"I beg your pardon, Miss Conway. I think Thyrza is right. There ought to be no possibility of a mistake. While my father is away you are, by his appointment, distinctly and unequivocally head of the household. This includes housekeeping. A divided authority cannot work well. For the time, Maggie must be content to count herself one of the girls,—subject to you. Do you not agree with me, father?"
Maggie made no protest. She only looked prettily downcast and pensive. Mr. Romilly sighed at being appealed to, and endorsed his son's words, though not very emphatically. Then he went back to the telegram, and discussed anew its meaning, with divers conjectures as to the nature of the accident.
I do not know whether all this slow speechifying stupefied the girls as it stupefied me. They listened for the most part in submissive silence. Maggie's cheeks had not lost their bloom: and though she grew serious, I am not sure that the question of household authority did not form the leading topic in her mind. Thyrza's face settled into a rigid unhappiness, and Nona's eyes filled repeatedly with tears. Elfie was the one I had feared for most; and, strange to say, Elfie seemed the slowest of all to take alarm. Gradually, however, a pinched misery came over her, and the large eyes wandered about despairingly.
Eustace made use of the first pause to speak about trains: and then I found Elfie by my side. She clutched one of my hands, and muttered, "Can't we go? Don't let anybody say any more."
"We will get off as soon as possible," I whispered. "Try to be brave, Elfie. You know we may hope for brighter news to-morrow."
"Oh, I don't know,—only don't talk,—don't let anybody speak. Please!—please!" And she wrung her hands.
I sent her out on the platform, and had a few words with Eustace, obtaining his help. My aim was, if I could, to keep Elfie away from the chatterers. After some discussion, she and I were allowed to mount the front of the dog-cart, with only Thyrza and packages occupying the back-seat. The remainder of our Beckdale party were packed into the waggonette.
Once in the course of these arrangements, I found Eustace by my side, saying something which he evidently meant to be unheard by others.
"My father has asked me to give you these for immediate use," he observed first: and I found bank-notes and gold in my hand. "We will write, authorising you to draw, if needful, on the bank for more,—if our stay should be of any length." Then came a grateful—"It is very good of you! We are asking you to undertake a great deal!"
"I am most glad to do all in my power," I said. "Yes, the responsibility is heavy; I wish I had had more experience."