Winter Sports
After a strenuous term, everybody welcomed the leisure of the holidays.
It was a relief not to have to think even of art exhibitions and
dramatic performances. For a whole month the monitresses would not need
to pounce on Third Form sinners, or write black entries of the misdeeds
of certain rebels in IVB. Essay writing gave place to the addressing of
Christmas cards, mathematics retired in favour of shopping, and
text-books were set aside to make way for magazines. Mildred luxuriated
in a thoroughly well-earned rest. Beyond a short daily practice on her
violin, nothing was required from her, and she congratulated herself
that she was so much more fortunate than Laura Kirby and some other
girls who were destined for the matriculation, and who were having
special vacation coaching. Mildred, never very robust, felt a reaction
follow the strain of so many weeks' hard work, and it was chiefly on
account of her white cheeks that her aunt allowed her to accept an
invitation which arrived on Christmas morning.
This was from Rhoda Somerville, asking her to spend a week at the
Vicarage, and promising the very utmost in the way of outdoor exercise
during the visit. To see Castleford again, and especially in its
January dress, was an attraction. Though Mildred had not wished to make
her home at The Towers, she held the warmest recollections of her stay
there, and looked forward to meeting Sir Darcy and Lady Lorraine and
Violet equally with the Vicarage family. Rhoda had also invited Kitty
Fletcher, with whom she had struck up a strong friendship, and Kitty's
brother Neville, who, as it chanced, was a schoolfellow of Diccon's; so
it was arranged that the three young people should travel together from
Kirkton into Westmorland.
The weather was cold, and the prospect that the frost might continue
brought quite an anticipatory glow to Mildred's pale face. She was
equipped with a new pair of skates, and had made such provision in the
way of strong boots, sports coat, Alpine cap, and warm gloves as to be
ready for any variety in the way of exercise. Kitty, equally-well
prepared, was expecting ample scope for her energies, and hoping to find
adventures that would put even hockey in the shade.
"If we could Be snowed up in a cutting, now, and have to dig our way out
and tramp to the nearest cottage, it would be fun!" she proclaimed,
viewing the landscape from the carriage window as the train sped
northwards. "That always used to be the fate, or rather good fortune, of
people in the old coaching days. They invariably spent a night at a
'Holly Tree Inn', and either saw a ghost, or found a long-lost will, or
restored a runaway heiress to her guardians!"
"There's no romance nowadays," remarked Neville. "If you're looking out
for any sensational happenings, you'll be disappointed, Miss Kit. Rich
uncles don't meet their disinherited nephews at obscure country inns and
melt into bank-notes and blessings; and as for the ghosts, modern
hygiene has swept them clean away. I don't suppose you'd find so much as
a solitary cavalier with his head under his arm, or a white lady
wringing her hands. No, I prophesy that the train will get to Whiterigg
station exactly to railway time; and as for being snowed up, there isn't
a single flake coming down, and the sky is obstinately blue. Sorry to
check your romantic aspirations, Madam, but mine are the words of sober
common sense."
"Yes, you always love to tie a string to my imagination and jerk me
back. Never mind, if we've no sensation on the journey, perhaps we'll
find one at Castleford. A whole week gives one a chance, anyhow!"
If Mother Nature had not been accommodating enough to provide snow for
Kitty's delectation, she had done her best in the way of hoar-frost, and
the woods were gleaming with sparkling crystals till they resembled the
jewelled forests of Grimm's fairy tale. The landscape gained ever in
grandeur as the train rushed north, and Mildred, who had seen it in
summer, was inclined to accord it the palm of beauty in its winter
aspect.
"There's romance enough for you, Kit-cat!" she exclaimed, pointing to a
gorge where a swollen rivulet was dashing over a rocky bed. "You ought
to find Undines and water-nixies if you watch for them, not to speak of
the chance of slipping in, and being rescued from imminent peril of
your life. If you're thirsting for dangerous adventures we'd better give
the Somervilles warning, and they can go out prepared with a drag, and a
stretcher, and an ambulance outfit."
"Oh! but don't you know I'm going to do the miraculous escape?" laughed
Kitty.
A very warm welcome awaited the travellers at the Vicarage, where the
three boys, as well as Rhoda, were back for the holidays. The
Somervilles had the happy knack of making their guests feel at home, and
were well able to provide both indoor and outdoor amusements. For the
first few days the weather, though fairly keen, did not admit of true
Alpine sports. The young people, however, found plenty of enjoyment in
long walks over the moors and scrambles up the hills. They would take
lunch with them, and pass the whole day in the open air, returning for
tea at four o'clock with ravenous appetites for muffins and Yule cakes.
Music and games were the order of the evening. Mildred had brought her
violin, and was able to convince her friends of her improvement; the
Vicar produced his violoncello, Rhoda sang her latest songs, and the
rest of the party were always ready with a chorus to the seafaring and
hunting ditties which Eric was fond of trolling forth. Diccon was
endeavouring to learn the banjo, and though his performances on that
instrument still left much to be desired, and were an offence to ears
educated to more classical strains, they at any rate provided much
merriment. Neville had, as he expressed it, "no parlour tricks", but
Kitty was clever at recitation, and declaimed many humorous pieces for
the edification of her audience, who waxed enthusiastic over certain
American comic gems which were the stars of her repertoire.
But all the time the young folks, while enjoying themselves hugely, were
yearning with an almost unreasonable insistence for snow. The British
climate, more lavish with rain as a rule, had given a spell of
aggravatingly clear skies, but at length, as if relapsing into its usual
habit, drew storm clouds across the blue.
"Thermometer below freezing-point, mountains smothered in mist, wind in
the south-west!" chuckled Diccon. "If we don't have a good fall of snow
before to-morrow morning, you may take me out and roll me down the hill
in a sack! I'm not a weather prophet without observation."
Even before bedtime Diccon's hopes were fulfilled. The air was a maze of
soft floating flakes, and already the path to the churchyard was
covered. He retired in high glee, rubbing his hands in anticipation of
the pleasures of the morrow. Next morning everybody awoke to a white
world. While her children slept, Nature had slowly and silently
accomplished her work; all night there had been a steady fall, and now a
foot of snow lay over the landscape. It was for this that the boys had
been waiting. Their bobsleighs, if not quite up to the level of those
provided at Alpine winter resorts in Switzerland, were at any rate
serviceable, and they knew of a good place for a toboggan track.
Immediately after breakfast they went off to prepare the slide, choosing
a splendid hill slope with a field at the bottom. They hurried back to
fetch the girls.
"It's prime, and you'd best come along at once and make the most of
it," affirmed Rodney. "One never knows how long this sort of thing is
going to last. It might be a melting slough of despond by to-morrow."
"Don't break your precious necks!" said Mrs. Somerville.
"There's no danger at all," laughed Diccon.
Rhoda had enjoyed the pleasures of tobogganing before, but to Mildred
and Kitty it was a new and delightful experience. The rapid motion
through the frosty air was an intense exhilaration, and the
rough-and-tumble part of the performance only made them laugh. With
cheeks crimson from excitement, they were ready for any number of
repetitions of the experiment.
"Come along with me, Mildred, and I'll take you down like a sheet of
greased lightning!" said Rodney. "No, don't go with 'sweet Richard'!
He'll spill you overboard, and break your nose, if not your neck!"
"A libel! I'm as steady as a railway truck running through a goods
yard!" protested Diccon. "Never mind! I'll take Kitty, and we'll see
who's greased lightning!"
"Right you are! We'll have our go first, then you can follow. Eric and
Neville can act as judges."
"Suppose they disagree?" laughed Mildred.
"Then Rhoda is final umpire."
"It's the most blissful sport in creation!" declared Mildred, as she
tucked herself on to Rodney's sleigh. "It beats swimming and dancing and
rowing and hockey, and everything I know except flying, which I've never
tried."
"You're going to try it now," said Rodney. "Here goes! Right away!"
Off they went at a most terrific pace. The slide was in good form by
now, and Rodney had got into practice.
"How many miles an hour?" gasped Mildred as they glided on.
"Wish I'd a speedometer! About a hundred, I should think. She's going
A1. Oh, I say! Look out for yourself! Jemima! That was a narrow shave!"
As he spoke, Rodney had ground his heel heavily into the snow, and the
sled slued sharply to the right. They were almost at the bottom of the
run, and in another instant were able to stop. Rodney sprang up, and
rushing back to the lump of snow which they had just avoided, hastily
uncovered a jagged piece of rock.
"Hi! Danger!" he yelled to Diccon, who was about to start down the
track. "Look out here for all you're worth!"
"What's the matter?" cried Mildred, who had joined him.
"Matter? Don't you see this boulder? It was completely hidden by the
snow. If we'd hit it, I'd have broken your nose for you in good earnest,
or something worse. Keep wide, Diccon! It's as nasty a trap as one could
find anywhere--it's so innocently covered. There they go, like an
express! They'd have smashed straight into it if I hadn't warned them."
"Who's won?" asked Mildred.
"A draw!" shouted Rhoda.
"Then come on, Mildred, and we'll try again. We know our danger spot
now, and I promise I won't run you at it. Are you game for another go?"
"As many as you like!" declared Mildred with sparkling eyes.
That evening the weather behaved with extraordinary caprice. A short
thaw, melting the surface of the snow, was succeeded by the sharpest
frost of the winter, and for twenty-four hours the thermometer surprised
even those case-hardened meteorologists, the oldest inhabitants. The
result made all lovers of winter sports chuckle with satisfaction. Every
pond and flooded meadow had a surface like glass, and skating, which
before had been an illusion, was now a possibility.
"We'll go down to Wilkins's pond," declared Rodney, "it's not bad for a
beginning. But to-morrow'll be the day of days! I've just seen Sir
Darcy. He says another twelve hours of this frost and the lake will
bear. He won't let anybody on to-day, but by to-morrow morning it ought
to be in absolutely ripping condition. Then we'll show you what
Westmorland skating is like!"
"It's our last day!" sighed Mildred. "I'm glad the grand treat has been
saved up for the end."
The Somervilles could all skate well, for Castleford was a cold place in
winter, and often registered frost when more southern counties had open
weather. Some meadows near the Vicarage were generally flooded in
December and January by the overflow of a brook, and the four inches of
water that covered them froze rapidly, affording an opportunity for ice
lovers of which they generally availed themselves immediately. Mildred
and the two Fletchers had also learned to skate. Kirkton possessed the
rare advantage of a real ice rink, and they had sometimes spent Saturday
afternoons there, so though they could not rival the Somervilles, they
were not absolute novices, and could look after themselves. The whole
party passed the day on a neighbouring pond, and by dusk both Mildred
and Kitty had improved so immensely with the practice that they
considered themselves thoroughly qualified to appreciate the joys that
were promised them on the morrow.
By ten o'clock next morning a very jovial company met at the lake. Sir
Darcy had invited a number of other families from the neighbourhood, and
young and old were all anxious to try their prowess. The ice had been
duly tested with the orthodox gimlet, and passed as absolutely safe; it
was in splendid condition, and the smooth expanse presented a most
attractive appearance.
"Who need go to Switzerland when they've got this at their very doors?"
exulted Rodney. "I don't believe St. Moritz could go one better, and
we're not crowded up with a lot of foreigners either. Old England for
me!"
"Yes, if she behaves herself in the matter of frost!" laughed Mildred.
"The worst of it is that she keeps up her reputation for a day or two,
then gets tired of it, and sends a thaw. By next week this will probably
be all water again."
"Prophesy smooth things unto me!" protested Rodney, with mock tragedy.
"The fact that you've gone home will be bad enough. Won't you leave the
ice to console me?"
"That's out of my dispensation. You must write to the weather office."
"I'm going to try fancy figures!" declared Rhoda. "If you don't see me
cut an eight before the day's over, I'll--well--bite an inch off my
skates!"
"A discreet promise, Madam Rhoda," said Rodney. "You're generally very
ingenious at wriggling out of your bargains."
"Take that back, or I'll put an obstacle in your way when you're cutting
your best flourish!" laughed Rhoda.
All the visitors had come determined to enjoy themselves. Sir Darcy and
several of his friends had commenced curling, urged on by the enthusiasm
of two Scottish gentlemen who were staying with the Tracy family. The
Vicar joined them, and soon the elder members of the company were
engaged in the sport, as interested and excited as any juveniles. The
young people were busy at first helping some of the guests who were not
very steady on their skates; but when these had gained sufficient
confidence to support one another, their teachers were free to cut
figures, get up a hockey match, or practise any other diversion they
pleased. Several sledges had been brought to the lake, and children were
placed on them and taken for rides, races being organized between the
rival sleighs, to the huge delight of their small occupants, who would
never have tired of the pastime if their long-suffering entertainers had
not at last struck work and left them to amuse themselves.
[Illustration: "'HI! DANGER!' HE YELLED TO DICCON, WHO WAS ABOUT TO
START DOWN THE TRACK"]
It was a very gay and pretty scene--the merry groups of skaters, the
bright cold January sunshine gleaming on the crystals that decked the
boughs of the trees surrounding the lake, The Towers looking like a
Christmas card with its ivy-clad turrets, and in the distance the
snow-covered hills rising with an Alpine whiteness above the dark patch
of the pine woods. On the supposition that frosty air gives keen
appetites, Lady Lorraine had made generous provision for her guests. At
eleven o'clock hot beef-tea and toast were brought out, and at half-past
one everybody went to the house for lunch, while chocolates and toffee
were dealt out liberally during the morning. Among all the young people
who were assembled together none made a more charming figure than
Violet. In a blue-velvet costume, with grey squirrel furs, her eyes
shining like stars and her cheeks as pink as carnations, she was the
acknowledged belle of the occasion, and "The Lady of the Lake", "The
Snow Queen", "The Frost Fairy", and "Venus of the Ice" were but a few of
the epithets bestowed upon her. She had no lack of partners to skate
with, and was kept so busy among all her many friends that it was not
until late afternoon that she was able to get a word with Mildred alone.
The cousins had not yet seen much of each other, for during the earlier
part of the visit Violet had been away staying with the Tracys, and had
just returned home when the frost grew keen. Sir Darcy considered her
too precious a treasure to risk her life at bobsleighing, so she had not
been allowed to join the Somervilles' tobogganing expeditions; and
though all the party at the Vicarage had had tea on Sunday at The
Towers, Violet had been too much in request helping her mother to act
hostess to allow time for any private talk with Mildred.
"Come along now!" she said brightly, "I've set all those boys to sweep
for the curling, so we shall have a few minutes' peace. Let's take a
turn together round the lake. I've heaps and heaps of things I want to
tell you. I tried to scoot away with you on Sunday, but I never got an
opportunity."
Hand in hand the two girls started, and were soon deep in a most
interesting conversation. Violet had really grown rather fond of Mildred
while the latter was staying at The Towers, and had missed her since she
went away. She had made a confidante of her cousin during the summer,
and she was now anxious to pour into her sympathetic ears the
accumulated news of many months. Anxious that their _tete-a-tete_ should
not be disturbed, they skated as far away from their friends as
possible, going towards the lower part of the lake, a portion which had
been so far avoided, owing to the roughness of the ice. If it was an
unpleasant surface, at least they had it to themselves, so they went on
and on, not looking particularly in what direction they were going,
Violet talking hard and Mildred listening and putting in comments.
"So you see how it is, and I shouldn't be surprised if Miss Ward doesn't
come back at all after the holidays, or at least leaves at Easter,"
Violet was saying, when Mildred suddenly gave a sharp exclamation and,
loosing her hand, cried to her to stop.
It was indeed high time. So engrossed had the girls been in their
conversation that they had not noticed they were approaching the
overflow of the lake. The rough ice had grown thinner, and ahead of
them, where the brook took its source, it was barely half an inch in
thickness, and stretched a smoother but most treacherous surface,
narrowing to the half-frozen outlet.
The shock of loosing hands threw Mildred on her back, but Violet, unable
to stop herself, skimmed rapidly forward on to the cat-ice. There was a
cracking, rending sound, the ice split in all directions like a flawed
mirror, and with one piercing terrified shriek Violet disappeared into a
pool of water. Mildred was on her feet again in a moment, and grasped
the situation in a flash. Crawling on her knees to the edge of the ice,
she was able to seize Violet by the hand just as her cousin rose to the
surface. But the weight of the two girls was too great for the thin
plate of ice; again it cracked, and together they were plunged into the
lake. Most mercifully Mildred did not lose her presence of mind. She
could swim, and, supporting Violet, she was able to reach a rather
thicker portion of the ice. This was not sufficiently firm to allow the
girls to scramble upon its surface, but it afforded just enough hold for
their fingers to enable them to keep their heads above water. By this
time their screams had brought everybody hastening to the spot, and
great was the alarm of the skaters at the sight of their peril. Mr.
Douglas, a Scottish friend, who arrived first on the scene, at once took
command.
"Keep back! Keep back!" he shouted to the distracted oncomers. "You'll
only crack the ice and increase their danger. Fetch the ladder and the
rope. Hold on, girls, for your lives! We'll have you out in a minute!"
Before his guests arrived that morning Sir Darcy had taken the
precaution of causing a ladder and a long coil of rope to be laid on the
bank in case of accident, and the wisdom of his proceeding was well
justified. In less time than it takes to tell it, a dozen eager hands
had seized the ladder, and, skating back with it at lightning speed,
pushed it gently across the broken portion of the ice, so that at least
its nearer end rested on a secure foundation. By its aid the girls
managed to scramble from the water, and were drawn along over the more
solid ice till eager hands could snatch them.
Dripping from their freezing plunge, and shivering with cold and fright,
they were taken at once to The Towers, and put to bed with warmed
blankets and hot-water bags. The party, in much consternation at the
accident, broke up immediately, the various guests returning home. Sir
Darcy and Lady Lorraine were greatly upset, and Mr. and Mrs. Somerville
hardly less so. The doctor, who had been summoned at once by telephone,
gave a good report of the invalids, however, and assured their anxious
friends that they seemed likely to do well and take no harm from their
wetting, quiet rest and warmth being all they required.
Mildred did not return home with the Fletchers, as had been arranged.
Lady Lorraine would not permit her to leave The Towers until the doctor
had seen her again and pronounced her fit to travel. Fortunately, owing
to the remedies applied so speedily after their ducking, neither of the
girls had caught cold or suffered any other ill effects.
"You might have told me you were going to make holes in the ice, and
given me a chance to be there to rescue you!" said Rodney reproachfully
to Mildred before she left. "That Scotch fellow stole a march on me!"
"I'll give you fair warning next time--if I'm ever so foolish again!"
she laughed in reply. "I don't see how I'm to do it on the rink at
Kirkton!"
"I'll go and look after you, just as a safeguard, if you'll tell me when
you intend skating there. I'm due back at my diggings in a week. I
always get Saturday afternoons free, you know."
Mildred left Castleford with regret, even though she was returning to
her own dear Meredith Terrace.
"It's not that I don't love home best, Tantie," she was careful to
assure Mrs. Graham. "But I've got fond of Westmorland too. There's one
thing that's a supreme satisfaction to me--they say I saved Violet's
life; and if I really did, it's surely some little return to Uncle Darcy
and Aunt Geraldine for their kindness last summer. I always felt they
were hurt at my leaving them, and I wanted to do something to make up.
I'm so glad I got the opportunity--it mightn't come again in fifty
years!"