“How amazed Aunt Joyce will be, and Rebecca!” said Edith, with a happy laugh.
“I reckon they’ll have some work to pack us all in,” answered Temperance.
“Let be, children,” was the response of Lady Louvaine. “The Hill House is great enough to hold every one of us, and Aunt Joyce’s heart is yet bigger.”
For a coach and six to draw up before the door of a country house was then an event which scarcely occurred so often as once a year. It was no great wonder, therefore, if old Rebecca looked almost dazed as she opened the door to so large a party.
“We are going home, Rebecca!” cried Edith’s bright, familiar voice. “How fares my Aunt?”
“Eh, you don’t mean it’s you, mine own dear child?” cried the old servant lovingly. “And your Ladyship belike! Well, here is a blessed even! It’ll do the mistress all the good in the world. Well, she’s very middling, my dear—very middling indeed: but I think ’tis rather weariness than any true malady, and that’ll flee afore the sight of you like snow afore the warm sun. Well, there’s a smart few of you!—all the better, my dear, all the better!”
“You can hang one or two of us up in a tree, if you can’t find us room,” said Aubrey as he sprang from his saddle.
“There’s room enough for such good stuff, and plenty to spare,” answered old Rebecca. “If you was some folks, now, I might be glad to have the spare chambers full of somewhat else—I might! Come in, every one of you!”
“We’ll help you to make ready, all we can,” said Rachel, as she trudged after Rebecca to the kitchen.
“Ay, we will,” echoed Charity.