"You must come to the housekeeper's room and see her first," Jessie
said, and with a beating heart and brain bewildered by the elegancies
which met her at every turn, Maddy followed to where the dreaded Mrs.
Noah, in rustling back silk and a thread lace collar, sat sewing and
greatly enjoying the leisure she had in her master's absence.
Mrs. Noah knew who Maddy was, remembering the old man said that she
would not disgrace a drawing-room as fine as that at Aikenside. She
had discovered, too, that Mrs. Agnes was opposed to her coming, that
only Guy's determined will had brought her there; and this, if nothing
else, had disposed her to feel kindly toward the little governess. She
had expected to see her rather pretty, but was not prepared to find
her what she was. Maddy's was a singular type of beauty--a beauty
untarnished by any selfish, uncharitable, or suspicious feeling. Clear
and truthful as a mirror, her brown eyes looked into Mrs. Noah's,
while her low courtesy--so full of deference, found its way straight
to that motherly heart.
"I am glad to see you, Miss Clyde," she said, "very glad."
Maddy's lip quivered a little and her voice shook as she replied: "Please call me Maddy. They do at home, and I shan't be quite so--so--"
She could not say "homesick," lest she should break out again into a
fit of crying, but Mrs. Noah understood her, and remembering her own
experience when first she went from home, she involuntarily stooped to
kiss the pure, white forehead of the girl, who henceforth was sure of
one friend at least at Aikenside.
The dinner was a success, so far as Maddy was concerned. Not a single
mistake did she perpetrate, though her cheeks burned painfully as she
felt the eyes of the polite waiters fixed so often upon her, and
fancied they might be laughing at her. But they were not, and thanks
to the kind-hearted Guy, they thought of her only with respect, as one
who was their superior and must be treated accordingly. Knowing how
different everything was at Aikenside from that to which she had been
accustomed, Guy, with the thoughtfulness natural to him, had taken the
precaution of speaking to each of the servants concerning Miss Clyde,
Jessie's teacher. As he could not be there himself when she first came
it would devolve upon them, more or less, to make it pleasant for her
by kind, civil attentions, he said, hinting at the dire displeasure
sure to fall on any one who should be guilty of a misdemeanor in that
direction. To Paul, the coachman, he had been particular in his
charges, telling him who Maddy was, and arguing that from the
insolence once given to the grandfather the offender was bound to be
more polite to the grandchild. The carriage was to be at hers and
Jessie's command, Paul never refusing a reasonable request to drive
the young ladies when and where they wished to go, while a pretty
little black pony, recently broken to the saddle for Agnes, was to be
at Miss Clyde's service, if she chose to have it. As Guy's slightest
wish was always obeyed, Maddy's chances for happiness were not small,
notwithstanding that she felt so desolate and lonely when the doctor
left her, and standing by Jessie she watched him with a swelling heart
until he was lost to view in the deepening twilight.