Red Rose and Tiger Lily | Page 5

do, Nan. If we have finished supper, shall we go into the drawing-room?" he added, turning to Annie.
Nan lingered behind. She slipped her hand through her sister's arm and dragged her on to the terrace.
"I feel so wicked that I think I'll burst," she exclaimed. "Why is father always throwing a damp cloth over me?"
"Nan, dear, you irritate him a good deal. Why do you talk in that silly way when you know he cannot bear it?"
"Because I'm Nan," answered the child, pouting her lips.
"But Nan can learn wisdom," said Hester, in her sweet elder-sisterly tone. "Even though you are the liveliest, merriest, dearest little girl in the world, and though it is delicious to have you back"--here there came an ecstatic hug--"you need not say things that you know will hurt. For instance, you are perfectly well aware that father does not like his age commented on."
"Oh, that," said Nan, some of the trouble which nurse's words had caused coming back to her eyes. "Oh, but I really said what I meant, then--it was not mischief. I was so glad to see that he is old. I love those wrinkles of his--I adore them."
"What can you mean, you queer little thing?"
"Why, you see, Hetty, he won't be attractive, and there'll be no fear."
"No fear of what?"
"Nurse said that perhaps he'd be having a wife, and giving us a stepmother."
"Oh, what nonsense!" said Hester, in a vexed tone. "What a silly thing for nurse to say. I am quite surprised at her. As far as I can tell our father has no intention of marrying again; but if he did?"
"If he did," repeated Nancy, "nurse says that you wouldn't be mistress of the Grange any longer."
A wistful sort of look, half of pain, half of suppressed longing, filled Hester's dark eyes for a moment.
"I might go out into the world," she said, "and have my heart's desire."
"But aren't you happy here?"
"Yes, oh yes! I am talking nonsense. My duty lies here, at least at present. Mrs. Willis has taught me always to put duty first. Now, Nan, let us forget what is not likely to happen. It is nearly time for you to go to bed; you look quite tired; there are black rings under your eyes; but first, just tell me about Mrs. Willis and the dear old school."
"Mrs. Willis is well," said Nan, with a yawn, "and the school is in statu quo. I am in the middle school now, and perhaps I shall get a drawing-room to myself before long. I'm not sure though, for I never can be tidy."
"I wish you could be; it's a pity not to curb one's faults."
"Oh, bother faults. I don't want you to lecture me, Hetty."
"No, darling, I don't wish to; but I thought you were so fond of Mrs. Willis. I thought you would do anything to please her."
"Yes, of course. I think I do please her. She gave me two prizes at the break up--one for French and one for music. She kissed me, too, quite half-a-dozen times. Look here, Hetty, I don't want you to ask Annie Forest a lot of questions about me. I can't help having a romping time now and then at school; and there are two new girls--Polly and Milly Jenkins; they are so killingly funny; nearly as good as Boris and Kitty Lorrimer. I always had a little bit of the wild element in me, and I suppose it must come out somehow. Annie was wild enough when she was my age, wasn't she, Hester?"
"Annie will be gay and light-hearted to the end of the chapter!" exclaimed Hester.
"But she was naughty when she was my age, wasn't she?"
"She is not naughty now."
"Well, no more will I be when I am sixteen. Now, good-night, Het. Am I to sleep in your room?"
"Yes."
"How scrumptious. Look out for a fine waking early in the morning."
Nan hugged Hester in her usual rough-and-ready manner, and danced upstairs, singing as she went--
"Old Daddy-long-legs wouldn't say his prayers, Catch him by his left leg and throw him downstairs."
This was one of Nan's rhymes which Sir John detested. Her voice was loud and somewhat piercing. He heard it in the drawing-room, and went deliberately and shut the door.
"Miss Forest," he said to his young guest, "there are moments when I feel extremely uneasy with regard to the fate of my youngest daughter."
"About Nan's fate?" exclaimed Annie, raising her arched eyebrows; "why, she is quite the dearest little thing in the world. I wish you could see her at school; she is the pet of all the girls at Lavender House."
"That may be," said Sir John, with a slightly sarcastic movement of his thin lips; "but it does not follow that school pets are home pets. If my good friend, Mrs. Willis,