When Lena first began to take notice of who was beside her, she expressed no astonishment at seeing her mother's face bending over her and hearing her whisper a few loving words in answer to her. "What is the matter, Mama?"
"You have been ill, dear, but, please God, you will soon be well again."
Lena was quite satisfied, and asked no more questions—it only seemed natural to have Papa and Mama beside her; but gradually the recollections of the day before she was taken ill came back to her, and she remembered that it was Gertrude and Miss Gifford who had been with her then. The latter was still constantly beside her, but it was Gertrude she wanted to see and speak to, as she remembered everything clearly. Had she told Miss Gifford? She wondered if she had; she certainly was not angry, for she could not have been kinder to any one than she was to Lena.
"Mama, where is Gertrude?" she asked.
"Gone home, dear, for we were afraid of her being taken ill also if she remained."
After a few minutes' silence Lena murmured, "My letter; I never wrote it."
"My darling," whispered Mrs. Graham, leaning over her child and placing her hand lovingly on her forehead, "There is no need to write—Gertrude has told me all."
"O Mama, and are you angry? Do you still love me, when I am so wicked?"
"Still love you, my little one! You cannot doubt that we all forgive you fully and freely. O my child, never fear to tell us everything and anything you do or think."
Lena's arms were round her mother's neck in a moment, and she said, as she clung fondly to her, "No, Mama, I never, never will. It was not you I was afraid of, but Papa. I thought he would be so angry."