Mrs. Ward looked quite as stately as Mrs. Cardew, with her beautiful face still quite young; with her most kind, most gentle, most protective manner; with the glance of the eye and the pressure of the hand which spoke untold volumes of meaning. Merry felt her loving heart rise in sudden adoration. Cicely gave her a quick, adoring glance. As to Molly and Isabel, they were speechless with pleasure.
“You have come, dears,” said Mrs. Ward. “Welcome, all four!—These are your girls, Mr. Tristram”—she singled out Molly and Isabel without being introduced to them. “I know them,” she said with a smile, “from their likeness to you. And these are the Cardews. Now, which is Cicely and which Merry? Ah, I think I can tell. This is Merry, is she not?” and she laid her hand on the pretty girl’s shoulder.
“Yes, I am Merry,” replied Meredith Cardew in a voice which almost choked her.
“And you, of course, are Cicely,” said Mrs. Ward. “In this house all the girls speak to each other by their Christian names; and you will be Cicely and Merry to me, as Molly and Isabel Tristram will be Molly and Isabel to me. You know Aneta, of course. She is hovering near, anxious to take possession of you. Go with her, dears. I think all my girls have now come.—Is it not so, Miss Talbot?”
“Yes, Mrs. Ward,” replied Miss Talbot. 106
“Miss Talbot, may I introduce my four new pupils to you, Cicely and Merry Cardew, and Molly and Isabel Tristram?—You will have a good deal to do with Miss Talbot, girls, for she is our English teacher, and my very great friend.”
Miss Talbot blushed slightly from pleasure. She said a gentle word to each girl, and a minute afterwards they had, so to speak, crossed the Rubicon, and were in the heart of Aylmer House; for Aneta had seized Merry’s hand, and Cicely followed immediately afterwards, while Molly and Belle found themselves one at each side of Maggie Howland.
“Oh, this is delightful!” said Maggie. “We have all met at last. Isn’t the day glorious? Isn’t the place perfect? Aren’t you in love with Mrs. Ward?”
“She seems very nice,” said Molly in an almost timid voice.
“How nice Merry and Cicely look!” continued Maggie.