She had come to take leave of her ladyship, for they were going away to some quiet resort for a few weeks, for Mina’s sake, and after that home to New York. She brought Virgie as a sort of shield from embarrassment, for she dreaded any effusions of gratitude from the woman who, she felt sure, would hate her even now, in spite of all she had done for her, for having won her brother’s love; while, too, she had a curiosity to see if she would be attracted toward her child; she was a believer in the old adage that “blood is thicker than water.”
The invalid’s face lighted the moment the door opened to admit her kind attendant.
“I am so glad to see you,” she cried, heartily; then her glance fell upon the beautiful child, and she added, with evident delight: “And you have brought your little daughter with you! Come here, dear, and let me see if you are as lovely as your mamma.”
She held out both hands to her and the little one went composedly forward and stood before her, her dark eyes searching the woman’s face with a look that thrilled her strangely, while she was deeply impressed with her wonderful beauty.
“You are very like your mamma,” said Lady Linton, smiling down upon the sweet child; “all excepting your eyes. I rather imagine that those came from papa. What is your name, dear?”
“Virgie.”
Her ladyship started slightly and glanced quickly at the child’s mother, and something that she saw in that beautiful countenance made her grow suddenly pale.
Her mind went back to that morning when her brother had laid before her several photographs of his lovely wife, and she was almost sure—even though she had never looked upon them since—that there was a resemblance between that face and this; and the child’s name was the same, too.
But no; it could not be; and she banished the suspicion from her as quickly as it came. It was only a “singular coincidence,” she told herself.
“Virgie,” she repeated, trying, but in vain, to resume her light tone, “I suppose that stands for Virginia. Well, my little maiden, do you know how kind your mother has been to me while I have been so ill?”