FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   367   368   369   370   371   372   373   374   375   376   377   378   379   380   381   382   383   384   385   386   387   388   389   390   391  
392   393   394   395   396   397   398   399   400   401   402   403   404   405   406   407   408   409   410   411   412   413   414   415   416   >>   >|  
sible item had been cared for--the strawberries looked over--the cream made ready--the table set--the lettuce washed--the dishes warming for the vegetables--the pickles and bread on the table--and Faith had through all this delighted Mrs. Derrick as much as possible with her company, sight and presence at least,--for Faith's words were a trifle less free than usual;--when it was all done and the eating-room in a state of pleasant shady summer readiness, Faith went "ben," as they say in Scotland. She came into the sitting-room, as quietly as usual, and coming up to Mr. Linden laid a hand on his shoulder. "My own dear little Mignonette!--Do you feel less afraid of me, now I am here?" She hesitated to answer at first, then spoke with a very dainty shy look--"I don't think I ever had fear enough of you to hurt anything." "See that you do not begin now! What have you been about, all these long months? You were as chary of details as if I had no right to them." Faith looked gravely out of the window before she said, "I have not been studying this year, Endecott." There was so clearly some reason for it, that Mr. Linden's first thought was one of anxiety. "What has been the matter?" "You know I told you Mr. Skip had gone away?" "Yes." "And that he went because we hadn't any farm to manage?" "What has the farm to do with your studies?" "What shall I do if I make you very angry with me?" said Faith, the least touch of seriousness mingling with her words, "You had better ask what I shall do. Has Mr. Deacon come back and taken possession?" "Yes--And you know, Endy, we used to live by the farm. When that was gone we had to live by something else. I wouldn't tell you if I could help your knowing it." "Mignonette, what have you been doing?" "You know what Pet found me at?" "Yes."--She could not tell whether he saw the whole,--he was clearly in the mind to hear it, taking both her hands in his. "I did that," said Faith. "Did what?" "I got work from Miss Bezac.--She gave me lessons." "For how long?" "Since--about a fortnight after you went away. It was then Squire Deacon took away the farm. From that time until Pet came--" she added with a little rise of colour in her cheeks. "And that all the daylight and candlelight hours of each day?" "O no, not that. I had long walks to Miss Bezac's, you know--or rides--every day or two; for we kept Jerry; and I never sewed before breakfast. And in
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   367   368   369   370   371   372   373   374   375   376   377   378   379   380   381   382   383   384   385   386   387   388   389   390   391  
392   393   394   395   396   397   398   399   400   401   402   403   404   405   406   407   408   409   410   411   412   413   414   415   416   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Linden

 

Mignonette

 

Deacon

 
looked
 

knowing

 
lettuce
 

wouldn

 
manage
 

dishes

 

washed


studies

 

seriousness

 

mingling

 

possession

 
taking
 
candlelight
 
daylight
 

cheeks

 

colour

 

breakfast


strawberries
 

lessons

 

Squire

 
fortnight
 

pickles

 

answer

 

hesitated

 

eating

 
dainty
 
afraid

coming
 

sitting

 
quietly
 

readiness

 
pleasant
 

summer

 

shoulder

 

reason

 

thought

 

anxiety


Endecott

 

delighted

 

matter

 

vegetables

 

warming

 

Scotland

 

studying

 
months
 

presence

 

details