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Updated: May 22, 2025
"They get used to it," assured Mr. Perkins. But Cis got worse and worse. One day soon after this, Johnnie came upon Edwarda, face down on the blue-room floor, and in a harrowing state of dishevelment Edwarda, the costly, the precious, the not-to-be-touched!
It was late when I got to Sirilund; I heard them dancing inside. Someone called out: "Here's the hunter, the Lieutenant." A few of the young people crowded round me and wanted to see my catch; I had shot a brace of seabirds and caught a few haddock. Edwarda bade me welcome with a smile; she had been dancing, and was flushed. "The first dance with me," she said. And we danced.
"This is yours," he told her, stripping off the case and holding out the gift. She heard him, but looked only at Edwarda. "Gratzia!" she gasped, seizing the doll in both hands. He lifted the scout hat, faced about, and marched home. He found that he did not want to read anything but the letter that he could not concentrate on story or star book. But he did not sit and tug at his hair.
Edwarda and the Baron were always together in the evening when he came home from his sea trips. I saw them once at the mill. One evening they both came by my hut; I drew away from the window and barred the door. It made no impression on me whatever to see them together; I shrugged my shoulders.
This happened two or three times. Well, I thought to myself, if it's like that... But then why should she stand looking sorrowfully after me from the window when I go? Well, 'tis her affair! A lady asked me to dance. Edwarda was sitting near, and I answered loudly: "No; I am going home directly." Edwarda threw a questioning glance at me, and said: "Going? Oh, no, you mustn't go."
Once more my needs were filled. Edwarda sent me a message to say she had heard of my misfortune and that she offered me, on her father's behalf, a room at Sirilund. Edwarda touched! Edwarda generous! I sent no answer. Thank Heaven, I was no longer without shelter, and it gave me a proud joy to make no answer to Edwarda's offer. I met her on the road, with the Baron; they were walking arm in arm.
As far as I am aware, I did nothing awkward or wrong... I was standing outside on the steps. Eva came carrying some things from one of the rooms. She saw me, came out, and touched my hands swiftly with one of hers; then she smiled and went in again. Neither of us had spoken. When I turned to go in after her, there was Edwarda in the passage, watching me. She also said nothing.
She was not cast down, but smiled at the sky, and talked of the new doll, which she intended to name Edwarda. "Should think you'd name her after One-Eye," went on Johnnie; "long's he's givin' her to you." "How could I name her after him?" she retorted. "What would I call her? Two-Eyes? I'm not going to spoil her by giving her a crazy name."
Then he took up Edwarda, who opened her eyes with a sharp click. Edwarda, favorite of her young owner, smelled adorably like the tiny room, like the birthday roses, like apples. And her dainty presence, exhaling the familiar scent of the dressing-table box, brought Cis even nearer to him than had Letitia.
Some time passed an hour, perhaps. A glass was upset over a lady's dress. As soon as Edwarda saw it, she cried: "What has happened? That was Glahn, of course." I had not done it: I was standing at the other end of the room when it happened. After that I drank pretty hard again, and kept near the door, to be out of the way of the dancers. The Baron still had the ladies constantly round him.
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