Mrs. Dorriman, Volume 3 of 3

st people, living in that favoured spot, think more than makes up for the shorter winter days. Over everything lay

the waterfall, ferns sprinkled with spray, showed a perpetual verdure, a thousand flowers lingered

s come late, they make up for it when they arrive-and roses and gerani

rrow. Inchbrae, to her, was second to the old home, where she had many memories, but she loved it

and friend and dependent. She had scrubbed and cleaned, and Mrs.

to her, as she watched her quick movements to and fro; "you

ppier, C

have to get more yet; there's

iman laug

t my age, and another husband too?" an

not thinking of marrying; I was think

t from her; "do not make me unhappy by making me think of that. The old place i

l see that it will be yours again some day, and it's not a far-of

ng a thousand hues as it reflected the moving clouds, and the sea-breeze coming upon her with its

auty, there was a charm l

there was the dear, kind face of the father, who would doub

ets, and to be thankful and grateful for thi

e had helped in many ways, following lines already laid down, and enabling many charities to extend their action. Childr

e childless they

hed its memory-for a true mother never forgets-but she could not open the woun

ward, and all the money arrangemen

ished to carry out with regard

hear of no one who had the slightest ambition to chaperone a young lady who was not very beautiful, not very rich, and nobody in particular. Grace had more than one in

at she wanted; and Grace, at no time a miracle of patience, got extremely ir

led longing on the part of her sister for mere amusement, and the terrible-sometimes horrible-realities, to which she had just before perhaps been standing face to

expected that a day would come when some tremendous crisi

o tried to make amends for a recognised deficiency in h

ss of things which distinguishes some people, Lady Lyons

ancied that Paul (who never accused himself of it) was probably too shy to say a few necessary words to show Margaret t

considerably help matters if she could say some little thing to arouse Margaret's attention, and to le

day, and came into the drawing-room, to find Mar

a matter in which the best of sisters occasionally show more of the licence o

ng she understood, while a little disappointed that Marga

of her to Grace as rather "a gushing old lady," and the

ster's surprise, took Lady Lyons into their counsel, and spoke openly to

ady Lyons-no one will ha

peaking in a most patronising tone, "Don't be afraid,

e, very much annoyed with her;

yons with our private affairs," said Margaret, in

p at London" (Grace's ideas had become a little modified); "I do not expect to go to royal garden-parties, an

said Lady Lyons, a little touc

spending her time in hospitals and very gruesome places, where she l

ave some whims, and dear Mrs. Drayton may perhaps come round after a

call her rich, but she is not at all rich. She has given away all her money, Lady Lyons; she has sent thousands here,

ery little. She had the most extraordinary feelin

aordinary thing I ev

ld out her hand, and

said, with a heightened colour, "though I think

change in her manner would have been most

the excellent woman she had left sitting there. She

k with me. How did that dear, good Mr. Sandfo

him, as he brought the horrible man to the house in the first

Scotland, she does not mean go

case I shall not be able

great deal of money t

ust say, Lady Lyons, I think it was very

she might

or money that is no reason w

very great pity," said Lady

I think I love clothes," said Grace, reflectively; "and, what is mor

, my dear, quite right, and

d her eyes very wide, "I mean I have as much as I want

a little inconsistent, you say you have money, plenty of mone

, to be able to throw away money, to feel really rich! Now Margaret always puts such a disagreeable question to me. When I say I want s

lling to be your chaperone, what share in the household expenses would yo

aid Grace

yons s

and got carriages and servants, all on your ac

Grace spoke laughingly, "supposing you yourself thought of such a thing, why there would be no use; I daresay you know a few people, but all your acquainta

of course my health alone would prevent my

rong to say fossils, but the word somehow slipped out. I do

n a way rejected before she had proposed anything, but she wished to think over this idea of Grace Rivers. She had always had a hankering

see that if the girl could not carry out her plan in any other way she might be asked to undertake the task; a

ce, therefore, with a tinge of patronage, a

d upon advertising, and her advertisement ca

of ...' I am afraid if I put in 'rank' it will look snobbish," she said, reflectively, "an

ess your whole meaning," said Margaret; "and yo

e sm

nty of really good society

an heiress, then all would be easy enough; but with moderate means,

ertisement had been for some days staring

g to go into society, and wishes to know what sum the young lady proposes t

ed Grace. "Anxiety of mind! I ne

rey Lansdowne Bill, who used her name

e young lady who advertised for a happy and refined home and chaperonage. Mrs. Geoffrey Lansdowne Bill, having

onable equally. Mrs. Geoffrey Lansdowne Bill of course expects to be very handso

ughed heartily o

her to write her letter," she said, laughing, as

are thinking-you think that these two failures will prove me to be quite wrong-you imagine

said Margaret

she added, "I have seen Lady Lyons, and she is going to look after me, she has gone to London to see about rooms, and now nothing remains but for you to

tion to poor Margaret when the question of

e. He never could understand her views. Having married Mr. Drayton for his mon

before they had met, and now he had learned to like her so well th

ined unexplained, and he felt that much trouble and c

us have, about the liking or disliking an acquaintance has for us, and she knew

imes she longed to tell him at any rate so much as might set her right in his

yielded to her sister's weak dread of a poverty she detested, and her hope of escaping to a more congenial atmosphere; and, when she found that Margaret's sacrifice

f back to that excitement of feeling and agony of mind about Grace

"This last cheque to the Children's Hospital is the last balance, as far as regards you. Of course your si

argaret, wonderingly. "Wh

point of it-that you asked him to settle something on her

th a hot blush of shame. Yes, i

ere?" she asked

looked at he

to you only; the money becomes hers at your death. You see, th

began, and then stopped suddenly; she had a con

ot!" she continued, with a tone of passion surprising to him in one usually so quiet and impassive before him. A great sob broke her voice. She felt ashamed of betraying emot

ought possible. "But I do not think that her action in the matter need disturb you, people are so differently constit

Margaret, simply. "I have been afr

mer voice, turned to the subject of those scenes she had so lately v

igh-flown nonsense, no exaggerated sentiment, but al

long, th

the fifteen thousand pounds you will have nothing to do with i

write

is trusting to me to see you safe thr

give you so m

a kind tone that Margaret felt

lesson she is to us all; so unselfish and so

lf afraid that she would see nothing but satisfaction in the fact of having an income, unable to sympathise with the difference that lay between them, f

e was a small parcel. She well knew what it was, a

these lines-her sorrows, her bitter mourning over the past. Reading it all now, how vividly it all came back to her! The lines on her child's death

hat Grace's voice broke, and it ja

with, and without waiting for an answer, Grace came in, all h

e the house or Jean-that most tiresome, provoking, aggrava

r Margaret, worried and troubled, and speaking

ourse you will take her part; but she has

she done? She nursed you faithfully and most

el, and then said I ha

you?" and Margaret got up and looked steadily at

ho are to blame; you do not know how trying it is to hear you say one day I am looking very pale an

and distressed. To her primitive ideas the fact of Gra

been waiting for that tiresome man to be gone to tell you

than to me," and Margaret, still an

ny discomposure she felt by an air of bravado, and she resented Margar

aps, middle-aged as he is, he may think as one sister--Oh, forgive me, darling Margaret! I am hateful and detestable!

her knees by Margaret

ther, and not drift into unkindness," whispered M

t you mean, darling. In what

to you truthfully. When I agreed to marry him I stipulated that out of his wealth he sh

Grace, breathlessly, her e

pounds to you and the li

ight! What a shame!" and Grace'

ved you would share anything

are reducing yourself to a state of pau

Sandford's liberal allowance is

arling, and you are stronger than I

is money, Grace. I hope yo

ouch it if i

ill either accumulate for you or I be

u may spare yourself any remarks. I have this mon