"The long and the short of the matter is, that Percy has been tormenting herself for nothing, as usual," said Jenny Merton. "I must say, I don't think she is very gracious or very grateful. Why do you suppose your aunt took the trouble of inviting you to visit her, except to give you pleasure and do you a kindness? I wish I had somebody to spend my holidays with. When you have spent your whole life at school, holidays and all, as I have done, ever since I was six years old, you won't cry because any one sends you an invitation."
"Why, Jenny, don't you ever go home for holidays? Why not?" asked Percy, forgetting her own troubles for the moment and sitting up.
"Principally because I have no home to go to. My mother is dead, and my father is a merchant at Shanghai; and I have no near friends in this country. I'll tell you what it is, Percy, it is time you left off making such scarecrows for yourself out of nothing at all. You keep yourself in a perpetual worry about things more than half of which never come to pass after all. I should think you had had enough of real troubles to be contented, without making imaginary ones. Come now, wipe your eyes and wash your thee, and go out for a walk with Florry before tea, and you will be better able to meet this great calamity."
Percy was a little afraid of Jenny, who, though very kind, was not so indulgent to her humours as Blandina. She made a great effort to swallow her sobs, and presently was ready for her walk.
"Did you think I was very silly, Florry?" asked Percy, when they were alone together.
"Well, I really couldn't see anything to make such a fuss about," replied Flora, frankly. "Why don't you want to go to your Aunt Ackerman's? I am sure it was very kind in her to ask you."
"I suppose it was," said Percy, dolefully. "But then you see, Florry, don't know her the least bit: I have never even seen her."
"Well, you had never seen me only a little while ago. It doesn't follow that people are bad because you don't know them. Your Aunt Zoe is acquainted with Mrs. Ackerman, and she thinks her a nice woman, you see."
"And, besides, she isn't my real aunt—not my aunt at all," pursued Percy. "Her husband's first wife was my mother's sister. Miss Ackerman is my cousin; but that doesn't make her stepmother my aunt, does it?"
"No; but it doesn't make her a monster, either. I think it is all the more kind in her to ask you."