Red Rose and Tiger Lily | Page 5

last to the Towers, and Kitty had
one all to herself, and Boris and Kitty were always fighting as to which
were the most beautiful--the one rat or the four. Did you ever see a
white rat, Annie? They are pets, with long tails like worms."
"Hester," exclaimed Sir John, "will you induce Nan to hold her tongue
and eat her supper in peace?"
Hester bent forward and whispered something to Nan, who shrugged
her shoulders indignantly. Her face grew crimson.
"I can't learn that proverb," she said, after a pause. "I can't obey it, its
no use trying. Father, do you hear? I can't be one of those
seen-and-not-heard girls. Do you hear me, father?"
"I 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