“Bring me a slice of dry toast,” Miss Rossiter said to Martha, the waitress, who, on returning with the toast, brought two letters for Miss Julia, bearing foreign post-marks.
“From father and Godfrey,” Julia said. “Excuse me, please, while I read them.”
Leaning back in her chair she broke the seal of her father’s first and read a few lines, then with a start which nearly upset her cup of chocolate, she exclaimed:
“Oh, horrible, girls! Aunt Christine, listen,—father——”
“Martha, you can go, now,” she said suddenly, remembering the girl, who departed to the kitchen, where the news was already known, and where the servants stood open-mouthed around Perry, who was reading the letter his master had sent to him.
“What is it, Julia?” Miss Rossiter asked, when Martha was gone, and Julia, whose eyes had run at lightning speed over the contents of the letter, replied:
“Father is going to be married to a Miss Edith Lyle, Aunt Sinclair’s hired companion. You remember he mentioned her once before as living at Oakwood. Hear what he says of her: ‘She is a lady of good family, the daughter of a clergyman, the friend and companion of my deceased sister, your late Aunt Sinclair. She possesses many accomplishments, and is what I consider a very remarkable personage.’ (How like father that sounds!) ‘And I expect that all due deference will be paid to her by every member of my household.’ (He has underscored that.) ‘Please break the news to your Aunt Christine, and tell Mrs. Tiffe to see that all the rooms in the south wing are made ready for Mrs. Schuyler. I have written to Perry about refurnishing them, but Tiffe must superintend it a little——’
“Oh, dreadful, I believe I am going to faint,—my hartshorn, Emma, please,” Miss Rossiter gasped.
The hartshorn was found, and two palm-leaf fans were brought into requisition, and then Miss Rossiter spoke again, this time hysterically and in tears.
“My poor sister, to be so insulted! A hired companion! and she was a Rossiter! Oh, I cannot bear it, my poor disgraced nieces, my heart is breaking for you.”