Mrs Fortescue winced at her sharp tone. She was so anxious for everything to be smooth and peaceful.
“It does smell so lovelily,” said Jasper, for his treasure was a spike of stephanotis, “but if it was naughty of me I’ll put it back.”
“No, no, dear—keep it by all means,” said Aunt Margaret. “There is plenty more of it. And—oh Roland, my dear boy,” for just at that moment the elder brother luckily made his appearance, “how glad I am to see you! Now we are all together,” she added with a glance round the well-filled table, “and when one can say that, one should not feel there is much to complain of—should we, dear Reginald?” and she turned to Mr Fortescue, beside whom she was sitting.
“No indeed,” he replied heartily. “You and gloomy feelings certainly couldn’t live together, Aunt Margaret—could they, eh, Jasper, my boy? what do you think about it?” for Jasper was listening with all his ears and a pleased smile on his face, while he fondled his precious stephanotis.
“How they do spoil that child,” Leila whispered to Christabel.
“Yes,” was the reply in the same tone; “it looks as if it would be worse than ever now she’s come.” Then, as they had all finished tea, Mrs Fortescue took the traveller upstairs to her room.
“Mumsey, darlin’,” said Jasper, as she passed him, “mayn’t we help you to rerange the flowers?”
“Not to-night, dear. It’s too late, and it would upset the drawing-room. But I’ll tell you what—listen, Leila and Chrissie—you may all do them to-morrow morning, as early as you like. I will send them down to the cellar for the night, and I will look out the biggest glasses and vases we have. I am so glad I kept several, though I didn’t expect to have so much to fill them with.”
“As early as you like,” Chrissie repeated to herself. “That’ll just suit me. I love doing flowers if I’m not interfered with. And there’s not much fear of Lell turning out of bed early if I don’t hurry her up,” for, in spite of all orders to the contrary, Leila was still naughty enough often to read in bed at night with a candle lighted on a little table by her side, which, naturally, did not make her very wakeful in the morning. And Chrissie, though she had threatened more than once to tell their mother of this dangerous disobedience, took care that evening to offer no objection to it, for the selfish and unsisterly reason that I have spoken of.
Aunt Margaret was tired, notwithstanding her good spirits, and not sorry to go to bed early. As she was on her way to her room, Mrs Fortescue accompanying her, she glanced up the higher staircase.