"Of course I shall do that," said Salome.
"I daresay I shall write to Juliet by and by," said Mrs. Tracy; "but it is well that letter should be sent on at once."
"Do you intend to write to Juliet every day during her absence?" asked Hannah, with a suggestion of sarcasm in her voice.
"I cannot say at this moment what I intend to do," replied Mrs. Tracy, rather nettled; "but I see no reason why I should not write to her every day if I choose."
Mrs. Tracy's mood did not brighten as the day wore on. A heavy, unaccountable burden of depression lay on her heart. She missed Juliet terribly. The house seemed dreary and unhomelike without her bright young presence. It afforded Mrs. Tracy some comfort to sit down and write a long letter to her darling child, though the mental effort it involved intensified her headache, and obliged her shortly afterwards to retire to her bedroom.
"It is time mother and Juliet were parted, if this is the effect Juliet's going away has on mother," remarked Hannah to her sister. "It is a pity she allows herself to be so governed by her feelings. How would she bear it, if Juliet had gone away for good?"
"I do not know, I am sure," Salome replied; "I tremble sometimes when I see how mother idolises Juliet. If any harm should come to her, I believe it would break mother's heart."
Mrs. Tracy scarcely showed herself better able to rule her emotions on the following day. She did indeed make spasmodic attempts to appear cheerful, but these only served to show how very far her frame of mind was removed from cheerfulness. It was a disappointment to her that no letter came from Juliet, though she readily found excuses for "the child."
"There would be so much to see and to do the first day, she would naturally have no time to write," she said "Besides, if she writes in a day or two, there will be so much more to tell."
Nevertheless she watched for the coming of every post throughout the day, in the hope that it would bring her a letter. She regretted that she had no acquaintance with Folkestone. It would be so much nicer, she thought, if she could picture to herself the scenes on which Juliet's eyes would rest. Mrs. Tracy was going with Hannah and Salome to the Isle of Wight as soon as the high school term ended, but she did not care greatly about the prospect. She hoped Juliet would join them there after leaving Folkestone, but could not be sure of it, since that young lady had refused to be tied by any plan.