Sheila laughed and blushed, and Miss Adene came unexpectedly to her assistance.
“One need not be a nurse or a white slave, and yet one may have duties and little kindly offices to fulfil. The happy people in this world, May, are those who do their duty from a sense of love, and not compulsion; and we idle people must not tempt them away from the place where they are wanted.”
Sheila looked up with a heightened colour to say—
“I’m afraid I don’t always love my duties. Sometimes they seem very tiresome. And I’m sure you’re not an idle person, Miss Adene; but I am very often. Sometimes I think I’m no real good to anybody.”
“Then you must make yourself some good, dear; though I do not think that any of us can quite help being of some service to our friends and fellow-creatures. You have a delicate cousin to cheer up and help back to health and strength; and you must do your best to be kind and patient. And you will soon find how much pleasure there is in such a task, and gain yourself a sister, since you say you have never had one of your own.”
Sheila’s day at the Manor was a very happy one, and she particularly enjoyed her bits of talk with Miss Adene, who promised to help at the bazaar and, if needed, to give some assistance at the glee club, where extra voices were wanted with a view to the coming concert.
May and one of her brothers rode part of the way back with Sheila and Cyril, the girls in front, the young men behind.
“Do you like your cousin Cyril?” asked May with the freedom only possible between quite young people.
“Yes, rather,” answered Sheila. “I liked him very much at first. He seemed more like the people I had been used to, but I think I get rather tired of him. Do you like him?”
“Not very much,” answered candid May. “The boys get on pretty well with him; but they call him rather a bounder all the same.”