On the wings of fate

by Effie Adelaide Rowlands

He made himself very sweet to his sister, and though he had a way of disappearing when extra help was needed, his pretty words were almost as acceptable to Grace as Valentine’s hours of packing, lifting and settling.

Val worked like several horses rolled into one. He turned himself for the nonce into a carpenter, a plumber, a picture hanger and, indeed, every other sort of convenient and necessary person.

With his strong arms always ready, the furniture was moved about like magic, and Grace’s new home swiftly began to look cozy and pretty.

The girl always found something fresh done when she returned from her daily journey to her grandmother’s sick room, and Val was amply paid by seeing the color begin to steal into his sister’s cheeks and the old brightness come back to her eyes.

Sacha had fallen into the habit of walking with Grace up to Sunstead. Old Lady Wentworth always had been fond of him, and though she was very feeble and her mind wandered a little at times, she took distinct pleasure in seeing Sacha’s handsome face.

Sometimes he would wait and accompany Grace homeward, but more than once she missed him and went on her way alone.

She always imagined on such occasions that Sacha had wandered into the cathedral and was probably making some rough sketch or other. It never entered her head to suppose anything so extraordinary as that Sacha should be sitting in Christina’s boudoir, chatting and drinking tea with as much ease as though he had known his cousin’s wife all his life!

Sacha had caught sight of Christina the first time he had gone to Sunstead with Grace, and he had boldly taken the bull by the horns, and had asked for an audience, introducing himself with his own particular charm, and claiming cousinship.

“Mark told me I was to come and see you,” he said, and Christina received him graciously.

She saw at a glance the wide difference between him and his brother and sister, and she guessed just as quickly that by encouraging him she would give another sting to the man she told herself she hated so thoroughly.