Nell flushed half-shamefacedly.
She began to believe that she really gave in too much to her elders, that she ought to have more freedom, and be more independent, now she was nearly “grown-up.”
“Perhaps I will come some day,” she said a little uncertainly.
“Just show them a few times that you are not a child, to be dictated to as they wish,” advised Miss [177] ]Isabel; “after that it will be quite easy. Why, I’d just like to hear ma or pa say we shouldn’t go here or mustn’t go there, shouldn’t you, Beatrice?”
Beatrice’s laugh of utter scorn was sufficient answer. “Why, it’s just the other way,” she said: “we tell ma what to do.”
“Some day” Nellie had said, but had not imagined how soon the day would be offered to her.
General Blaxland, the head of the forces in New South Wales, had decided to send a certain Lieutenant Holloway and Captain Birsted to India, with a view to gaining information from the forces there about several reforms he wished to introduce into the colony.
Just at the last Lieutenant Holloway fell ill, and the General had asked our Captain whether he could manage to tear himself away from the bosom of his family for the time required, or whether they must send one of the younger lieutenants. The Captain had asked for a day to think it over, hastened home to Misrule, and told Esther if she would go with him he would accept, for it would be a delightful holiday for both.
Esther was charmed with the idea. India had always seemed a kind of beautiful enchanted country to her, where Arabian Night kind of entertainments went on from morning to night. She begged for [178] ]small Essie’s company, but the Captain would not hear of such a tie. So as they would only be away four months Esther at length consented, and delivered her baby into Meg’s care with numberless injunctions.
There was one week of wild confusion at Misrule. The children had holidays from lessons; dressmaking and millinery seemed going on all over the house; trunks, cabin boxes, and portmanteaux stood gaping open in Esther’s room, and the Captain had a fit of intense irritability all the time.