Читать книгу Robins in the Abbey - Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley - Страница 7

Table of Contents

“But what about school?” Rosamund demanded. “It’s time the twins went to school. They’re ten.”

“I’m sure Lindy has taught them well, but a nursery governess isn’t enough for them now,” Maidlin added.

“No; I’m going to find a good girl who will teach them thoroughly. But she must be English. I won’t have either an American school or governess.”

Jen leaned forward. “Joy! Barbara Honor. She’s just what you want.”

Joy raised her brows. “She certainly is! But could I have her?”

“She has her B.A., and she’s taught in good schools. I believe she’d go to New York, for you, and she’d teach the twins beautifully. And she’s a Hamlet Club Queen, like all of us; that does count for something. You’d like to have the Wild Rose Queen as your governess!”

Joy, the Green Queen of the school’s dancing club, agreed warmly. “I’d love to have Wild Rose! I shall write to her at once.”

Rosamund, the Red Rose Queen, and Maidlin, the Primrose Queen, applauded the idea eagerly. “Brilliant, Brownie!”

Jen, the Beech Brown Queen, bowed graciously. “I have good ideas occasionally. With Marguerite in New York—our Strawberry Queen—you’ll be able to have quite a Hamlet Club reunion.”

“With Lindy to help with the boys——”

“Oh, but I want Lindy!” Maidlin cried. “Joy, I must have Miss Belinda! We’re counting on that. Can’t you do without her now? You’ve had her for a year! Jock and I need her, now that these two babies have come.”

Joy looked at her and laughed. “You surely do! But Lindy has been a great help to me.”

“We’ve always said she must come to The Pallant. Her sister is going to housekeep and cook for us,” Maidlin urged.

“We’ll plan it all out. There’s plenty of time,” Joy promised. “If Lindy goes to you, I shall have to find somebody else.”

“Perhaps I can help you there,” Rosamund suggested. “But about the twins—your twins, Joy! Wouldn’t school be better for them than a governess? They’d learn so much more than lessons at school; finding their level, and standing up for themselves, and team-work!”

“I know all that. We’ve talked it over carefully. But they’re learning more, at home with us, than they’d learn at school; school can wait one year more. The twins have been too important all their lives,” Joy said gravely. “It couldn’t be helped; they were all I had for seven years. But they did get a big idea of their own importance.”

“That’s why school would be good for them!”

“Presently, Ros. Just now they’re learning to be a family, to be good to the babies and to consider them, and to give in and take only their proper place. Ivor and I feel this year has been so very important for them that we want them to have another. I couldn’t part them from the boys, in any case; it would break their hearts. When we come home for good they can go to school.”

“You’re only staying in New York for the three years of Ivor’s appointment?”

“That’s all. And he won’t go away again to live. Now that we have the boys we shall settle down at home.”

“And bring up your family,” Rosamund agreed.

The shadow fell on Jen’s face again. This was exactly what she was craving to do and what was being denied her.

The other three saw it, and Rosamund was about to speak when Joy exclaimed—“What’s that? I’ve heard it for some minutes,” and she listened as the sound of a sweet contralto bell came through the open window. “Oh, girls! Is it the bell you found in the old barn?”

“That’s Cecilia, the Abbey bell. Joan and Jandy and I found her.” Jen put away her trouble for the moment. “She’s ringing in your honour. The village will know you’ve arrived.”

“Ringing you home. Cecily rings us in and rings us out when we dance in the barn,” Maidlin explained. “Isn’t she nice, Joy?”

“Beautiful; a lovely mellow voice—rather like yours, Maidie! I do feel honoured! I must go and see Cecilia.”

“We’ll have a party for you,” Rosamund promised. “Queen Marigold shall summon the Club to meet you. Did you know Jandy Mac has called her second girl after the bell? Marigold’s new little sister is Cecily Rose.”

“You spoke of her before. I hadn’t heard that Jandy had another daughter. Oh, girls, I forgot! Your babies and Jen’s news put it out of my mind. I’ve brought home a new girl, and she’s in bad trouble. I want everybody to be very good to her.”

“We’re not in the habit of being unkind to people!” Rosamund said, staring at her. “Who is she?”

“And where is she? What have you done with her?” Jen demanded.

“I handed her over to Mary-Dorothy. She wanted to telephone. Mary will take care of her.”

“Of course she will. Mary would take care of anybody,” Maidlin agreed. “But who is your new girl?”

“And where did you find her?” Jen added.

“On the boat; Lindy made friends with her. She’s Robin Brent, of Plas Quellyn.” Joy looked at them bravely, but she flushed.

“The Quellyn girl!” Jen exclaimed. “And you’ve brought her here? I say, old thing, that was jolly decent of you! You haven’t felt exactly loving towards the heiress!”

“But if she were in trouble, Joy would forget all that,” Maidlin remarked.

Joy gave her a grateful look. “Nice of you, Maidie! I did forget.”

“Robin Brent!” Rosamund said. “Ex-head-girl of Wood End! I know her very well; she danced at my wedding, and she came to the Dower House when the school had the fire. I’ve seen Robin dozens of times. Where is she? And what’s the trouble?”

Joy told Robin’s story. “The only thing we could do for her was to help her to telephone to Quellyn, to ask if any news had come from her mother. So I left her with Mary-Dorothy.”

“Poor kid! She’ll have an anxious time. It was nice of you to bring her here, Joy,” Jen said again.

Rosamund was putting on her coat. “I must take the babes home. Nurse is waiting downstairs.” She settled the twins neatly on her left arm. “I’ll see you again soon, ‘Traveller’s Joy.’ It’s lovely to have you home. I’ll have a word with Robin as I go out; she’ll have finished ’phoning by now.”

“Is that how you carry them?” Jen asked enviously. “Not one on each arm? I suppose you know I’m green with jealousy!”

“While they’re tiny I can manage like this. Soon they’ll need an arm each. I like to have one hand free.” Rosamund went to the door. “Good-bye, Maid! Put Marjory and Dorothy to bed; I’m sure you’re all tired out with excitement!”

Jen sprang to open the door for her and followed her out. “Joy will like a few minutes alone with Maid. Take care of your precious infants! If only I could have two!—but I’d want mine to be boys.”

“I wanted girls. I’m satisfied, and very proud.” Rosamund stood looking down from the gallery into the big hall. “Hi, Robin Brent!” she called softly.

Robin, alone in the hall, looked up. “Lady Kentisbury! Oh, may I see your twins?”

Rosamund shifted Rosalin to her right arm and stood and held out a baby in each hand, as Robin ran up the stairs. “Here you are! Come and look at the world’s most beautiful sight—one of them. The other most beautiful is in Maid’s room; I dare say she’ll let you have a peep. There! What do you think of my bunch of Roses? Lady Rosabel; she came first. Lady Rosalin!”

“What pretty names! And what lovely babies!” Robin cried softly, gazing down in delight at the tiny yellow heads and tightly-closed eyes.

“Blue eyes, of course,” Rosamund told her.

“Oh yes! They’re exactly like you and your little boys.”

“What news?” Rosamund asked.

Robin looked at her bravely. “None. There hasn’t been time. But Mother will cable to Quellyn as soon as she arrives, and they’ll ’phone the message on to me at once.”

“Then you can’t do any more. I’m glad you’re here. Be as jolly as you can while you’re waiting, and don’t think you’re a bother to anybody, because you’re not. It’s the rule of the house to help any one who needs it; it’s our inheritance from the Abbey. Joy’s only doing what the old monks would have done. It was sanctuary, where people came for refuge. If you’re in trouble, that gives you the right to be here. Honestly, that’s how we feel. I should go into the Abbey, if I were you; then you’ll understand. Now I must go. Where’s Jenny-Wren?”

“Here she is, waiting till you had finished your little lecture on the Abbey, of which I endorse every word.” Jen came forward.

“Pig! For the second time to-day—pig!” Rosamund said indignantly.

“Not at all. I’m admiring the way you put it. Come along, Robin! The Countess shall see herself off, as a reward for being rude to me. I’ll take you to peep at Maid’s babies and then I’ll show you the Abbey. I’m not needed at home for an hour.”

Rosamund put Rosalin securely on her left arm again, to leave her right hand free for the stair rail. “Tell Joy I shall come to-morrow to see Elizabeth and Margaret, and David and Richard, and Miss Belinda. I mustn’t wait any longer now; these little ladies must go home.” And she went carefully down the wide shallow steps, to find her car and her nurse and her chauffeur.