"Oh, mother, it seems too good to be true! I can hardly realise it yet!"
But the presence of her mother and brothers soon made Marigold understand the truth; and when later her aunts came in, she could not help crying for joy at the thought that she was not to be parted from them after all.
"I could not bear the thought of leaving you," she told them, "and now I shall always be near you, and able to run in to see you every day! Oh, how thankful I am!"
It seemed to the little girl that her cup of joy was full. She was to remain at Exeter, where she had made so many friends, and have her nearest and dearest with her; and she was delighted to see how well the boys got on with Miss Holcroft and Miss Pamela.
Rupert was his father over again, both aunts declared, and Lionel was a dear little fellow. In fact, their nephew's children were all that they could wish. They were very glad that circumstances had allowed Mrs. Holcroft to make her home in Exeter; they did not know how they could have endured to part with Marigold altogether.
Mrs. Holcroft was a wise woman, and she never made reference to the past, or to Miss Pamela's unforgiveness in the years gone by; perhaps she understood better than anyone else the character of the undemonstrative woman who was constantly trying by little acts of kindness to make up for past neglect, and dislike.
"Mother," said Marigold one day, "can you realise that you and I were parted for eight long months?"
"Yes, dear, quite well. Do you know, I think the separation did us both good?"
"Oh, mother!"
"You were accustomed to rely too much on me, my darling, but now you have learnt to go straight to God Himself for help in trouble or doubt; whilst I, who was so fearful lest my little girl should fall back from the good fight, have a fuller trust in Him who sent her to her father's old home to obtain forgiveness for him, and to bring happiness into the lonely lives of his aunts. I think you will agree with me, that our separation has been fraught with nothing but blessings to us all."