"Oh, heaps of things," Joy returned, vaguely. "I told Miss Pring you were going to stay with Lulu Tillotson, and she said she hoped you'd enjoy your visit. Do you know, I don't think she dislikes Lulu."
"Why should she?"
"Oh, there's no reason why she should; but Lulu is always complaining that Miss Pring tries to snub her—that's because she laughs at her for being so fond of dress, I suppose. You haven't been to Home Vale once during the holidays, Celia; Miss Mary remarked it, and I thought she seemed rather hurt."
"Hurt?" echoed Celia, raising her eyebrows inquiringly.
"Yes. I think she expected you would call to see her. I said I had no doubt but that you would before you went to T—. I thought you liked Miss Mary?"
"So I do; but one doesn't want to see one's governess in the holidays. There's the dinner bell! You'd better hurry, Joy, or Uncle Jasper will be cross."
"I'll be down in a minute," Joy answered, and she was as good as her word.
After dinner it was Sir Jasper's custom to shut himself up in the library and indulge a nap in his favourite arm chair. To-day Celia followed him there, and thanked him very prettily for his kindness and generosity to herself in giving her mother the wherewithal to supply her wants for her forthcoming visit to T—. The girl had the happy knack of saying the right thing in the right place, and her words on this occasion were well chosen. Sir Jasper laid his hand very kindly on her golden head; and there was real affection in his sharp eyes as he answered, with an indulgent smile:
"You deserve some new clothes to set off your pretty looks, my dear, for you have proved yourself as good as you are pretty by your gentleness and kindness to a grumpy old man. I shall miss my little companion, and shall look forward with pleasure to her return. No more thanks, if you please! I don't like them."
After she had closed the library door behind her Celia ran swiftly upstairs, and shut herself into her bedroom. Her cheeks were suffused with burning blushes, born of the sudden sense of shame with which Sir Jasper's words— "You have proved yourself as good as you are pretty" —had filled her soul. She felt that she was not good, though she tried to appear so; she realized her conduct towards her sister had been wrong and cowardly in the extreme; she knew she had deceived Sir Jasper by pretending to like his society, and that even the sweet temper and desire to please which people admired in her disposition took their roots in selfishness.