"I'd rather stay here, if you please, miss," she says with her hand pressed against her side; "the fright has give me such a turn, and the air will do me good perhaps if—" But Honor is off up the stairs after Molly, whom she finds pounding away with her little doubled-up fists at the closed door of the largest and best attic.
"All right, all right!" cries a voice within; and then suddenly the door is thrown wide open by Hugh, and both girls cross the threshold cautiously.
The floor of the room, which had looked so shabby and bare three weeks ago, is now stained and polished from one end to the other. There is a small square of Turkey carpet in front of the fireplace, while several skins are scattered at intervals over the rest of the floor. At both little windows thick oriental curtains are artistically draped, and across a large angular recess is hung another on large brass rings. Just on this side of the curtain stands an easel—Honor's, with a sketch of her own lying upon it; while on a little rough table, half hidden by the curtain, lie all her painting materials. Two or three high-backed oak chairs, which had formerly been part of the furniture of Mr. Merivale's study, are standing about the room; while three little dainty-looking wicker chairs are placed invitingly near the bright crackling fire so merrily burning at the other end of the room. In a recess near the fireplace is a low, pretty book-case containing all the girls' favourite books, while on the top stand several little bronze statuettes. A large basket work-table with "a second floor," as Hugh describes the upper shelf, completely fitted up with materials of all kinds, stands near one of the chairs; and a nice little table, with a reading-lamp upon it, completes the furniture of the room.
Both the girls gasp as, taking courage, they advance further into the room. Their eyes fill with tears as they recognize some of their much-prized belongings which they had never expected to possess again; and they are both so touched at the kind delicacy of thought for them which is so plainly visible in every little detail of the room, that for a second or two they are too much overcome to speak. Hugh, who is leaning with one elbow on the mantel-piece, sees the struggle which both the girls are making for composure, and fearful of the consequences, having already all an Englishman's horror of "a scene," he says rather abruptly, "I hope you will all like it. The working affair is mother's arrangement, and I believe it is well furnished. The easel, the painting things,—and the statuettes were Regy's thought; and everything else is—well, among us all, as it were;" the real fact being that the "everything else" alluded to had been Hugh's own particular care.
"O, Hugh," cry both the girls, darting forward and each seizing one of the young fellow's hands, "how good—how kind of you! and how beautifully you have arranged everything, in this short time too!"
"Well, to tell you the truth, I believe Alick, Regy, and I have each worn out a pair of trousers walking round the room on our knees—doing the staining and polishing, you know; for that was a big job, and we were so afraid we wouldn't get it done in time. We had to press Ted and also Dick (under strict promise of secrecy) into the service the last day or two."
The girls having now quite recovered themselves, they proceed to make a tour of inspection round the room; and Molly, having dived behind the curtain, discovers Honor's old big portfolio filled to overflowing with sketches, good, bad, and indifferent, which the poor girl, thinking sketching and painting days were over, had had no heart to bring away with her. Making this discovery Molly cries with enthusiasm:
"Why, here is Honor's dear old portfolio! You are good to have thought of that! I know it was you, because here is the label in your own handwriting. I could hug you for that, Hugh!"
"Well, why don't you?" asks Hugh promptly.
At this moment Honor, who is standing at one of the windows feasting her eyes on the lovely view which is stretching far and wide, exclaims: