By degrees Harty took less pleasure in teasing Lucy, and more happiness in her society. She had followed Rosa's hints, and tried not to be vexed and hurt by trifles, and really was becoming more interesting as she grew more cheerful and talkative.
Dr. Vale was still obliged to be very much away from home, but the time that he could spend with his family he greatly enjoyed; and he often rejoiced that Rosa had been brought home to throw around her such an atmosphere of sunshine.
Even Mrs. Maxwell had relaxed a little from her stiffness: she occasionally allowed Rosa to put Harty's room in order at first, and finally she gave up that charge entirely to her. This arrangement prevented much disturbance, for Rosa handled carefully the veriest trash, which she knew had value in Harty's eyes; and there were no more broken cobwebs to put him out of temper.
Often, when Mrs. Maxwell was weary, she found a comfortable chair placed for her by the fire; when her eyes were painful at night, unasked, Rosa would read the daily paper aloud. Such trifling attentions were very grateful to the faithful housekeeper, and it soon became a favourite joke with Harty to call Rosa "Mrs. Maxwell's pet."
As regularly as Saturday came, little Judy appeared, leading Larry by the hand, for he was now nearly two years old, and a fine healthy boy.
Lucy often wished that she could stay in the room with Rosa and Judy, but the latter could never attend to her sewing while her little brother was in her presence. She was constantly stopping to bid him say, "Thank ye" to the lady, or shame him for running about as if he were as much at home as the ladies.
Lucy found it very easy to amuse Larry, and before long she grew fond of him, and looked forward with pleasure to his Saturday visit.
With Harty's consent, and Mrs. Maxwell's valuable assistance, some of his old clothes were "cut down" for Larry, and he was warmly dressed in a good great-coat and cap, that delighted him exceedingly, though Judy could not help laughing when she first saw him in them.
Judy learned much more than the use of the needle from Rosa. As she sat sewing, Rosa taught her many sweet hymns and passages from Scripture, and led her to look to her kind Heavenly Father as a friend who would "never leave nor forsake her."
The short winter days and the long winter evenings soon passed away. One bright spring morning Lucy was looking at the hyacinths that were blooming beside the cottage wall, when she heard a footstep, and, turning round, she saw a stranger standing beside her. Once she would have started away like a frightened bird; but now she did not think of herself, but waited politely until the stranger should announce his errand.