‘I think he is in the library.’
‘If I could but go down! But I must not take baby, and Sarah is at dinner. Should you mind holding him for one minute?’
Theodora held out her arms, but Johnnie, though usually delighted to come to her from Sarah, turned his head away, unwilling to leave his mother. He did not quite cry, but was so near it that she had to do her utmost to amuse him. She caught up something bright to hold before him, and was surprised to see it was a coral cross, which Violet, in changing her dress, had laid for a moment on the dressing-table. The coincidence was strange, thought Theodora.
Violet was coming back, and she would have laid it down, but Johnnie had grasped it in his little fingers. As his mother appeared, his merriest smile shone out, and his whole little person was one spring of eagerness to return to her.
‘Little man! Is he glad to come back to his mamma?’ Violet could not help saying, as he nestled joyously on her neck; but the cold face of Theodora made her sorry that the words had escaped her, and she began to express her thanks.
Theodora was stooping to pick up the cross, and a concerned exclamation passed Violet’s lips on observing its fall.
‘It is safe,’ said Theodora. ‘I beg your pardon, I took it up to amuse him.’
‘Thank you,’ said Violet. ‘I am sorry I seemed vexed. There’s no harm done; but I was frightened, because it was Helen’s.’
‘Helen’s’ exclaimed Theodora, extremely amazed. ‘Did John give it to you?’
‘Yes, a little while ago,’ said Violet, colouring. ‘He—’