The Girls at Mount Morris by Amanda Minnie Douglas (rooftoppers .txt) 📖

errand. The green was to be a walking suit for Miss Marguerite and trimmed with whatever fur would be considered most appropriate. The lavender would be a sort of dinner and general-utility dress and ornamented with some beautiful Persian embroidery that had been brought from abroad; one of Aunt Kate's bargains.

When it was all settled the forewoman was called, who ushered Marguerite upstairs into the fitting room where two tall mirrors gave the place twice the size. There were measurements and discussions but the fitter was horrified to learn that the young girl had never worn corsets.

"Still she has a fine figure. You will make a larger woman than your sister, indeed, you _do_ favor your mother. It is like a miracle to see Mrs. Crawford going about without any aid. She had such a splendid physique until that horrible accident. How overjoyed they must feel that you escaped."

Marguerite quietly admitted that and presently she was returned to her mother.

"We might have sent for them, but I thought you wouldn't mind, and I should have had to explain it all to Aunt Kate. Why, I feel as if I had run away on some secret expedition. Do I look guilty?" and she laughed softly. "You are to be my girl you know. Oh, I hope you wont think me exigent? I can't endure fussiness, and I do believe that I have given in to Zay's desires when I did not think them wise or necessary, rather than have any discussion. But Aunt Kate loves her so and she has been so good to me."

Mrs. Barrington was delighted to see them. While the two ladies discussed studies and future plans, Marguerite ran through to the study where the left-over scholars were arranging a little play they were to amuse themselves with that afternoon. But Miss Nevins uttered a shriek of delight and nearly toppled her over in an exuberant embrace.

"Oh, my dear Miss Boyd--Crawford, I mean, will we get used to the new name! Isn't it all splendid! And to be so rich and to belong to a first class family! It _does_ make a difference. I've been writing to mamma all about it. It ought to be put in a book. But I liked you so from the very first, and you were so good to me. But the girls kept hectoring me and saying mamma wouldn't approve. She's very particular about the friends I make, because I shall go in the best society when I get introduced. I think papa will give me a ball. It is real stylish to have it at Sherry's. And I want you and your sister; only you ought to look more alike, being twins; I'm just as glad as if something grand had happened to me. And your father ought to give you a splendid party at Crawford House. I suppose it is very fine and all that."

Her face was in a glow and her dull brown eyes had a glint in them that improved them very much.

"I am just the same as when I was Lilian Boyd," she began. But Alice interrupted--"Oh, no, you're not, and you will soon find it out. It's all right, too. Rich people _do_ have more chances, and seeing the world and mixing with high up style gives you an air. Why you couldn't imagine that plain little Mrs. Boyd with her meek air going to dinners and balls, and she never could have earned money enough to dress any. That's what tells. And when you can't go into society or meet nice people but just stay at home and work or teach--what fun is there in life? Why I'd rather be dead."

"I should want to be alive even if I were Lilian Boyd. I think it is a grand world, and there is so much happening all the time. And I don't care so much about being rich--"

"But you _will_ and your mother is so lovely. Major Crawford looks rather stern and that handsome young man--what a pity he's to follow the sea, unless he gets to be an Admiral, and then he'll have to be quite old. I'd rather be at West Point. Oh, I wish I had a brother."

Marguerite looked pityingly at the silly girl. Then she asked about the play. Miss Nevins had been to the theatre and wanted to remodel the simple little story, and there had been some warm arguments.

"I must go and see Miss Arran." There was no use disputing proprieties with the overwise girl. But she hoped they had all begun a Happy New Year.

Alice followed her into the hall. "You are coming back to school and now we can be real good friends. Oh, I just love you and I'm so glad all this happened to you." Before Marguerite could evade it she had given her a rapturous kiss which the girl rubbed off an instant later.

Miss Arran was truly glad to see her and they exchanged warm wishes.

"We have a new caretaker, quite a young woman, but I do not take a real fancy to her. Your mother, oh, excuse me saying that--was so neat and particular and did every thing so well."

Marguerite smiled. She had often added touches of order and neatness, and kept the room tidy with a taste that never appealed to Mrs. Boyd. Though, perhaps, it had in her earlier years. The young girl could understand now, how gradually she had failed.

And there was Mrs. Dane with her cordial grasp and the heartiness of her greeting. Whatever distrust she might have had had vanished.

"We are so glad to have you back again," she exclaimed, "and such a bright future opening before you, though I must have given you the same respect if you had been here teaching. Mrs. Barrington doesn't often take such a fancy to anyone. She did from the very first, and though you'll find the money and position will make a difference in some quarters, it never would have with her."

"Oh, I am sure of that," responded the girl earnestly.

The two ladies had settled about the studies and the music and Mrs. Barrington explained a little plan. All the girls would be in by Saturday and she thought it would be well to introduce Marguerite in her new circumstances. She would, therefore, give a little dinner at which the sisters should be the guests of honor. That would prevent any gossip or comment and give Marguerite that home feeling with the other students. Mrs. Crawford assented cordially.

"And now, we must go or we will be late for lunch. I can never thank you enough for your kindly interest in my dear girl when she came to you an unknown stranger and if anything should happen to me, for I have wondered if one could be so happy and enjoy it for long, I should want you always to be her friend."

"You may depend upon that, but the good days are only the outgrowth of patiently borne bad ones; beauty for ashes."

Mrs. Crawford was very bright at luncheon. She announced to Zaidee Mrs. Harrington's plan for the informal dinner.

"Why, I think it excellent," declared Zaidee. "You see, we should both be questioned. It's awfully tiresome to have to tell an occurrence over and over and Mrs. Barrington would carry conviction. I hope you won't mind, Marguerite. See what it is to be a heroine."

"I was nearly killed with Miss Nevins and wouldn't it be a good thing to refer curious people to Mrs. Barrington?"

Marguerite glanced up with a half smile.

"We have to pay the penalty for any unusual happenings," said their father. "I think I should feel interested if this had occurred in the home of a neighbor. So we will not set it down to idle curiosity. Even _I_ had to be convinced that it was not mere hearsay."

As they were leaving the room Miss Crawford said in a low tone, "Margaret--don't you need some shopping or planning done?"

"Thank you, Kate. You have been a true sister all these years. I took Marguerite and some material to Madame Blauvelt this morning. She thought that green cloth would make a very becoming suit and the lavender grey. They will not go out much this winter now that the holidays are over, and they are too young."

Miss Crawford only said, "Oh, very well."

The mother had a half guilty feeling as if she had unduly asserted herself, yet she was inexpressibly happy.

There were calls in the afternoon and Zaidee sat alone in her room leaning her chin on her hand and glancing out of the window.

In a way she had been the family heroine.

The twin sister who might have been so dear had been wrenched out of her life. She had thought of her, dreamed of her, although she had been well content to fill the place of an only daughter with this faint shadow of sorrow hanging over her; and suddenly, she had been uprooted, flung aside as it were, and another had stepped into her place. She did not like it. If it had been from the beginning! If it had come about some other way. If someone had sent from that Western town. Would the girls who had held themselves above the Boyd connection feel mortified at many of the comments they had made? She was glad she had held up some supposititious cases; though, truth to tell, Zaidee felt too secure of her own standing to need any propping, and there was a strand of independence in her character, but she had been first all her life and in a curious fashion she would lose that eminence.

Of course, in time she would love Marguerite. One could not do it in a moment. That was the salve she was applying to her conscience. When they had known each other for months, learned and respected each others' peculiarities, love would come. She had not felt inclined to fling herself in Lilian Boyd's arms, and she had almost doubted at first. So had Aunt Kate.

Zaidee would have scouted the thought of jealousy, and if it had been suggested would have denied it vehemently. Neither was she given to analysis. Her temperament was rather volatile and pleasure loving. The things that suited her she enjoyed, the others she passed by indifferently. She did like to be made much of, and she thought she was worthy of preference. She had beauty, good nature and a heedless sort of generosity and wealth. In a certain way she saw the benefit of that quite as much as Alice Nevins though she did not esteem it the chief good.

Major Crawford came in from his walk just at dusk.

"Letters!" holding it up. "A thick packet--one for each of us, I think."

Zaidee had been waiting for Aunt Kate to come up stairs, as the last caller had gone. She was lonely after this long communing with herself.

"If there is not one for me I shall go to bed and cry," she declared as she followed to her mother's room. Aunt Kate had been detailing some of the pleasant neighborhood news.

Yes--each one was directed. Willard had not omitted one member of the household. He was in Washington and had come just in time for some of the grand occasions. Saturday he was to board his vessel and by Wednesday, at the farthest, they were to start on their three years' pilgrimage. But to each one some tenderness exclusively for herself. To Zay he recalled many of their joys