She pioneered him safely through the little crowd, and Frithiof returned to Cecil. They had a comfortable little tête-à-tête over the tea-table.
“I dare to think now,” he said, “of the actual amount of the debts, for at last there is a certainty that in time I can pay them.”
“How glad I am!” said Cecil. “It will be a great relief to you.”
“Yes, it will be like getting rid of a haunting demon,” said Frithiof. “And to see a real prospect of being free once more is enough to make this the happiest Christmas I have ever known—to say nothing of getting rid of the other cloud. I sometimes wonder what would have become of me if I had never met you and your brother.”
“If you had never sheltered us from the rain in your house,” she said, smiling.
“It is in some ways dreadful to see how much depends on quite a small thing,” said Frithiof thoughtfully.
And perhaps, could he have seen into Cecil’s heart, he would have been more than ever impressed with this idea.
Before long they rejoined the rest of the party, and then, all standing round the tree, they sang Glädelig Jul, and an English carol, after which the presents were distributed, amid much laughter and quite a babel of talk. The whole entertainment had been given for a few shillings, but it was probably one of the most successful parties of the season, for all seemed full of real enjoyment, and all were ready to echo Lance’s outspoken verdict, that Christmas trees in model lodgings were much nicer than anywhere else.
“But it isn’t fair that the model lodgings should have both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” said Mrs. Boniface, “so you will come down to Rowan Tree House this evening, and stay with us for a few days, will you not?”
There was no resisting the general entreaty, and indeed, now that all was cleared up, Frithiof looked forward very much to staying once more in the household which had grown so home-like to him. It was arranged that they should go down to Brixton later in the evening; and when their guests had left, Sigrid began, a little sadly, to make the necessary preparations. She was eager to go, and yet something told her that never again under the same circumstances, would the little household be under her care.