Red Rose and Tiger Lily | Page 2

know Miss Forest by hearsay," he said, "so I will reserve my
judgment upon her; but I do know Nan. She will upset the entire régime
of the house. I like order, and she likes disorder. I like quiet meals, she
likes uproarious ones. I hate shocks and she adores them. I am glad, of
course, to welcome the child home, but at the same time I dread her
arrival. I cannot possibly understand how it is that Mrs. Willis, who is
supposed to be such a splendid instructor of youth, should not have
brought Nan a little better into control. Now, you, my dear Hetty, are
very different. You have passions and feelings--no one has them more
strongly--but you keep them in check. Your reticence and your reserve
please me much. In short, Hester, no father could have a more

admirable daughter to live with him. I am pleased with you, my dear;
the experiment of having you home from school to look after my house
has turned out well. There is nothing I would not do to please you, and
while your friend Miss Forest is here, I will do my best to render her
visit a success. The only discordant element will be Nan. I cannot
understand why Mrs. Willis has not got Nan into the same control she
had you in."
"You forget," said Hester, "that I am seventeen and Nan only eight. No
one ever yet could say 'No' to Nan. Father, don't you hear the carriage
wheels? She is coming--I know she is coming. Please forgive me, I
must run to meet her."
Sir John released his daughter's hand, and Hester flew with the speed of
an arrow from a bow up the long avenue. She was not mistaken. Her
keen ears had detected the smooth roll of wheels. A landau drawn by a
pair of horses had even now entered the lodge gates. Hester, looking up,
heard some gay voices, some childish laughter. Then an imperious
voice shouted to the coachman to pull up the horses and Nan Thornton
and another girl sprang out of the carriage and ran to Hester's side.
Confused utterances, sundry embraces, the quick intermingling of
ejaculations, kisses, commands, explanatory remarks--all rose on the
sweet night air.
"Hetty, you look quite grown up. Please, Jenkins, you can drive on to
the house. I'm not getting in again. Aren't you glad to see me, Het? I
have come back a greater tease and torment than ever."
"Yes, Nan, delighted--more than delighted. Oh! you sweet, how nice it
is to feel you kissing me! Why, Annie, how did you happen to come
to-night? I didn't expect you until to-morrow. I was wondering how I
could endure the next twenty-four hours of expectation, even with Nan
to keep me company, and now you are here. Oh, how very, very glad I
am."
"Kiss me, Hester," said Annie. "Nan and I concocted this little plan. We
thought we'd take you by surprise. Oh dear, oh dear, I feel so wild and

excited that I'm sure I shall be just as troublesome as I used to be before
you tamed me down at school. Now then, Nan, you are not to have all
the kisses. Hester, dear, how sweet and gracious and prim and
lady-of-the-manorish you do look!"
"I don't care what I look like, I only know what I feel," replied Hester:
"about the happiest girl in England. But don't let us stand here talking
any longer, or father will take it into his head that I am catching cold in
the night air. Here, Nan, take my arm. Annie, my other side is at your
disposal. Now, do let us come to the house."
The girls began to move slowly down the long winding avenue. Nan
had the pretty, soft dark eyes which used to characterise her as a little
child. Her abundant fluffy golden hair hung below her waist. Her baby
lips and sweet little face looked as charming as of old. She was a very
pretty child, and promised to be a beautiful woman by-and-by. Her
beauty, however, was nothing at all beside the radiant sort of loveliness
which Annie Forest possessed. She was a creature all moods, all
expression, all life, all movement. She had early given promise of
remarkable beauty, and this had been more than fulfilled. Hester
glanced at her now and again in the most loving admiration.
"It is good to have you back, Nan," she said, "and it is delightful to
know that you have come at last to pay your long, long promised visit,"
she continued, looking at Annie. "Well, here we are at home. Nan, you
must go up and show yourself to nurse this minute. Annie, let me take
you to your room."
"Dear