A Canadian Heroine, Volume 1 | Page 3

to fear it a
little for her only child."
"Such a child, too! She is growing perfectly lovely. But, then, dear Mrs.
Costello, the very idea of calling our tiny backwood's society, 'the
world;' and as for Lucia, if you will not come with her, I promise, at
any rate, to take the same care of her as I will of my Flo when she is big
enough to face our great world."
She spoke laughing, but with some earnestness under the sparkle of her
bright eyes; and immediately afterwards rose, saying, "I suppose Bella
cannot leave Bob, and Lucia will not leave Bella, so I must go to them;
and if Lucia pleases, she may come to-morrow?"
"Yes, yes; I am foolish. She shall come, I promise you for her. And,
indeed, I ought to thank you also."
"No, no; I can't expect to be thanked for committing a theft. Good-bye.
I shall send Bella to fetch her. Good-bye."
She took up her hat, gave her friend a kiss, and ran down the steps and
out again, through the wicket by which she had entered. A minute after

the sound of her little carriage rolling away was heard, and Lucia came
back flushed and puzzled.
"But, mamma, you have been overpersuaded. Indeed; I do not want to
go."
"I think you do, darling; or will do by-and-by. I have quite changed my
mind, and promised Mrs. Bellairs to send you to her in the morning; so
now all you have to do is to see that your things are ready. Two
toilettes to prepare! What an event for such a country girl as you! Come
in and let us see."
"Mamma, you know my things are all ready. I don't want to go in. I
don't want to go."
"Lucia! Are you changeable, also, then?"
"No, mamma. At least not without cause."
Mrs. Costello smiled, "What is the cause at present?"
Lucia moved impatiently. "Oh, it is so stupid!" she said.
"What is stupid? A picnic?"
"No, people," and she laughed half shyly, half saucily, and blushed
deeper still.
"What people?"
"Bella has been telling me--;"
"Telling you what, my child? That people are stupid?"
Lucia sat down again in her old place, and pulled her mother back into
hers. Then with her two elbows resting on Mrs. Costello's lap, and her
red cheek hidden by her hands, she answered, with a comical sort of
disdain and half-affected anger,

"Mamma, just think. At Mrs. Bellairs' to-day, at dinner, Mr. Percy was
asking questions about what was going to be done to-morrow, and he
did not seem to think, Bella said, that the picnic would be much fun,
but he was greatly amused by the idea of dancing in a half-finished
house, and wanted to know where they would find enough ladies for
partners; so Mr. Bellairs said there were plenty of partners in the
neighbourhood, and pretty ones, too; and Mr. Percy made some speech
about being already quite convinced of the beauty of the Cacouna
ladies. You know the kind of thing a man would say when Mrs.
Bellairs and Bella were there. But Mr. Bellairs told him he had not yet
seen a fair specimen; but that there was a little half Spanish girl here
who would show him what beauty meant. Mamma, was it not
dreadfully stupid of him?" And Lucia, in spite of her indignation, could
not restrain a laugh as she looked, half shy, half saucy, into her
mother's face.
Mrs. Costello laughed too; but there was as deep a flush on her cheek
as on her daughter's, and her heart throbbed painfully.
"Well," she said, "but this rara avis was not named?"
"Yes she was. Oh! I can't tell you all; but you know Maurice was there,
and Mr. Bellairs told Mr. Percy that he ought to be the best qualified to
describe her, because he saw her every day. Then Mr. Percy asked what
was her name, and Mr. Bellairs told him. But when Mr. Percy asked
Maurice something, he only said, 'Do you believe people can be
described, Mr. Percy? I don't; and if I did, I should not make a
catalogue of a lady's qualities for the benefit of others.'"
"Well done, Lucia, most correctly reported. Who has been telling
tales?"
An unsuspected listener stepped out with these words from the dark
parlour on to the verandah; but Lucia, springing up at the sound of his
voice, flew past him and disappeared.
He came forward, "Don't be angry, Mrs. Costello. I met Margery at the
gate, and she sent me in. I assure you I did not hear more than the last

sentence; yet, you see I met with a listener's fate."
"I don't see it at all. On the contrary, you did