When Elisabeth went off to her own dinner, Hecla untied the big parcel, and arranged all the smaller packets in her pretty basket, which she had had for years, and was really fond of. She tucked moss in between the packets, and covered the whole with a layer of the same, to look nice and mysterious.
And then she had to wait as best she could for the arrival of Aunt Anne and little Ivy.
At half-past three Miss Anne came, and with her the doctor, carrying Ivy himself in his arms, warmly wrapped up, for it was a windy day, and they were still afraid of any chill for the child, as well as of any fatigue or excitement.
She had lost her bright colour and looked much thinner; but when she saw Hecla she held out both her little arms, and a great hug between the children followed. Miss Anne looked on with tears in her eyes. She had seen Hecla many times in the course of the week herself.
"Now we are going to put Ivy into this cosy armchair," Miss Anne said, when Miss Storey, who was just down for the first time, had kissed the little one, thanking God in her heart, as she did so, that the darling had been given back to them all.
"And when may I bring my presents, auntie?" whispered Hecla.
"Suppose we wait till after tea," whispered Miss Anne. "We will all have tea together here to-day."
That was grand indeed; for generally Hecla and Ivy had theirs in the dining-room with Elisabeth. Yet, much as she enjoyed the rare event, she hardly knew how to wait till it was over.
Then she was allowed to bring her basket full of treasures, and give it to Ivy. And Ivy's little white face grew pink with pleasure.
"It's my present to you, darling," eagerly explained Hecla. "Only, part of it's from Uncle John too. He gave me a lot of money to spend for you, and he gave it to me, and I'm giving it to you. And there's two things that are really, really and truly my very ownest present to you, got with my own ninepence three-farthings, you darling little pet."