"Wishing you many happy returns of the day,
"We are, dear little Miss Daisy,
"Your affectionate friends,
"EDWARD TALBOYS.
"BENJAMIN TALBOYS."
"There, didn't I say so!" exclaims Molly. "What dear old boys they are, and how fond of Daisy! Come along, child, and let us undo the parcels."
"O, what a lovely doll!"
Daisy stands perfectly entranced, and, truth to tell, a little in awe of the fashionable young lady which emerges from the many wrappings of soft white paper in which she has been carefully enshrouded. A young person of most eccentric character she proves to be, for on a certain spring being touched she walks along for some yards with her head in the air in a truly martial manner; and when (on her showing deliberate intention of walking into the coal-scuttle) Honor snatches her up from the ground, she gives vent to loud cries of "Papa! Mamma!" which astonish her hearers not a little. Finally, on being placed in a reclining position in her new owner's arms, she shows symptoms of faintness, and closing her eyes in a melodramatic manner lies back quite motionless. Daisy looks anxious at this catastrophe, but is reassured on finding that the young lady opens her handsome brown orbs again the moment she is made to sit up.
Honor and Doris presently suggest that all the presents shall be taken into the room where Mrs. Merivale is sitting, and a good hour or more is spent by Doris and the others in unpacking the handsome perambulator which has arrived with her ladyship, and also her beautiful bed. This last is completely fitted up, even to a little eider-down quilt. But the unpacking of the wardrobe—that is the thing! and Doris, at heart as great a baby over dolls and their belongings as Daisy herself, sits on the floor surrounded with walking costumes, dinner dresses, ball dresses, &c., and enjoys herself with her little sister to her heart's content.
CHAPTER XVIII.
DR. JOHN SINCLAIR.
That same afternoon Honor puts on her hat and walks into the village in search of a girl to take Jane's place, if such an individual can be found, which she privately doubts. She first goes to old Mrs. Evans, the charwoman, and makes a few inquiries about the girls in the village. This lady, however, probably with an eye to "No. 1," discourages the idea of "keepin' a gal permanent." With regard to herself she is "willin' to oblige, and don't mind how often she goes up to the 'ouse, pervided she gets one day in the week to do her own bit o' washin'." This not being at all Honor's idea, and the old woman appearing to have no other by which she may benefit, she takes her departure.
She next goes to the little grocer's shop and makes inquiries there, learning that they believe they know of a likely young woman. She has been living at the butcher's over the way, partly as nurse, they think, and having left about a week ago is likely to be looking out for a new place. Flora Smart is the name by which this young person is known. So Honor thinks she may as well go "over the way" as anywhere else to pursue her inquiries.
Mrs. Masters, the butcher's wife, is a brisk and chatty little woman, who enters into the discussion of possible and impossible girls with a keen and lively interest. She thinks Mrs. Phips possesses a granddaughter who, though not calculated to set the Thames on fire with her cleverness, is a good girl enough as far as honesty, truthfulness, and cleanliness go. She is greatly desirous of "bettering herself," whatever that may be; and Mrs. Masters thinks that if Miss Merivale don't mind the trouble of training her, she may turn out a handy kind of girl.