Now it was into this hornets’ nest that poor, wild, untutored Peggy Desmond was to enter. There was a great deal to dazzle and even delight the child who had all the wild imagination and poetry of her race. Could any one, for instance, be quite so wonderful in appearance as little Elisabeth, who was dressed according to her mulatto nurse’s ideas, and made in consequence a vivid and even coquettish effect. The little face was pale and full of reserve, strange and almost unnatural at her tender years. She had been born in South Carolina; hence the presence of Chloe on the scene. Her dark-blue eyes were big, wondering, and wistful; her hair was thick and straight, and rather fair. She wore as a rule a frock of orange and scarlet striped cotton, which came down just to her knees. On her head she invariably had perched a small cap of scarlet, with a great flaring bow of yellow of the most vivid shade. Wherever Elisabeth appeared there came the stout, cumbersome form of Mrs. Chloe, in her wonderful turban of crimson and gold.
Mrs. Fleming hoped to alter this strange attire on the part of both child and maid before the next term had come to an end, but this she was wise enough to know could only be effected by degrees.
Meanwhile Peggy was being fitted with a suitable wardrobe. This caused much annoyance to the small person, and but for Mary’s soothing influence it is doubtful if the clothes would ever have arrived at The Red Gables. Peggy was at the age when dress was not of the smallest importance to her; and to be called from Mary’s side to be fitted and measured, to be turned to right and to left just because of the set of a frock, nearly drove this small girl wild. “Lawk-a-mercy me,” she was heard to say, “what do I care so that I’m just covered; for the Lord’s sake, ain’t that enough? I don’t want fine clothes; that I don’t, Miss Mary Polly Molly.” But then Mary looked at her sadly, and she dropped her voice, lowered her long lashes, and said after a minute, “Does ye want me to be a vain little colleen, Mary?”
“No, I don’t want you to be vain, Peggy; but I want you to be properly dressed. It would not be at all pleasant for you to go to The Red Gables not dressed neatly, like other little girls. You would be teased a good deal if you did.”
“Is it tased? What’s that?”
“Well, they would make fun of you.”
Peggy’s sapphire-blue eyes sparkled. “Let them!” she said; “I can pay them back in their own coin!”
“Now, Peggy, I’m quite sure you won’t do that. You’ve improved enormously; you haven’t been in any sort of scrape for the last three days, and I’m ever so proud of my pupil.”
“Are ye thin, miss?”
“Not miss, Peggy.”