Kate Danton | Page 5

her two youngest children resided at the Hall, while the Captain was mostly absent. After her death, a Canadian lady had taken charge of the house and Captain Danton's daughters. All this Grace knew, and was quite unprepared to see her distant kinsman, and to hear that the Canadian lady had married and left, and that she was solicited to take her place. The Captain's terms were so generous that Grace accepted at once; and, a week after, was domesticated at the Hall, housekeeper and companion to his daughters.
Four years ago. Looking back to-night, Grace sighed to think how pleasant it had all been, now that it was over. It had been such a quiet, untroubled time--she sole mistress, Rose's fits of ill-temper and Eeny's fits of illness the only drawback. And now it was at an end forever. The heiress of Danton Hall was coming to wield the sceptre, and a new era would dawn with the morrow.
There was a tap at the door, and a voice asking: "May I come in, Grace?" and Grace woke up from her dreaming.
"Yes, Eeny," she said; and Eeny came in, looking at her searchingly.
"Have you been crying?" she asked, taking a stool at her feet.
"Crying? no! What should I cry for?"
"You look so solemn. I heard your visitor go, and ran up. Who was it?"
"My brother, who has just returned from Germany."
"Dear me! Didn't I say he had eyes like you? He's a Doctor, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"Grace, I thought you said you were poor?"
"Well, I am poor--am I not?"
"Then who paid for your brother studying medicine in Germany?"
"Uncle Roosevelt. He is very fond of Frank."
"Is your Uncle Roosevelt rich?"
"I believe so. Very rich, and very miserly."
"Has he sons and daughters?"
"No; we are his nearest relatives."
"Then, perhaps, he will leave you his fortune, Grace."
"Hardly, I think. He may remember Frank in his will; but there is no telling. He is very eccentric."
"Grace, I hope he won't leave it to you," said Eeny soberly.
"Really, why not, pray?"
"Because, if you were rich you would go away. I should be sorry if you left Danton Hall."
Grace stooped to kiss the pale young face.
"My dear Eeny, you forget that your beautiful sister Kate is coming. In a week or two, you will have room in your heart for no one but her."
"You know better than that," said Eeny; "perhaps she will be like Rose, and I shall not love her at all."
Grace smiled.
"Do you mean to say you do not love Rose, then?"
"Love Rose?" repeated Eeny, very much amazed at the question; "love Rose, indeed! I should like to see any one who could love Rose. Grace, where is your brother stopping? At the hotel?"
"No; at Monsieur le Cur��'s. He knows Father Francis. Eeny, do you hear that?"
She started up, listening. Through the tempest of wind and rain, and the surging of the trees, they could hear carriage wheels rattling rapidly up to the house.
"I hear it," said Eeny; "papa has come. O Grace, how pale you are!"
"Am I?" Grace said, laying her hand on heart, and moving towards the door. She paused in the act of opening it, and caught Eeny suddenly and passionately to her heart. "Eeny, my darling, before they come, tell me once more you will not let this new sister steal your heart entirely from me. Tell me you will love me still."
"Always, Grace," said Eeny; "there--the carriage has stopped!"
Grace opened the door and went out into the entrance hall. The marble-paved floor, the domed ceiling, the carved, and statued, and pictured walls, were quite grand in the blaze of a great chandelier. An instant later, and a loud knock made the house ring, and Babette flung the front door wide open. A stalwart gentleman, buttoned up in a great-coat, with a young lady on his aim, strode in.
"Quite a Canadian baptism, papa," the silvery voice of the young lady said; "I am almost drenched."
Grace heard this, and caught a glimpse of Captain Danton's man, Ogden, gallanting a pretty, rosy girl, who looked like a lady's maid, and then, very, very pale, advanced to meet her master and his daughter.
"My dear Miss Grace," the hearty voice of the sailor said, as he grasped her hand, "I am delighted to see you. My daughter Kate, Miss Grace."
My daughter Kate bowed in a dignified manner, scarcely looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on a smaller, slighter figure shrinking behind her.
"Hallo, Eeny!" cried the Captain, catching her in his arms; "trying to play hide-and-go-seek, are you? Come out and let us have a look at you."
He held her up over his head as if she had been a kitten, and kissed her as he set her down, laughing and breathless.
"You little whiff of thistle-down, why can't you get fat and rosy as you ought? There,