Читать книгу Adele Doring at Boarding School - Grace May North - Страница 8

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Carol awoke bright and early the next morning and her first thought was that something wonderful was about to happen. Then she remembered that she was going away to boarding-school. Springing up, she began to dress.

“Just think,” she said to her reflection in the mirror, “this is the last time that you will look out of this glass in ever and ever so long.” Then she added after a thoughtful moment, “Carol Lorens, you don’t seem very happy. Aren’t you glad that you are going?”

“Good-morning, darling!” a sweet voice called from the doorway and whirling around, Carol nestled in her mother’s arms as she exclaimed, “Oh, Mummie, Mummie! I don’t believe that I want to go and leave you after all.”

“Of course we will both be lonely, daughter dear,” her mother said brightly, “but you are not going far away and I want you to bring Evelyn home to us for at least part of the holidays. Moreover I shall expect long, newsy letters from my big girl telling me that she is making the most of the wonderful advantages that have been given her. Now, dear, make haste! The train leaves at nine and Father and Peter are waiting to have breakfast with you.”

Then followed a very exciting half-hour. There was much laughter and bantering, and a few tears that would come. Peter gave Carol many a nonsensical piece of advice, for had he not been away to college?

Later, the father, alone with her for one moment, took both of her hands in his as he said, “Daughter, when a problem confronts you, ask yourself, ‘What would my mother do?’ and then do likewise.”

He held her close in his strong arms, and then walked rapidly away to join Peter who was waiting at the gate.

The baggage men arrived to take her trunk, and then, before she had time to turn around, there arose a joyous shouting out on the lawn. “Carol! Carol!” the twins were calling. “Here comes Mr. Dartmoor’s carriage. It’s time for you to go.”

Carol wondered afterwards how she had managed to say good-bye to her mother and the twins without crying, but little mother had been so brave and smiling that she had smiled too, and then, as they drove away, the courtly Mr. Dartmoor began talking of Evelyn and before long they had reached the station and there were the members of the Sunnyside Club gathered to bid her good-bye.

Carol had just time to introduce them to the old gentleman, when the train came puffing around the curve.

“Do write to us the very first moment that you have to spare,” Adele called. “You just can’t guess how we are all envying you because you are going away to boarding-school.”

“I promise!” Carol replied and she smilingly waved through an open window as long as she could see her friends.

The two hours to Buffalo passed quickly and then there was another hour on a noisy little local train, but Carol was so interested in all she saw that the time passed quickly, and it hardly seemed possible that they could have reached the end of their journey when she heard the brakeman call, “Linden!”

Her heart beat rapidly. In another moment she would see the beautiful Evelyn. How she did hope that they were to be good friends.

They two were the only passengers to alight at the station of Linden, and at once Carol saw a tall, slender girl in black, who came hurrying forward. With a little cry of joy, she threw her arms about Mr. Dartmoor’s neck, and for a moment neither spoke.

“Oh, Granddad!” Evelyn said at last. “How lonely, lonely I have been since I saw you!”

“Well, we’re here now,” Mr. Dartmoor exclaimed brightly, “and this is my little friend Carol Lorens.”

Evelyn held out her hand to the other girl as she said, “I am so glad that you have come. Having a friend of Granddad’s here will be almost like having Granddad himself.”

“I am glad, too,” Carol replied simply. On the train Mr. Dartmoor had asked her not to tell Evelyn at present how she happened to come to Linden.

The school bus was waiting, and Mr. Dartmoor gallantly helped the girls in and sat opposite them. Then to entertain them on the drive, he told them that Carol’s grandfather and he had been “pals” when they were boys.

“Then it is but natural that you and I should be friends,” Evelyn declared.

Suddenly Carol gave an exclamation of pleasure. They had been slowly climbing a hill road, and below them was the scattered village of Linden and wide meadows that stretched to the lake. Soon they were turning into an elm-shaded driveway. On either side were well-kept lawns and gardens aglow with autumn flowers.

Set far back among sheltering trees was a rambling building, which in the front looked like a pillared colonial mansion.

“This is Linden Hall!” Evelyn said brightly. “Isn’t it a beautiful place?” Mr. Dartmoor noted with a glad heart that already his granddaughter looked happier.

“Oh!” Carol exclaimed, clasping her hands. “I could learn anything here, I am sure. Even Chinese if I had to!”

“Luckily we do not have to,” Evelyn responded almost merrily. “I am sure that I could not learn foreign languages if the school were in the Garden of Eden.”

For several moments they rode beneath a canopy formed by the interlacing branches of the great old elms. At last the bus stopped under a covered archway at the front of the house.

Carol felt awed as she followed Evelyn up the stone steps and through the door, which she knew would be for her the portal to many new and wonderful experiences.