AT HOME WITH "THE LEAVES."
Nothing could exceed the astonishment of the school children, the Leaves
themselves, and even of Rosamund, when they witnessed this sight.
Rosamund's first impulse was to fly up to Irene, kiss her passionately,
and assure her that she was a darling, and that nothing would induce her
ever to forsake her. But on second thoughts she decided that it was best
to take no notice. Accordingly, the children pursued their games, for
now tea was almost a thing of the past, and Irene found herself enjoying
life as she had not yet enjoyed it. Never was any one more daring seen.
She was the centre of attraction. From being dreaded, she was adored.
Who but she could climb to the very highest branch of the tallest tree?
Who but she could swing so high that she seemed almost to turn a
somersault in the air before she came down again? Who but she could
invent the most daring games? And then, when all other things failed,
who but she could tell such weird stories? Her eyes shone; her lips were
wreathed in smiles. She looked the very essence of beauty and happiness.
Was this the ogre of The Follies, the terrible girl who kept every one
away from the place, whom the servants dreaded, whom the governesses
fled from?
Both Miss Carter and Miss Frost, standing side by side, watched the
young heroine of the hour as she won her way to popularity. What was the
matter? What was wrong? Or, rather, who had put wrong right?
Rosamund, who was herself a very gay, resolute, determined girl, kept
more or less in the background on this occasion. She wanted Irene, as
she said afterward, to win her spurs. The two governesses stood together
and talked.
"Of all the wonderful things I have ever seen, the behavior of Irene
Ashleigh beats them," said Miss Carter, turning to Miss Frost. "How do
you account for it?" she added.
"How do I account for it?" replied Miss Frost. "I account for it because
a blessed angel came to the house in the shape of Rosamund Cunliffe, the
most splendid girl I have ever met. She came, and showed not a scrap of
fear, even though that child--that terrible child--took her into the
middle of the stream, just where she took you, you poor thing!"
"Don't speak of it. Don't mention it," began poor Miss Carter, trembling
all over.
"Well, she took Rosamund there, and Rosamund was strong and got the
upper hand with her at once, and from that hour Irene has been
different. It is true she has done terrible things. She behaved almost
as badly to me as she did to you."
"Shall we walk down this shrubbery?" said Miss Carter. "The children are
all quite happy. Every one who comes to the Rectory is happy, and you
can hear by the shouts of the village children that they are in the very
acme of bliss. Shall we walk down here and talk together? I have always
been so amazed at your remaining on at The Follies, Miss Frost."
"I have a little sister called Agnes, and a little brother Hugh, and
they are the dearest little children. They are only my step-brother and
sister, of course; but they are to me just as though they were my very
own. They depend on me altogether for their maintenance. I buy
everything for them. I spend my holidays with them, and they love me. My
darlings! They are like my own children. Were I to give up so good a
situation my little ones would starve. You understand, Miss Carter, do
you not, that under such circumstances one would endure a great deal?"
"But even under such circumstances," said Miss Carter, in astonishment,
"I do not think people would put up with Irene Ashleigh as she used to
be. Oh, never, never shall I forget how the boat dashed against the
rocks! I thought my last moment had come."
"How did you escape drowning, dear?" said Miss Frost. "I never heard
that part."
"It is more than I can tell you myself. I suppose I lost consciousness.
When I came to myself I was on dry land, and Irene was dragging me back
to the house; and then I had a terrible--most terrible--interview with
Lady Jane. I told her that I would go at once, that nothing would induce
me to stay. She was nearly in despair, and, metaphorically speaking,
went on her knees to me. But I remembered my promise to that dreadful
child, and stuck to my word. Go I would. I never saw Lady Jane in a
temper before, but she was then. She refused to let me have a carriage.
She said Irene's conduct was past bearing, and that I ought to stay if
only to support her. But I couldn't, for my nerves were frightfully
shattered. I went away as quickly as ever I could that very afternoon,
intending to send a porter from the railway station for my luggage.
Before I got half-way there I nearly fainted, and the dear, kind rector
found me on the road. I told him my story, and he brought me home--yes,
home, for this is indeed a complete and absolute home to me. I cannot
tell you how kind they have been."
"I have lived through _my_ horrors too; but I will not speak about them
to-day," said Miss Frost. "Irene is immensely improved. I believe as
long as Rosamund remains with her she will be a really good girl. She
is making great efforts."
"She is; that is the astonishing part of it," said Miss Carter. "She
came up to my room--I will confess to you that I was hiding from her,
absolutely hiding, and shaking from head to foot, scarcely knowing what
to do--and she came in as bold as brass, and yet with a new sort of
humility about her, and she said to me, 'Will you forgive me? And if you
forgive me, will you come downstairs and let me put my hand inside your
arm?' And somehow, although it was the very last thing on earth that I
wanted to do, I did it; and now here I am, and I don't feel nearly so
much afraid of her as I used."
"It is all owing to Rosamund," said Miss Frost again. "She is the most
wonderful girl I have ever met. I know one of her objects now is that
you and I, Irene, herself, and the Singletons should be friends. She
means Irene to invite you all over to The Follies to-morrow or the next
day, and I hope you will have the courage to come."
"Indeed I don't know how I can. It is one thing to have Irene here; it
is another thing to look at that terrible lake and reflect that the boat
is at hand. Oh, of course, she will excuse me."
"But I don't think she will. If you come I will look after you, and we
will both firmly refuse to go in the boat. It wouldn't hold us all, so
there is no fear of that."
"But she is very ingenious. There is no end to her resources."
"At present her mood is different. You and I, who are so much older,
ought to try to encourage her; for, after all, she has been a most sadly
mismanaged child, allowed even from her earliest days to see that people
were afraid of her, and thus the spirit of cruelty gained a strong
hold; but there is a great deal of good in her nature."
Miss Carter was called loudly by Maud, who requested her to help the
little ones to play Puss-in-the-corner. The group broke up into
different detachments, and by-and-by the time came when Rosamund
whispered to Irene that it was necessary to order the governess-cart so
that they might go home.
"But I am so happy," said Irene, who had been helping some of the little
girls to climb up and tumble down cocks of hay, and otherwise disport
themselves. "I didn't know other children could be so nice; but I find
poor children are much nicer than rich ones. They have no manners, which
I detest, and just say what they think. They have been telling me some
home-truths, and I have been laughing like anything. I didn't know I was
such an ogre; but it is great fun to hear it from the lips of the
children."
"We must go home; it is time," said Rosamund. "But before we go, Irene,
will you kindly ask the Singletons to come to see us on Thursday? They
might come to lunch, and spend the time until after tea. Thus we should
have a long afternoon."
"But if they must come, why not to-morrow?" said Irene. "I didn't know
that other children could be so charming."
"They can't come to-morrow. We have our music lessons with Mr. Fortescue
to-morrow."
"Can't we put him off?"
"Of course we can't. His time is all engaged. Ask them for Thursday, or,
if you prefer it, for Saturday. Anyhow, will you ask them?"
"Oh yes, I'll ask them, and for Thursday."
Irene's flushed face, her speaking eyes, her lips apart in smiles,
looked such a different creature from the somewhat pale, queerly dressed
little inmate of the woods, that Mr. Singleton, who came out at that
moment, did not know her.
"Who is this little lady?" he said, going straight up to her and holding
out his hand.
"I am the ogre," was Irene's instant response.
This answer amazed Mr. Singleton, but he kept looking at her and
smiling.
"I am sure, my dear, that is not your name. You look more like an angel
than an ogre."
"But I am the ogre--the ogre of the whole place. I am Irene Ashleigh."
The clergyman's astonishment was seen now on his face. Rosamund hastened
to interpose.
"Irene is my friend," she said, "and I think she is going to turn into a
very fine sort of woman, if not into an angel. Anyhow, here she is, and
I hope you bid her welcome."
"I do most heartily," said Mr. Singleton. "You must come and see us
often. I am very glad you have broken the ice at last. What good news,"
he continued, turning to Rosamund, "this is about your young friend! It
is such a relief to the Merrimans that she is getting on so well."
"And a great relief to me," said Rosamund.
Irene moved away to talk to three little red-haired girls, who made a
charming group, standing under an oak-tree. She soon had them in fits of
laughter; and Mr. Singleton, just glancing at her, spoke again to
Rosamund.
"What a miracle you have performed!" he said. "She is a changed
creature. But I suppose there is a great deal of the old Adam in her
still."
"Yes; but she will change still more. The fact is, she was so terribly
naughty because people used to be afraid of her."
"And you are not?"
"I certainly am not."
"My dear, there is something I want to say to you. Do you know that I
have had a conversation with Professor Merriman, and he gave me a very
queer account of your conduct? He seemed greatly distressed at the way
you have behaved."
Rosamund shrugged her shoulders.
"The Merrimans did not suit me," she said. "Life at The Follies does
suit me. At the Merrimans' I was growing to be a very naughty girl
myself. I could not stand Lucy, although I liked the Professor; and I
liked Laura Everett and one or two of the other girls. But at The
Follies, you see for yourself, rector, I have done no harm."
"Harm! Indeed, you have done most blessed good. I never could have
believed in such a change in any one. Why, that child is quite lovely."
"And by-and-by she will have a lovely mind," said Rosamund. "But, Mr.
Singleton, it is only right to tell you that I am practically expelled
from the Merrimans' school."
"That is a very grave matter. It ought not to be allowed," said the
rector. "The Professor cannot understand. His eyes must be blinded. You
have done a noble work."
"But I don't mind; and, besides, I could not go back."
"But you could if it were just and right, could you not?"
"I don't really think I could."
Just then the pony-cart came round. The rector said no more for the time
being; and a few minutes later, the young Singletons and Miss Carter
having promised to arrive at The Follies on Thursday, Irene, Rosamund,
and Miss Frost took their leave.
"Well, now, wasn't I a darling? Didn't I behave well?" said Irene.
"Aren't you pleased with me, Rose--dearest, sweetest, red, red Rose?"
"Yes, on the whole, I am quite pleased with you," said Rosamund; but she
leaned back in her seat. She felt tired and sad. She had done a good
work, and she knew it, and yet she had injured her reputation; and her
mother would be annoyed, and her father displeased. What was to be done?
There was some one else who was very much troubled on Rosamund's behalf,
and that was the Rev. John Singleton. It was not his habit to consult
any of his children, not even Maud, whom he relied on almost as he had
relied on his wife; but he went straight over that very evening to the
Merrimans' house; and although he could not go inside for fear of
infection, he had a conversation with the Professor in the garden. There
he spoke with such verve and enthusiasm with regard to Rosamund, and the
marvelous change she had already wrought in the naughtiest girl in the
entire district, that he induced that gentleman to change his mind.
"If you think it absolutely necessary, I will give her a chance."
"You must give her a chance. It would be culpable to allow such a girl
to enter on the world with such a stigma as being expelled from school
would mean. You must give her a chance, sir. I hope you will not
hesitate to do so."
Professor Merriman explained that his pupils would not return for at
least another fortnight, that Jane would be sent away in a little over a
week, that the house would be thoroughly disinfected, and the school
would continue.
"Perhaps it would be best for Rosamund to remain where she is for the
present," he said, "and come back to us at the beginning of next term. I
acknowledge that she is a fine girl; very good-looking, too, and with a
most taking way. But she must learn obedience. She would not obey when
she was with us. It was for the sin of disobedience that I dismissed
her. She also broke her word of honor."
"Give her a chance. Believe me, there are circumstances which overcome
all ordinary conditions," said the good clergyman; and he went away
feeling assured that Professor Merriman would keep his word.