“He is really a very charming young man,” she admitted to herself, as she lay back among her robes and watched his expressive face while he talked with Virgie. “I do not wonder that she became interested in him, and, perhaps, after all, if she is to live in England, it might be as well for her to make an English alliance; I hope his family is a good one.”
That a great deal of mischief, if it could be regarded as such, had been done during those few weeks of travel in the West was plainly apparent.
Rupert showed his happiness over this unexpected meeting in every look and gesture. One could hardly believe him to be the same person, who, half an hour previous, had stood like some stern statue looking back in despair upon the city he was leaving behind; while as for Virgie, her mother scarcely knew her for the drooping, pale-faced damsel that she had been all summer, although she had not been guilty of a single murmur.
Mrs. Alexander’s health had improved somewhat, but she was far from strong even yet, and her physician had urgently advised an ocean voyage.
She had demurred at first, but when he said, “Your daughter, too, needs the change; I do not like her looks at all,” her mother-love prevailed, and she nerved herself for her long contemplated voyage to England, feeling that perhaps the proper time had come for her to act in the matter of Virgie’s inheritance, and thus it chanced—if chance it was—that they were booked for the same steamer in which Rupert had sailed.
But, alas! for Virgie’s boast that she was “determined to be a good sailor,” for she had not been on deck many hours before she was prostrated by that much dreaded enemy of all voyagers, sea-sickness, and thus all the pleasant tête-à-têtes and promenades which Rupert had begun to plan immediately upon discovering that she was on board the steamer, came to naught.
The poor girl was hardly able to lift her head from her pillow during the whole voyage, and when they arrived at Liverpool she was so reduced that she had to be carried off the vessel.
She began to rally at once, however, after landing, and continued to improve during the journey to London.
Mrs. Alexander had borne it all wonderfully well, suffering but very little from “qualms,” which she had so much dreaded, and Rupert having constituted himself her constant attendant, they had become the best of friends during the eight days that they had spent together.
When they arrived in London, Rupert assisted them in finding pleasant lodgings in an excellent locality, and then began to think of his own friends at Heathdale.