Evangeline’s daughter was born between Christmas and the New Year. Teresa arrived home late from her dinner at Mr. Manley’s and was met by Strickland looking as if she were about to perform some religious rite. Her cap lay across her head at an angle that gave her a slightly mystic appearance, her eyes were full of indefinite purpose and her mouth was set tight.
“Have you got toothache again, you poor thing?” Teresa exclaimed the moment she saw her.
“No, Miss Teresa; it’s that,” Strickland replied in a hushed voice. “We’ve got the nurse, and the doctor is coming along now. Mrs. Fulton is upstairs, but I was to tell you there’s nothing to worry about and you was to go into the General’s study. I’ll bring you a cup of tea and then you’ll go to bed. It’ll be all over in the morning, you’ll see. You’ll not hinder me by worrying, now, will you? For I’ve the kettles to see to and all.”
“N—no,” said Teresa rather doubtfully. “I won’t hinder you anyhow, old lady. Go on with your fussing and don’t mind me. But I wish you would come and tell me when it is there. I don’t suppose I shall be asleep.”
“Yes, you will, then, Miss Teresa, or I shall be angry. No, I mean it. You’ll be doing very wrong if you’re not asleep. The General is in the study, if you’ll go up now, so I needn’t keep up the drawing-room fire.”
“Strickland—here a moment,” said Teresa, pulling her into the darkened drawing-room. “Just tell me before you go. Is it very, very awful?”
“No, Miss Teresa, of course it isn’t,” she replied quite angrily, shaking herself away. “My brother’s wife thinks nothing of it. It’s what we’ve all got to go through—unless it’s a poor thing like me that has no one. And there’s the nurse and doctor and everything she can want. There’s a great many that hasn’t——”
“Oh, yes, yes, I know,” Teresa interrupted. “I shall stop my ears if you say any more of that. I’ve finished with it. I’m not going to hear any more until I can begin again. Strickland, I’m engaged; but please don’t tell them downstairs. I want to do it myself when it is all over. Only I am so happy I had to tell you; and now I have come home to be so frightened. Never mind; you see, I am not in the least worried. I’m going up. And about twelve o’clock I shall go to my room—and take off all my clothes—and go to bed—and put my head on the pillow—Oh, Strickland, you are an ass, aren’t you? How do you suppose I am going to sleep? Well, good-night.” She ran upstairs very quietly and went into the study.
Cyril was sitting by the fire, smoking and reading. He looked round as she came in and said, “Well, did you have a good time? I suppose they’ve told you about Chips?”