“Will you promise, Lily?”
“Yes, mother; I promise. It will only be for a little while.”
“I do not fear to leave my darlings. God will keep them safe till we meet again.”
There was a long silence after that; and then she called her sister by name, and Mrs Blair bent over her.
“Kiss me, Janet. God sent you to us now. Comfort—Alex’s bairns.”
Again there was silence. The mother’s hand moved uneasily, as if in search of something. Her sister lifted it, and laid it over her daughter’s neck, and then it was at rest. Not a sound broke the stillness of the hour. They thought she slept; and she did sleep; but she never woke again. The early dawn showed the change that had passed over her face, and Lilias knew that she was motherless.
Of how the next days passed, Lilias never had a distinct remembrance. She only knew that when, on the third morning, strangers came to bear her mother away, it seemed a long, long time since she died. It seemed like looking back over years, rather than days, to recall the time when she lay with her arms clasped around her neck, and listened to her dying words.
During this time, Mrs Blair had watched her niece with some anxiety. There was no violent bursts of grief, but there was a look of desolation on her face which it was heartbreaking to see. She was quiet and gentle through all; willing, indeed eager, to render assistance to her aunt when it was required; but as soon as she was free again she returned to the low stool beside the bed on which her mother lay.
The time was passed by Archie in alternate fits of violent weeping and depression almost amounting to stupor. Lilias tried hard to perform the promise made to her dying mother. She put aside her own sorrow to soothe his. She read to him; she sang to him; and when he would listen to neither reading nor singing, she would murmur such words of comfort as her mother had spoken to her; and their burden always was, “They are so happy now. They have found such rest and peace; and it will be but a little while, and then we shall be with them there.”
And then, when he grew quiet and listened to her, she would try to meet his wistful looks with a smile; but when he was quiet or asleep, she always returned to the place beside her dead mother.