THE TWO CHAINS
"Estelle, will you do me a favor?" asked Mrs. Thayne, following her young landlady into the hall. The travelers from London had just arrived and in the drawing-room, Mrs. Aldrich was expatiating to the boys upon the roughness of the trip.
"Why, of course I will! You don't need to ask," replied Estelle affectionately.
"You and Edith have been taking your meals with the children during my absence. Please keep on doing it. Let us all be one family for the rest of our stay."
"It is lovely of you to want us, Mrs. Thayne," said Estelle, her face flushing. "We stopped with the children because I thought it would be better and then I could personally see that they had all they wanted. But now that you have a guest—"
"I want you and Mrs. Aldrich to know each other," said Mrs. Thayne quickly. "And this will be one of the easiest ways to get acquainted."
"I think Mrs. Aldrich is charming," remarked Estelle. "Isn't it odd, how sometimes a likeness in a total stranger strikes one? For a second, just as you introduced us, she reminded me so much of my dear mother that I could hardly pull myself together to speak. She must have thought me quite awkward."
"I know she didn't," said Mrs. Thayne, with difficulty keeping her face under control. She had seen Estelle start and noticed her amazed expression when Mrs. Aldrich greeted her. So Estelle had not been conscious of Mrs. Aldrich's constrained manner! "Then you will have luncheon with us?" she added.
"I will since you wish it," replied Estelle, vanishing to give directions to Nurse.
"Now, what is there to do this morning?" Mrs. Aldrich was asking the boys. "I propose to stay in this island exactly one week. Your mother was seasick so she ought to lie down and rest but I feel as fit as a fiddle. Frances is at school, you tell me. No, I don't want to drive this morning. Suppose you take me for a short walk, Roger and Win, and show me what is to be seen on the beach."