'Even to knowing that we have still two nuts to crack,' said Leonore in a low voice.
Hildegarde's grandfather looked round the well-filled table with pleasure, when all had taken their places.
'This is much better,' he said heartily, 'than being alone, as we were last Christmas, not even our little Hildegarde was here. If only your father and mother and our little friend's father too,' he added kindly, turning to Leonore, 'were here, I should feel quite satisfied.'
'That is just what we were saying on our way downstairs,' said Hildegarde, 'I do believe grandpapa, you have something of a fairy about you too, to guess one's thoughts as you often do. Grandmamma is certainly a kind of fairy godmother, as well as being grandmamma. She plans such lovely surprises. Leonore and I are so happy in the blue-silk room.'
'Oh that is where you have taken up your quarters, is it?' said her grandfather. 'Well, you could not be anywhere better; it has the name of being the luckiest room in the Castle under fairy guardianship, not that I quite believe in such things, though I do think the Castle has some fairy visitors,' he went on more gravely; 'the fairies of love and kindness are with us I hope; indeed, when I look back through a long life, mostly spent here, I think we have been a specially favoured family. My own parents and grandparents were good and kind to everybody.'
'And so, I am sure, are you and grandmamma,' said Hildegarde eagerly.
Leonore looked up half timidly.
'There are other fairies too, the fairies of industry and perseverance, that your grandmother told us about,' she said to Hildegarde.
The Baroness overheard her.
'Yes,' she said, with a smile, 'they must have had a hand in the adornment of the blue-silk room.'