A Modern Tomboy | Page 6

girl. "She will force
all these girls to behave properly. She will insist on order. I see it in her
face."
But as the thought passed through Lucy's mind, Rosamund jumped
suddenly up from her own place, requested Phyllis Flower to change
with her, and sat down close to Miss Archer. During tea she talked to
the English governess in a low tone, asking her a great many questions,
and evidently impressing her very much in her favor.
"Oh, dear!" thought Lucy, "if this sort of thing goes on I shall lose my
senses. If there is to be any order, if the whole scheme which mother
has thought out so carefully, and father has approved of, means to
establish a girl like Rosamund Cunliffe here as our leader, so that we
are forced to do every single thing she wishes, I shall beg and implore
of father and mother to let me go and live with Aunt Susan in the old
Rectory at Dartford."
Lucy's cheeks were flushed, and she could scarcely keep the tears back
from her eyes. After tea, however, as she was walking about in front of
the house, wondering if she should ever know a happy moment again,
Miss Archer made her appearance. When she saw Lucy she called her
at once to her side.
"What a nice girl Rosamund Cunliffe seems!" was her first remark.
"Oh! don't begin by praising her," said Lucy. "I don't think I can quite
stand it."
"What is the matter, my dear? You are little Lucy Merriman, are you

not--the daughter of Mrs. Merriman and the Professor?"
"I am."
"And this house has always been your home?"
"I was born here," said Lucy almost tearfully.
"Then, of course, you feel rather strange at first with all these girls
scattered about the place. But when lessons really begin, and you get
into working order, you will be different. You will have to take your
place with the others in class, and everything is to be conducted as
though it were a real school."
"I will do anything you wish," said Lucy, and she turned a white face,
almost of despair, towards Miss Archer. "I will do anything in all the
world you wish if you will promise me one thing."
Miss Archer felt inclined to say, "What possible reason have you to
expect that I should promise you anything?" but she knew human
nature, and guessed that Lucy was troubled.
"Tell me what you wish," she said.
"I want you not to make a favorite of Rosamund Cunliffe. Already she
has begun to upset everything--last night all the drawing-room
arrangements, her own bedroom afterwards; then, to-day, the other girls
have done nothing but obey her. If this goes on, how is order to be
maintained?"
Miss Archer looked thoughtful.
"From the little I have seen of Rosamund, she seems to be a very
amiable and clever girl," she said. "She evidently has a great deal of
strength of character, and cannot help coming to the front. We must be
patient with her, Lucy."
Lucy felt a greater ache than ever at her heart. She was certain that
Miss Archer was already captivated by Rosamund's charms. What was

she to do? To whom was she to appeal? It would be quite useless to
speak to her mother, for her mother had already fallen in love with
Rosamund; and indeed she had with all the young girls who had arrived
such a short time ago. Mrs. Merriman was one of the most affectionate
people on earth. She had the power of taking an unlimited number of
girls, and boys, too, into her capacious heart. She could be spent for
them, and live for them, and never once give a thought to herself. Now,
in addition to the pleasure of having so many young people in the
house, she knew she was helping her husband and relieving his mind
from weighty cares. The Professor could, therefore, go on with the
writing of his great work on Greek anthology; even if the money for
this unique treatise came in slowly, there would be enough to keep the
little family from the products of the school. Yes, he should be
uninterrupted, and should proceed at his leisure, and give up the articles
which were simply wearing him into an early grave.
Lucy knew, therefore, that no sympathy could be expected from her
mother. It is true that her father might possibly understand; but then,
dared she worry him? He had been looking very pale of late. His health
was seriously undermined, and the doctors had spoken gravely of his
case. He must be relieved. He must have less tension, otherwise the
results would be attended with danger. And Lucy loved him, as she also
loved her mother,