Black, White and Gray | Page 8

and a very pure white complexion, with hardly
a tinge of colour; and, as she ran forward to kiss her little brown-faced
cousins, she was a great contrast to them in every way. Her dress,
which was prettily made and fanciful, and her gleaming bronze shoes
added to this; for Dennis and his sister seldom wore anything but serge
or holland, and their boots were of strong country make, which made
their feet look rather clumsy.
"If the children must wear such thick boots, Katharine," Mrs Trevor
often said, "you might at least have them made to fit. It gives them the
air of little clodhoppers."
But Miss Chester went her own way, and Aunt Trevor's objections had
no effect on her arrangements.
"Ask if we may go out!" said Dennis, in an urgent whisper to his cousin,
who at once ran up to her mother, and repeated the request in the midst
of her conversation with Aunt Katharine. Mrs Trevor cast an anxious
glance out the window.
"Well, my darling, as you have a cold and the wind is in the east, I
think you had better play indoors. You can take your cousins into the
long gallery and have a nice game."
Philippa frowned and pushed out her lower lip:
"I want to go out," she murmured.
"But your cough, my dearest," said her mother in a pleading
tone.--"What do you say, Katharine? Would it not be more prudent for
her to keep indoors?"
"I think it would be best for her to do as you wish," said Aunt
Katharine, with a half smile at Philippa's pouting lips.
"I must go out with Dennis and Maisie," said the little girl in a whining
voice.

"Dennis and Maisie will be quite happy indoors," said Mrs Trevor
entreatingly; "you can show them your new violin, you know, and play
them a tune."
"I don't want to," said Philippa, with a rising sob.
Mrs Trevor looked alarmed.
"My darling, don't excite yourself," she said; "we will see--we will ask
Miss Mervyn. Perhaps if you are very warmly wrapped up."
Philippa's brow cleared at once.
"Then we may go?" she said.
"Ask Miss Mervyn to come and speak to me a moment," said her
mother. "Such a difficult, delicate temperament to deal with," she
continued, as the door closed on her daughter. "Not like a
commonplace nature," with a glance at Dennis and Maisie; "so
excitable, that it makes her ill to be thwarted in any way. Indeed the
doctor forbids it."
"How bad for her!" said Aunt Katharine bluntly. "Children are never
happy until they learn to obey."
"That sort of system may answer with some children," said Mrs Trevor;
"but my poor delicate Philippa requires infinite tact."
"What do you think, Miss Mervyn," as a thin, careworn-looking lady
entered, "of Philippa going out to-day? She wants to take her cousins
into the garden for a little while."
Miss Mervyn looked anxiously from mother to daughter.
"She has been coughing this morning, and the wind is cold," she began,
when she was interrupted by an angry burst of tears from Philippa.
"I must go out," she cried between her sobs. "You're a cross thing to say
it's cold. I will go out."

"There, there, my darling," said Mrs Trevor; "do control yourself. You
shall go.--Pray, Miss Mervyn, take care that she is warmly dressed, and
has goloshes and a thick veil. You will, of course, go with the children,
and keep to the sheltered places, and on no account allow Philippa to
run on the grass or to get overheated."
Philippa's tears and sobs ceased at once, and soon muffled up to the
eyes, she was ready to go out with her cousins, followed by the patient
Miss Mervyn, and Mrs Trevor was left at liberty to bestow some
attention on her guest. As soon as they were out of sight of the
windows, Philippa's first action was to tear off the white knitted shawl
which was wrapped round her neck and mouth.
"If you don't keep that on, we must go in again," said Miss Mervyn.
"I won't wear it, and I won't go in," said Philippa. "If you tease about it,
I shall scream, and then I shall be ill; and then it will be your fault."
Poor Miss Mervyn shook her head, but after a few mild persuasions
gave in, and Philip had her way as usual, not only in this, but in
everything that she wished to do throughout the walk. Dennis and
Maisie were used to seeing this whenever they came to Haughton, but
it never ceased to surprise them, because it was so very different from
their unquestioning obedience to rules at Fieldside. It certainly did not
seem to make Philippa happy or pleasant. Although she did