Jane was not over impulsive, and she had not yet made up her mind as to the degree of liking she felt for this tall, reticent youth, this sober, chilly, self-assured boy, whom Destiny had now placed at the head of the House of Winkler.
[CHAPTER V—PAUL HESITATES]
“Poor child, you are dripping wet! You’ll catch your death of cold!” cried Mrs. Lambert, noticing Paul’s state for the first time. “What can I be thinking of! You must have a hot bath and some dry things at once. Carl, take Paul up to your room, dear, and see that he makes himself very comfortable. I must see to supper. You must be starving, too!”
Accordingly, Carl undertook his duties as host as hospitably as he could, and Paul followed him upstairs.
In a moment or two Carl returned, wearing the prim expression of one who would like to express his opinion, and is merely waiting to be asked, and at length, one by one, the family began, naturally enough, to discuss the impression that the newcomer had made on them, severally. The criticisms were very kindly, but at the same time, it soon became clear that so far no one felt any great enthusiasm for the stranger. His curt manner had hurt his aunt and his grandmother, who had been so eager in their welcome to the fatherless boy, and had irritated Mr. Lambert. The short, brusque answers he had given to the endless kindly questions with which he had been plied, had discouraged the well-meant, and very natural curiosity of his relatives, and had made them feel rather uncomfortable.
Grandmother Winkler and Mrs. Lambert staunchly insisted that the poor boy was only lonely and unhappy; but down in their hearts they had been sadly disappointed in Franz’s son. Elise also ranged herself in his defense, feeling that any disapproval, expressed or unexpressed, of the new head of the clan, was a form of treason.
“Think how you would feel, Carl,” she said, “if you had lost your father, and had landed in a strange country among strangers—for after all we are strangers to Paul.”
“That’s all right,” returned Carl, “I could understand it if he were just gloomy. But I don’t see any reason why he has to be downright disagreeable.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t mean to be disagreeable, my dear,” said Mrs. Lambert.
“Well, we mustn’t lose any time in getting the boy settled down to his work,” said Mr. Lambert. “That will take his mind off his own troubles. I shall have a talk with him after supper.”