A Houseful of Girls | Page 6

vulgar argument. So she determined, at
least; but a fiery temptation assailed her in the form of another
objection, so unanswerable that it was not in human nature to resist
hurling it at the heads of her companions.
"I hope you are right, I am sure; but, all the same, it is rather early in
the day to make arrangements. You are counting without your host.
How can you tell that mother will consent to let you have the sale at
all?"
And at that the listeners hung their heads and were silent, for it was
indeed useless to build castles unless they were first assured of this
foundation.
CHAPTER THREE.
A NEW NEIGHBOUR.
After dinner that evening the six girls assembled in the drawing-room,
and little Mrs Rendell sat in their midst on a low chair drawn up in the
centre of the fireplace. A grey silk dress fitted closely to the lines of her
tiny figure, two minute little slippers were placed upon the fender, and
the diamonds flashed on her fingers as she held up a fan to protect her
face from the blaze. She looked ridiculously young and pretty, to be the
mother of those six big girls; and a stranger looking in at the scene
would have put her down as a helpless little creature, too meek and
gentle to cope with such heavy responsibilities. But the stranger would
have been mistaken.

"Mother darling," said Christabel insinuatingly, "granting always that
you are the kindest and most amiable of mothers, do you happen to feel
in an extra specially angelic temper this evening?"
"An `oh-certainly-my-darlings-do-whatever-you-please' temper!"
chimed in Nan sweetly; "because if you do--"
"I hope I shall never be so forgetful of my duties as to say anything so
indiscreet," replied Mrs Rendell firmly. "Margaret, your hair is
tumbling down again! Kneel down, and let me fasten it for you at
once!"
Nan knelt down meekly, her roguish face on a level with her mother's,
and the brown coils were twisted and hair-pinned together with swift,
decided fingers.
"You must do it like this--do you see!--tighter, closer, more firmly!"
"Yes, mother."
"It's disgraceful that a big girl like you--a girl nearly eighteen-- should
not be able to do her own hair!"
"Yes, mother."
"You wouldn't like to be known as the girl with the untidy hair, I
suppose, or to have a collapse of this sort in church or in the street?"
"No, mother."
"Then pray, my dear, be more careful. Don't let me have to speak
again."
"I'll try, mother. A rough head, but a loving heart! You might kiss me
now and say you're sorry, for you stuck two hair-pins right into my
scalp, and I never winced!"
Mrs Rendell smiled, and laid a gentle hand on the girl's cheek. For one
moment her dignified airs seemed to vanish, and nothing but motherly

tenderness shone in her eyes, but the next she drew herself up again,
stiff as a little poker, and said lightly--
"Nonsense, nonsense! Get up, child, and don't be ridiculous! Sit on that
high chair, and don't stoop! I can't endure to see a young girl lounging
on a couch. What is this new scheme that you wish to ask me about
to-night?"
"Mother dear, you know you like us to be charitable! You are always
preaching--er, I mean impressing upon us--that we ought to remember
the poah," said Christabel, standing up as stiff as a grenadier, and
smiling at her mother in her most ingratiating manner. Mrs Rendell
would have died rather than acknowledge a special weakness towards
any member of her flock; but as a matter of fact her youngest-born
possessed a power of wheedling favours which none of her sisters
could boast, and was herself agreeably conscious of the fact, and fond
of putting it to the test. "I am sure you will approve of our scheme, and
feel pleased with us for thinking of it. It's for the Mission. We thought
of getting up a little sale among ourselves, and giving the proceeds
towards the funds."
"It is so little that we can give; but if we devote our time and
strength"--murmured Lilias prettily.
"It all adds up when you put it together," said practical Agatha; "and
you can stick on such awful prices. Chrissie and I thought we might
have the refreshments and a pin-cushion stall, and set out little tables
on the lawn."
"Such jolly fun!" gushed Nan. "Every one would come; and we would
have games, and sports, and sails in the boats, and something to pay
wherever they went. The young ones would stay, after the others had
gone, to eat up the strawberries, and we would have pounds and pounds
to give to the secretary."
"Of strawberries?" queried Mrs Rendell coldly. "Your English,