"I don't mind how he spoke to me, if only I could make him believe I told the truth. You ought to have told him the truth!" and Joy flashed an indignant look at her sister. "It's very hard that I should suffer on your account," she added, somewhat bitterly; "Miss Pring believes in me, and so does mother, but Uncle Jasper thinks I told him a falsehood."
"He will soon forget all about it," Celia said, soothingly. "You have not told mother—"
"Don't fear! I've not been getting you into trouble," Joy interrupted. The tears gathered in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. "If anyone had told me you would treat me so shabbily I would not have believed it!" she declared tragically, and without waiting to hear Celia's response, she hurriedly left the room.
[CHAPTER X.]
"A FOOLISH, FORWARD CHIT."
SIR JASPER had never taken as much notice of Joy as of Celia, though he had been pleased when the former had learnt his favourite piece of music, and had on several occasions called her into the library and requested her to sit down at the old piano and play to him, which she had done very readily; but after the evening when the puppy had caused such mischief, the old man almost ignored her.
Celia was confined to the house much longer than had been anticipated. For several days, as her foot was very painful, she was excused from doing lessons, and lay on a sofa in the sitting-room in the east wing, whilst Joy was at work with Miss Mary. The time hung somewhat heavily on her hands, for she liked none of the books Sir Jasper recommended for her perusal, so that when Saturday came, and her mother brought her the news that Lulu Tillotson and her father were coming to spend the week-end at the Moat House, her spirits, which had been decidedly downcast, rose immediately, and her eyes sparkled with anticipated pleasure.
"Joy will have to do her best to entertain Lulu now you are unable to get about," Mrs. Wallis remarked.
"Oh, Lulu will spend most of her time with me, I expect," Celia replied.
But she was mistaken in her surmise. Lulu was sincerely sorry to hear of her friend's accident, and was very kind and sympathetic in her manner to the invalid, but she was a selfish young person, and had no idea of passing the pleasant summer hours indoors. She sat down by Celia's side for a little while, however, and talked to her whilst Joy hovered near.