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Uncle Meshach was asleep on Ethel's bed, and on the other bed lay Rose, also asleep, stretched in a negligent attitude, but fully dressed and wearing an old black frock that was too tight for her. The fire burned brightly. 'Tea is ready in the drawing-room, ma'am, Bessie whispered, 'and Mr. Twemlow has just called. He's waiting to see you. 'So you know what has happened to us?
She even talked of Ogilvie as a second Christian name, but Meta observed that old Aunt Dorothy would call it Leonorar Rogilvie Rivers, and thus averted it, somewhat to Ethel's satisfaction. Ethel scolded herself many times for wondering whether Mr. Ogilvie would come. What was it to her? Suppose he should; suppose the rest. What a predicament!
They are on their knees in the sumptuous bed-room of Ethel's suite when a servant abruptly enters. "O, Miss Purdy, run for your life," cries the maid. "The miners are coming to burn the house." Ethel utters a cry of terror. "Leave the room!" sister Martha orders. And the frightened servant retires. "Do not feel alarmed. I shall stay here and the miners will do you no injury.
'Aubrey, said Ethel, in their first private moment, 'was this a fight in a good cause? for if so, I will come down with you and see him. Aubrey made a face of dissuasion, ending in a whistle. 'Do at least tell me it is nothing I should be sorry for, she said anxiously. He screwed his face into an intended likeness of Ethel's imitation of an orchis, winked one eye, and looked comical.
A couple of shaggy old tars, who had strolled over from the Point to hear about Young Si's catch, were smoking their pipes at the corner of his shanty. A mellow afterlight was shining over sea and shore. The whole scene delighted Ethel's artist eyes. Agnes nudged her companion. "There!
These may be friends of Jack's and Ethel's, and they can play together, and Ethel can show her new doll, and Jack can boast of all the things he means to do when he grows up.
For while this worthy Baronet would contradict his mother at every word she uttered, and take no pains to disguise his opinion that Lady Anne's intellect was of the very poorest order, he would listen deferentially to Ethel's smallest observations, exert himself to amuse her under her grief, which he chose to take for granted was very severe, visit her constantly, and show the most charming solicitude for her general comfort and welfare.
"I think so, since we are so nearly collected," said Miss Winter; and Ethel, seating herself on the corner of the window-seat, with one leg doubled under her, took up a Shakespeare, holding it close to her eyes, and her brother Norman, who, in age, came between her and Flora, kneeling on one knee on the window-seat, and supporting himself with one arm against the shutter, leaned over her, reading it too, disregarding a tumultuous skirmish going on in that division of the family collectively termed "the boys," namely, Harry, Mary, and Tom, until Tom was suddenly pushed down, and tumbled over into Ethel's lap, thereby upsetting her and Norman together, and there was a general downfall, and a loud scream, "The sphynx!"
"You love her, Don, it's perfectly obvious. What are you waiting for? Now that Marion has behaved so shamefully, it is my dearest hope that you will marry Rose. I didn't mean to speak of it; but, really, you are changing, Donald, and I don't want to think of your becoming a self-centred old bachelor." "Ethel's right," supplemented his father. "I'm only surprised that you haven't asked her before.
She was a distant cousin of Ethel's mother, but had been brought up with her in the same household, and always regarded her as a sister, and Ethel never remembered that she was only her aunt by adoption. Ten years older than her niece, she had mothered her with a wise and loving patience, and her thoughts never wandered long or far from the girl.
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