act
this year as she had done last; but would Sir Jasper understand this,
would he realize that she was no longer the deceitful girl who had
not scrupled even to appropriate what had not belonged to her,
in order to gratify her vanity and love of show?
Perhaps Lulu guessed some of the thoughts that were crowding her
friend's mind, for she glanced at her sympathetically every now and
again; and found an opportunity of whispering to Eric, who was
wondering why his sister was growing more and more silent as they
neared their destination; "Celia is dreading the meeting with
Sir Jasper. That's what's making her so silent. I wouldn't notice it,
if I were you."
At last the long, hot journey was at an end, and the train slowed
into T— railway station. The minute it stopped, Lulu was out of the
compartment, and in her father's arms; and Celia and Eric following,
found their mother close by, waiting to welcome them. Her face was
full of happiness as she kissed them in turn; then Mr. Tillotson saw
to their luggage, accompanied them to the waiting carriage, and with
Lulu hanging to his arm, watched them drive off.
Mrs. Wallis and Eric did most of the talking on the way to the
Moat House, for Celia, in spite of her reunion with her mother,
was nervous and ill at ease. There was a mist before her eyes as the
carriage drew up before the front door, and it was through blinding
tears that she saw Sir Jasper with Joy at his side.
"Joy!" she cried, with a world of longing affection in her voice; and
the next minute she and her sister were in each other's arms. Joy was
no less moved than Celia, but she was far more composed outwardly.
"I say, Celia, let me have a word with Joy before she is drowned
altogether," Eric said, pretending to speak aggrievedly; and then
Celia withdrew herself from her sister's arms, and ventured a glance
at Sir Jasper.
The old man regarded her searchingly, and held out his hand, which
she took with evident timidity. He drew her towards him, and kissed
her gravely, tenderly. "Welcome home, my dear," he said, in the
kindest tones possible.
"Oh, Uncle Jasper, have you indeed forgiven me?" she cried,
involuntarily.
"Yes, Celia," he replied, with ready understanding of all that was
in her mind. "I forgave you at the time. I saw how sincere was your
repentance. I never meant to shut the doors of my house against you
altogether. I always intended you to come back. Do not let us speak
of the past again. Now, go into the house with the others;
Mrs. Mallock is waiting to speak to you, and Jane—"
"Jane!" echoed Celia, in surprise. "I did not know she was here?"
"Yes, she is," Joy answered; "she came to wait upon me, like she did
at A—, but I don't need her services any longer, I'm glad to say,
so she's stopping on as a housemaid. Oh, Celia, it's good to see you
again!"
Celia smiled. She thought it was good to see Joy, too, though it was
a shock to her when she noticed that, though her sister had discarded
the crutch she had been obliged to use when she had first begun
to move about after the operation, she was still somewhat lame. But
Joy did not seem to mind that in the least; indeed, as she told
Celia, it was a wonder that she could walk at all, and she was full
of praises of the famous surgeon, who, under God's guidance, had done
so much for her.
How the young people talked at the tea-table that evening! Indeed the
conversation was mostly between them, for Mrs. Wallis and Sir Jasper
were content to sit quietly listening. Joy had so much to tell
concerning her experiences in the hospital, of her subsequent removal
to the Moat House, and of the great kindness everyone had shown
to her.
"Miss Pring used to come and sit with me before I could get about
much," she said, "and Miss Mary—Mrs. Cole, I mean—has been here
nearly every day. Oh, Eric, the village boys are so looking forward
to see you and Putty again! Do you know they are practising for a
match against an eleven from T—? It's to be played on the Crumleigh
ground, so we must all go and look on, mustn't we, Uncle Jasper."
"Certainly," Sir Jasper agreed, with astonishing readiness. "How does
Lulu like it at boarding-school?" he inquired of Celia.
"Oh, very well, now," was the response. "She did not care for it
at all at first, nor did I; we found the discipline so irksome,
but we soon grew accustomed to that. Lulu is a great favourite
with everyone, for she's really very kind-hearted." Celia paused
a moment in hesitation, then proceeded with a glance at her mother's
interested face. "The girls used to laugh at her for being so fond
of dress, they nicknamed her 'The Duchess,' and, oh, she was so
angry! It very rude of them, of course, but girls at school are like
that, you know, they don't consider each other's feelings much. Well,
that was last term. After Easter, Lulu came back dressed as plainly
as anyone in the school."
"Bravo!" cried Sir Jasper, laughingly, whilst Eric remarked, with
approval in his tone:
"I noticed she was without her usual fal-lals to-day."
After tea they all adjourned to the terrace, where they were joined
by Wag, now grown a handsome dog.
"Poor fellow, he was so disappointed when he found he could not
induce me to run about and play with him," Joy said, as she fondled
the spaniel's soft, silky ears. "I believe he thought all the fun
had gone out me. But never was there a greater mistake! You'll have
to take him in hand, Eric, and give him some long walks, like you did
last year."
"I suppose he has grown out of all his mischievous puppy tricks,
hasn't he?" Celia inquired; then she flushed crimson, remembering the
trick he had served her in the rock garden, and was covered with
confusion and shame.
"He has sobered down considerably," Joy replied.
Memory was busy with her, too, and for a minute a shadow crossed her
face; but it was gone again almost directly, and she met Celia's
wistful gaze with her brightest smile.
By-and-bye, Sir Jasper, mindful of his rheumatism, and fearful
on that account of the evening air, went into the house, and Eric
and his mother strolled away to the rock garden, leaving the sisters
alone.
"Isn't mother looking well!" Joy questioned, and receiving an answer
in the affirmative, she continued, "She had a worrying time whilst I
was in the hospital, but I think she is very happy now. Celia, do you
know that Uncle Jasper means Eric to be his heir? Yes," as Celia gave
a violent start of surprise, "he does indeed! He told mother so some
time ago; he says Eric is a manly, honest lad, and he is very proud
of him. And he's going to provide for our futures too. Dr. Forbes
believes I shall be quite strong enough to take up my music again
by-and-bye; but just at present he won't allow me to practice much,
though I sometimes play a little to Uncle Jasper—'The Last Rose of
Summer,' and the old tunes he loves. Oh, Celia, why are you looking
so sad? Are you unhappy?"
"No, no! I am happier than I ever thought I should be again—happier
far than I deserve to be. Oh, Joy, I am thinking of last year, and
how I was always trying to curry favour with Uncle Jasper, and
pretending to better in every way than I actually was, all the time
I was so discontented really; and then, when I thought I had lost all
I had valued most—money, and comfort, and luxuries, I found out that
it was none of those things that would make me happy, and I did not
mind their loss. And then—"
"Yes?" said Joy, interrogatively, as her sister paused.
"And then, after the fire," Celia continued, "when mother talked
to me, and pointed out to me all the mischief I had caused, I was
wild with remorse. And when we feared you would never walk again,
I thought my heart would break, and I was as wretched as I possibly
could be. Afterwards, when you were in hospital, before I heard the
operation was successful, I felt—oh, dreadful!" She shuddered; then
added: "Joy, I think I have learnt the secret of happiness now. It is
not riches that make one contented, but faith in God."
Thus were the sisters one in heart and mind; and long before
Mrs. Wallis and Eric finished their stroll in the rock garden
they had come to a perfect understanding with each other.
A happy time followed, which the young people spent mostly
out-of-doors, enjoying unclouded sunshine of the August days.
Lulu came to the Moat House as had been promised; and Lawrence
Puttenham paid his visit to the Vicarage, and, with Eric, spent many
a pleasant evening in the cricket field. The members of the Crumleigh
Cricket Club had become proficient players by this time, and actually
won the match against the eleven from T—, when, true to his word,
Sir Jasper Amery was present to witness their success.
No one ever made any reference to Celia's deceptions of the previous
year; and she was intensely relieved and grateful on that account.
The consideration and kindness of her relations and friends touched
her deeply, and as the sunny days of the long vacation slipped away,
she grew happier, and more at her ease with Sir Jasper, who now
appeared to divide his affection more equally between his niece's
children, so that it would have been difficult to have said which was
his favourite—the outspoken school boy, with his high spirits and
somewhat boisterous ways; the pretty, golden-haired girl who flushed
with real pleasure if called upon to do him a service; or the little,
pale-faced maiden, who, though lame, accepted her affliction with
resignation, and possessed one of the happiest faces in the world.
THE END.
HEADLEY BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON; AND ASHFORD, KENT.