"your bear cub still needs taming, ulyth," said gertrude oliver. "she spilt her coffee this morning—such a mess on the tablecloth! i wish i didn't sit next to her. i felt like alice at the march hare's tea-party."
"it was half maud's fault; she jerked her elbow," pleaded ulyth in extenuation.
"oh, you can't whitewash her, so don't try! i won't say she isn't better than when she arrived, but there's room for improvement."
"she's much slimmer. i suppose it must have been the voyage that had made her grow so fat in september."
"i wish, at any rate, you could get her out of using those dreadful backwoods expressions. it's high time she dropped them. she's been here nearly a full term."
ulyth thought so too, and the next time she found a suitable opportunity she tackled rona on the subject.
"you're too nice to speak in such a queer way. you've no idea how it spoils you," she urged. "you could be another girl if you'd only take a little trouble."[pg 88]
"what's the use? who minds what i'm like?" returned the cuckoo a trifle defiantly.
"i do," said ulyth emphatically.
"not really?"
"indeed i do. i care very much. you came over here to be my friend, and there are many things i want in a friend."
"i didn't know you cared," replied rona in a softened voice. "no one ever did before—except dad, when he said i was a savage."
"don't you want to show him what you can grow into?" asked ulyth eagerly. "think how surprised and pleased he'll be when he sees you again!"
"there's something in that."
"there's a great deal in it. i know i often make myself do things i don't want because of mother; she's such a darling, and——" she stopped short, realizing too late the mistake she was making.
"i can't remember mother," answered rona, turning away with a suggestive cough. "it's all very well for you."
ulyth could have bitten her tongue out. she said no more, for she knew her room-mate well enough by this time to have learnt that sympathy must be offered with the utmost discretion. the poor cuckoo was only too well aware of the deficiencies in her home and upbringing, but the least hint of them from others immediately put her on the defensive. in her own way she was very proud, and though there was a vast difference between stephanie's stinging remarks and ulyth's well-[pg 89]meant kindness, anything that savoured of compassion wounded her dignity.
the conversation brought urgently to ulyth a question which had been disturbing her, and which she had persistently tried to banish from her thoughts. where was rona going to spend christmas? so far as anyone knew she had not a friend or relation in the british isles. miss bowes and miss teddington always went away for the holidays, and the woodlands was left in the charge of servants. rona could not stay at the school, surely? had miss bowes made any arrangement for her? ulyth vacillated for at least five minutes, then took out her writing-case and began a letter home.
"best-beloved motherkins,
"i am such a nasty, horrid, selfish thing! in every one of your letters you have hinted and hinted and hinted that we should ask rona for christmas. you wouldn't say it outright until you were sure i wanted it. that was just the rub. i didn't want it. i'm afraid even now i don't quite. i've had her all the term, and i thought it would be so blissful to be without her for four whole weeks, and have you and father and oswald and dorothy and peter just to myself. but oh, motherkins, she's such a lonely waif of a girl! i'm so dreadfully sorry for her. she seems always out of everything. i'm sure she's never had a decent christmas in her life. i believe she's fond of her father, though i don't think he took very[pg 90] much notice of her—she let out once that he was so disappointed she wasn't a boy. but mrs. barker, the housekeeper, must have been a most terrible person. rona had no chance at all.
"motherkins, she's never seen a real english home, and i'd like to show her ours. yes, i would, although in a way she'll spoil everything. may she sleep in the spare room, and let me have my own to myself? i could stand it then.
"dearest darling, i really mean it; so will you write straight off to miss bowes before i have time to turn thoroughly horrid again?
"your very loving daughter,
"ulyth."
having sent off the letter, and thus burnt her boats, ulyth accepted the situation with what equanimity she could muster. mrs. stanton's invitation arrived by return of post, and was accepted with great relief by miss bowes, who had been wondering how to dispose of her pupil during the holidays. the cuckoo received the news with such pathetic glee that ulyth's heart smote her for not feeling more joyful herself.
"are you sure you want me?" asked rona wistfully.
"of course we do, or we wouldn't ask you," replied ulyth, hoping her fib might be forgiven.
"i'll try and not disgrace you," volunteered the cuckoo.
a few days before the end of the term rona[pg 91] received a letter from new zealand. she rushed to ulyth, waving it triumphantly.
"dad's sent me this," she announced, showing a very handsome cheque. "i wrote to him three days after i got here, and told him my clothes looked rubbishy beside the other girls', and he tells me to rig myself out afresh. i suppose he forgot about it till now. how'm i going to get the things? there isn't time to ask miss bowes to send for them before the holidays. can i buy them at the place where you live?"
"very well indeed, and mother will help you to choose. i know she'll get you lovely clothes; she has such exquisite taste! she'll just enjoy it."
"and shan't i just? i'll give away every rag i brought with me from new zealand. they'll come in for that rummage sale teddie was telling us about."
the last lesson was finished, the last exercise written, even the last breakfast had been disposed of. the boxes, packed with great excitement the day before, were already dispatched, and four railway omnibuses were waiting to take the girls to llangarmon junction station. much to their regret, miss bowes would not allow them to go by glanafon—the picturesque route by the ferry was reserved for summer weather. in winter, if the day happened to be stormy and the tide full, there was often great difficulty in crossing, the landing-place was muddy and slippery, and even if the train was not missed altogether (as sometimes happened)[pg 92] the small voyage was quite in the nature of an adventure.
miss bowes' wisdom was thoroughly justified on this particular morning, for there was a strong west wind, and the rain was pouring in torrents.
"it would have been lovely fun in the flat. there must be big waves on the river," declared merle denham, half aggrieved at missing such an interesting opportunity.
"why, but look at the rain! you couldn't hold up an umbrella for half a second. it would be blown inside out directly. you'd be as drenched as a drowned rat before you reached the train," preached her more prudent sister.
"and suppose you were blown off the stepping-stones into the river!" added beth broadway. "it would be a nice way of beginning the holidays! no. on a morning like this i'd rather have the omnibus. we shall at least start dry."
"i'm so glad you're taking rona home with you," whispered lizzie lonsdale to ulyth. "i should have asked her myself if you hadn't. it would have been a wretched christmas for her to be left at school. i never saw anyone so pleased!"
the cuckoo was indeed looking radiant at the golden prospect in store for her. much to her surprise, everybody had been particularly nice to her that morning. several girls had given her their addresses and asked her to write to them, miss bowes had been kindness itself, and even miss teddington, whose conduct was generally of a spartan order, when bidding her good-bye in the[pg 93] study, had actually bestowed an abrupt peck of a kiss, a mark of favour never before known in the annals of the school. to be sure, she had followed it with a warning against relapsing into loud laughter in other people's houses; but then she was miss teddington!
ulyth lived in staffordshire, and the journey from north wales was tedious; but what schoolgirl minds a long journey? to rona all was new and delightful, and to ulyth every telegraph-post meant that she was so much nearer home. the travellers had a royal reception, and kind, tactful mrs. stanton managed at once to put her young guest at ease, and make her feel that she was a welcome addition to the family circle. oswald, ulyth's elder brother, had come from harrow only an hour before, and dorothy and peter, the two younger children, were prancing about in utmost enthusiasm at the exciting arrivals.
"father hasn't come in yet?" asked ulyth, when she had finished hugging her mother. "well, it will be all the bigger treat when he does. oh, oswald, i didn't think you could grow so much in a term! dorothy, darling, don't quite choke me! peterkin, come and shake hands with rona. toby, do stop barking for half a moment! where's tabbyskins? and, please, show me the new parrot. oh, isn't it lovely to be at home again!"
almost the whole of the next day was spent by mrs. stanton, ulyth, and their delighted visitor in a tour round various outfitting establishments—an exhilarating time for rona, who was making her[pg 94] first acquaintance with the glories of english shops. their purchases were highly satisfactory, and as ulyth helped her friend to dress for dinner on christmas day she reviewed the result with the utmost complacency.
"didn't i tell you mother has good taste? rona, you're lovely! this pale-blue dress suits you to a t. and the bronze slippers are so dainty; and your hair is so pretty. you can't think how it has improved lately."
"do i look like other girls?" asked rona, fingering the enamelled locket that had been given her that morning by mr. and mrs. stanton.
"rather! a great deal nicer than most. i'm proud of you. i wish they could all see you at the woodlands."
"i'm glad if i shan't disgrace you. what a good thing dad's cheque came just in time!"
in her new plumage the cuckoo appeared turned into a tropical humming-bird. ulyth had thought her good-looking before, but she had not realized that her room-mate was a beauty. she stared almost fascinated at the vision of blue eyes, coral cheeks, white neck, and ruddy-brown hair. was this indeed the same girl who had arrived at school last september? it was like a transformation scene in the pantomime. clothes undoubtedly exercise a great effect on some people, and rona seemed to put away her backwoods manners with her up-country dresses. there was a dignity about her now and a desire to please which she had never shown at the woodlands. she held herself[pg 95] straight, walked gracefully instead of shambling, and was careful to allow no uncouth expressions to escape her. her behaviour was very quiet, as if she were watching others, or taking mental stock of how to comport herself. if occasionally she made some slight mistake she flushed crimson, but she never repeated it. she was learning the whole time, and the least gentle hint from mrs. stanton was sufficient for her. miss teddington need not have been afraid that the loud laugh would offend the ears of her friends; it never rang out once, and the high-pitched voice was subdued to wonderfully softened tones. for her hostess rona evinced a species of worship. she would follow her about the house, content simply to be near her, and her face would light up at the slightest word addressed to her.
"the poor child just wanted a good mothering," said mrs. stanton to ulyth. "it is marvellous how fast she is improving. you'll make something of your little wild bird after all. she's worth the trouble."
"i'd no idea she could grow into this," replied ulyth. "oh, motherkins, you should have seen her at first! she was a very rough diamond."
"aren't you glad to have a hand in the polishing? it will be such a triumph."
two members of the household, at any rate, saw no fault in the visitor. dorothy and peter haunted her like small persistent ghosts, begging for stories about new zealand. the accounts of her life in the bush were like a romance to them, and so fired their[pg 96] enthusiasm that in the intervals of playing soldiers they tried to emulate her adventures, and were found with a clothes-line in the garden making a wild attempt to lasso the much-enduring toby.
"rona's very good-natured with them," said ulyth. "she doesn't mind how they pull her about, and peter's most exhausting sometimes. i shouldn't like to carry him round the house on my back. dorothy's perfectly insatiable for stories; it's always 'tell us another!' how funny oswald is at present. he's grown so outrageously polite all of a sudden. i suppose it's because he's in the sixth now. he was very different last holidays. he's getting quite a 'lady's man'."
"the young folks are growing up very fast," commented mr. stanton in private. "it seems only yesterday that oswald and ulyth were babies. in another year or two we shall begin to think of twenty-first-birthday dances."
"oh, don't talk of anything so dreadful!" said mrs. stanton in consternation. "they're my babies still. the party on thursday is to be quite a children's affair."
though "motherkins" might regard the coming festivity as entirely of a juvenile character, the young people took it seriously. they practised dancing on the polished linoleum of the nursery every evening. rona had had her first lessons at the woodlands, and was making heroic efforts to remember what she had learnt.
"you'll get on all right," ulyth encouraged her. "that last was ever so much better; you're drop[pg 97]ping into it quite nicely. you dance lightly, at any rate. now try again with oswald while i play. ossie, i'm proud of you! last christmas you were a perfect duffer at it. don't you remember how you sat out at the warings'? you've improved immensely. now go on!" and ulyth began to play, with her eyes alternately on the piano and on the partners.
"i suppose a fellow has to get used to 'the light fantastic' sometime," remarked oswald, as, after a successful five minutes' practice, he and rona sat down to rest.
"perhaps you'll have to dance with princesses at foreign courts when you're a successful ambassador," laughed ulyth.
"is that what oswald's going to be?" asked rona.
"i'd have tried the army or the navy, but my wretched eyes cut me off from both; so it's no use, worse luck!" said oswald. "i should like to get into the diplomatic service immensely though, if i could."
"why can't you? i should think you could do anything you really wanted."
"thanks for the compliment. but it's not so easy as it sounds. i wish i had a friend at court."
"we don't know anybody in the government," sighed ulyth. "not a solitary, single person. i've never even seen a member of parliament, except, of course, lord glyncraig sometimes at church; but then i've never spoken to him. stephanie had tea with him once. she doesn't let us forget that."[pg 98]
"i wish you'd had tea with him, and happened to mention particularly the extreme fascinations and abilities of your elder brother," laughed oswald.
"could lord glyncraig be of any use to you?" asked rona. she had grown suddenly thoughtful.
"he could give me a nomination for the diplomatic service, and that would be just the leg-up i want. but it's no use joking; i'm not likely to get an introduction to him. i expect i shall have to go into business after all."
"i think when i was ten i must have been the most objectionable little imp on the face of creation," said rona slowly. "i am ashamed of myself now."
"why this access of penitence for bygone crimes?"
"oh, nothing!" replied the cuckoo, flushing. "i was only just thinking of something. shall we try that new step again? i'm rested now."
"yours to command, madam!" returned oswald, with a mock bow.
rona's visit to the stantons was a delightful series of new impressions. she made her first acquaintance with the pantomime, and was alternately amused and thrilled as the story of "the forty thieves" unfolded itself upon the stage. not even peter watched with more round-eyed enthusiasm, and mr. stanton declared it was worth taking her for the mere pleasure of seeing her face when ali baba disappeared down a trap-door. as everything in england was fresh to her, she was[pg 99] a most easy guest to entertain, and she enjoyed every separate experience—from a visit to the public library with mr. stanton to toffee-making in the nursery with peter and dorothy.
although it was a quiet christmas in some respects, friends were hospitable, and included her in the various little invitations which were sent to ulyth and oswald; so her pretty dresses had a chance of being aired. the great event to the young folk was the party which was to be given at the stantons' own house, and which was to be a kind of finish to the holidays. the girls revelled in every detail of preparation. they watched the carpet being taken up in the drawing-room, the large articles of furniture removed, and the door taken off its hinges. they sprinkled ball-room chalk on the boards of the floor, and slid indefatigably until the polish satisfied ulyth's critical taste. they decorated the walls with flags and evergreens. they even offered their services in the kitchen, but met with so cool a reception from the busy cook that they did not venture to repeat the experiment, and consoled themselves with helping to write the supper menus instead.
"i think i've seen to everything," said mrs. stanton distractedly. "the flowers, and the fairy lamps, and the programmes, and those extra boxes of crackers, and the chocolates, and the ring for the trifle. you've seen about the music, gerald?"
"violin and piano," replied mr. stanton. "i'm feeling a thorough-going martyr. giving even a simple children's hop means sitting in rooms with[pg 100]out doors and living on turkey drumsticks for a fortnight afterwards!"
"oh, we'll get the house straight again sooner than that! and you needn't eat grilled turkey unless you like."
"i don't appreciate parties."
"we must amuse the young folks, and it isn't a grand affair. if the children meet together they may as well dance as play games."
"daddikins, how nasty you are!" exclaimed ulyth, pursuing him to administer chastisement in the shape of smacking kisses. "you know you're looking forward to it quite as much as we are."
"that i deny in toto," groaned her father as he escaped to his snuggery, only to find it arranged as a dressing-room.
ulyth wore white for the great occasion, with her best venetian beads; and rona had a palest sea-green gauzy voile, with fine stockings and satin shoes to match. dorothy was a bewitching little vision in pink, and peter a cherub in black velvet. oswald, having reached the stage of real gentleman's evening-dress, required the whole family to assist him in the due arrangement of his tie, over which he was more than usually particular. ulyth even suspected him of having tried to shave, though he denied the accusation fiercely.
it is always a solemn occasion waiting in the drawing-room listening for the first peal of the bell announcing visitors. mrs. stanton was giving a last touch to the flowers, ulyth sat wielding her new fan (a christmas present), oswald was button[pg 101]ing his gloves. dorothy, too excited to stand still for a moment, flitted about like a pink fairy.
"i'm to stop up half an hour later than peter, rona; do you hear that?" she chattered. "oh, i do hope the prestons will arrive first of anybody! i want to dance with willie. father let me have a cracker just now, and it's got a whistle inside it. i wish i had a pocket. where shall i put it to keep it safe? oh, i know—inside that vase!"
as she spoke, dorothy jumped lightly on to the seat of the cosy corner that abutted on the fireplace, and reached upwards to drop her whistle inside the ornament. in her excitement she slipped, tried to save herself, lost her footing, and fell sideways over the curb on to the hearth. her thin, flimsy dress was within half an inch of the fire, but at that instant rona, who was standing by, clutched her and pulled her forwards. it all happened in three seconds. she was safe before her father had time to run across the room. the family stared aghast.
"whew! that was a near shave!" gasped oswald.
dorothy, too much surprised and frightened to cry, was clinging to her mother. mr. stanton, acting on the spur of the moment, rushed to the telephone to try if any ironmonger's shop in the town was still open, and could immediately send up a wire-gauze fire-protector. the fireplaces in all the other rooms were well guarded, but in the drawing-room the hearth was so wide, and the curb so high, that the precaution had not been considered necessary.[pg 102]
"it only shows how absolutely vital it is to leave no chance of an accident," said mr. stanton, returning from the telephone. "matthews are sending a boy up at once with a guard. if it hadn't been for rona's promptitude—— oh, there's the bell! oswald, fetch your mother a glass of water."
poor mrs. stanton looked very pale, but had recovered her composure sufficiently to receive her young guests by the time they were ushered into the drawing-room. dorothy, child-like, forgot her fright in the pleasure of welcoming her friends the prestons, and everything went on as if the accident had not occurred. mr. stanton, indeed, kept a close watch all the evening, to see that guards were not pushed aside from the fires, and mrs. stanton's eyes watched with more than usual solicitude a certain little pink figure as it went dancing round the room. the visitors knew nothing of the accident that had been avoided, and there was no check on the mirth of the party. the guests were of all ages, from peter's kindergarten comrades to girls who were nearly grown-up, but it was really all the jollier for the mixture. tall and short danced together with a happy disregard of inches, and even a thorough enjoyment of the disparity. rona spent a royal evening. her host and hostess had been kindness itself before, but to-night it seemed as if they conspired together to give her the best of everything. she had her pick of partners, the place of honour at supper, and—by most egregious cheating—the ring somehow tumbled on to her plate out of the trifle.[pg 103]
"i'm getting spoilt," she said to oswald.
"the mater's ready to kiss your boots," he returned. "i never saw anything so quick as the way you snatched old dolly."
all good things come to an end some time, even holidays, and one morning towards the end of january witnessed a taxi at the door, and various bags and packages, labelled llangarmon junction, stowed inside.
"i don't know how to thank you. i haven't any words," gulped rona, as she hugged "motherkins" good-bye.
"do your best at school, and remember certain little things we talked about," whispered mrs. stanton, kissing her. "we shall expect to see you here again."
