CHAPTER XVIII
Enchanted Ground
Marjorie and Dona spent the larger part of the Easter holidays with anaunt in the north. They had a few days at home, mostly devoted to visitsto the dentist and the dressmaker, and then boxes were once more packed,and they started off on the now familiar journey back to Brackenfield.Joan watched the preparations wistfully.
"Do you think the Empress would take a girl of eight?" she enquired inall seriousness.
"Not unless you could be used as a mascot or a school monkey," returnedMarjorie. "You might come in handy at the nursing lectures, when we getto the chapter on 'How to Wash and Dress a Baby', or you'd do topractise bandaging on. Otherwise you'd be considerably in the way."
"Don't be horrid!" pouted Joan. "I'm to go to Brackenfield some time.Mother said so."
"You'll have to wait five years yet, my hearty. Why, do you know, evenDona is called a kiddie at Brackenfield?"
"Dona!" Joan's eyes were big.
"Yes, some of the girls look almost as old as Nora, and they've turnedup their hair. It's a fact. You needn't stare."
"You'll go all in good time, poor old Baba," said Dona. "You wouldn'tlike to be in a form all by yourself, without any other little girls,and there's no room for a preparatory unless they build, and that's notpossible in war-time. You must peg on for a while with Miss Hazelwood,and then perhaps Mother'll send you to a day school. After all, youknow, it's something to be the youngest in the family. You score overthat."
Both Marjorie and Dona were looking forward to the summer term. Those oftheir chums who were old Brackenfielders had dwelt strongly on itsadvantages compared with the autumn or spring terms. It was the seasonfor cricket and tennis, for country walks, picnics, and natural historyexcursions. Most of the activities were arranged for out of doors, and alarger amount of liberty was allowed the girls than had been possibleduring the period of short days.
Armed each with a cricket bat and a tennis racket, not to mentioncameras, butterfly nets, collecting-boxes, and botanical cases, theyarrived at their respective hostels and unpacked their possessions.Marjorie was the last comer in No. 9, and found Chrissie with hercubicle already neatly arranged, Sylvia with her head buried in herbottom drawer, and Betty struggling with straps. The two latter werepouring out details of their holiday adventures.
"I rode in to town every day, and did Mother's shopping for her; and wewent to a sale and bought the jolliest little governess car andharness."
"We were going to Brighton, only Mother was so afraid of bombs on thesouth coast, so Daddy said it was safer to stop at home; and I was glad,because we'd spent last Christmas at Grannie's, so I really hadn't seenvery much of home."
"Dick got a week's leave, and we'd an absolutely gorgeous time!"
"James and Vincent brought two school friends home with them--suchripping boys!"
"We went out boating on the lake."
"And we went to the cinema nearly every day."
"What have you been doing, Marjorie?" asked Chrissie.
"Heaps of things. We were staying at Redferne, and Uncle showed us allover the munition works. They're so strict they won't let anybody gothrough now; but Uncle's the head, so of course he could take Dona andme. And we saw a Belgian town for the Belgian workers there. It's builtquite separately, and has barbed-wire entanglements round. There are athousand houses, and six hundred hostels, and ever so many huts as well,and shops, and a post office, and a hall of justice. You can't go inthrough the gate without a pass, but Uncle knew the manager, so it wasall right."
"I don't call that as much fun as boating," said Betty.
"Or the cinema," added Sylvia.
"It was nicer, because it was patriotic," retorted Marjorie. "I like tosee what the country is doing for the war. You two think of nothing butsilly jokes."
"Don't show temper, my child," observed Betty blandly. "Sylvia, I'mgoing down at once to put my name on the cricket list. I'll finish myunpacking afterwards."
"I'll come with you," said Sylvia. "We shan't get an innings to-morrowunless we sign on straight away."
"They're a couple of rattle-pates!" laughed Chrissie as their room-matesmade their exit, executing a fox-trot _en route_. "I don't believe theyever think seriously about anything. Never mind, old sport! I'minterested in what you do in the holidays. Tell me some more about themunition works and the Belgian town. I like to hear all you've seen. Iwish I could go to Redferne myself."
"You wouldn't see anything if you did, because only Uncle can takepeople round the works. Oh, it was wonderful! We went into the dangerzone. And we saw girls with their faces all yellow. I haven't time totell you half now, but I will afterwards. I wouldn't have missed it forthe world."
"It does one good to know what's going on," commented Chrissie.
The Daylight Saving Act was now in operation, so the school had an extrahour available for outdoor exercise. Whenever the weather was fineenough they were encouraged to spend every available moment in the freshair. A certain amount of cricket practice was compulsory; but for therest of the time those who liked might play tennis or basket ball, orcould stroll about the grounds. Select parties, under the leadership ofa mistress, were taken botanizing, or to hunt for specimens on thebeach. There was keen competition for these rambles, and as eligibilitydepended upon marks in the Science classes, it considerably raised thestandard of work.
Dona, who was rather dull at ordinary lessons, shone in Natural History.It was her one subject. She wrote her notes neatly, and would makebeautiful little drawings to illustrate the various points. She hadsharp eyes, and when out on a ramble would spy birds' nests or othertreasures which nobody else had noticed, and knew all the likeliestplaces in which to look for caterpillars. She was a great favourite withMiss Carter, the Science mistress, and her name was almost always downon the excursion list. One day, in company with eleven other ardentnaturalists and the mistress, she came toiling up from the beach on tothe road that led to Whitecliffe. Her basket, filled with spoils fromthe rocks and pools, was rather a dripping object, her shoes were fullof sand, and she was tired, but cheery. She had hurried on and reachedthe summit first, quite some way in advance of her companions. As shestood waiting for them she heard the sound of voices and footsteps, andround the corner came a girl, wheeling a long perambulator with a childin it. There was no mistaking the couple, they were the nursemaid andthe little boy whom Dona and Marjorie had met on the cliffs lastautumn. Lizzie looked just the same--rosy, good-natured, and untidy asever--but it was a very etherealized Eric who lay in the perambulator.The lovely little face looked white and transparent as alabaster, thebrown eyes seemed bigger and more wistful, the golden curls had grown,and framed the pale cheeks like a saint's halo, the small hands foldedon the shabby rug were thin and colourless. The child was wasted almostto a shadow, and the blue veins on his forehead showed prominently. Herecognized Dona at once, and for a moment a beautiful rosy flush floodedhis pathetic little face.
"Oh, Lizzie, it's my fairy lady!" he cried excitedly.
The nurse girl stopped in amazement.
"Well, now! Who'd have thought of seeing you?" she said to Dona. "Eric'sbeen talking about you all the winter. He's been awful bad, he has. Thisis the first time I've had him out for months. He's still got that bookyou gave him. I should think he knows every story in it off by heart."
Dona was bending over the carriage holding the frail little hand thatEric offered.
"You're Silverstar!" he said, gazing up at her with keen satisfaction."Where are Bluebell and Princess Goldilocks?"
"They're not here to-day."
"Oh, I do so want to see them!"
"They'll be sorry to miss you."
"He'll talk of nothing else now," observed Lizzie. "You wouldn't believewhat a fancy he's taken to you three; and he's a queer child--hedoesn't like everybody."
"I want to see the others!" repeated Eric, with the suspicion of a wailin his voice.
"Look here," said Dona hastily, "to-morrow's our
exeat day. Can youbring him to that place on the cliffs where we met before? We'll bethere at four o'clock--all of us. You can leave him with us if you wantto go shopping. Now I must fly, for my teacher's calling me."
"We'll be there," smiled Eric, waving a good-bye.
"That's if your ma says you're well enough," added Lizzie cautiously.
Before Preparation Dona sought out Marjorie, and told her of the meetingwith the little boy.
"We've just got to be on the cliff to-morrow," she said. "I wouldn'tdisappoint that child for a thousand pounds!"
"Auntie would send Hodson with us, I'm sure, if Elaine can't go. I'm soglad you happened to see him. We'd often wondered what had become ofhim, poor little chap! By the by, couldn't we take him something?"
"I'd thought of that. We'll fly down to Whitecliffe to-morrow, firstthing after we get to Auntie's, and buy him a book at the Stores."
"I hope to goodness it'll be a fine day, or perhaps they won't let himcome."
"I believe he'll cry his eyes out if they don't. He's tremendously seton it."
Very fortunately the weather on Wednesday was all that could bedesired. Marjorie and Dona rushed into The Tamarisks in quite a state ofexcitement, and both together poured out their information. Elaine wasas interested as they to meet Eric again, and readily agreed to theproposed expedition.
"We'll take some cake and milk with us, and have a little picnic," shesuggested. "Let us tear down to Whitecliffe at once and buy him apresent."
Shortly before four o'clock the three girls, carrying a tea-basket andseveral parcels, were walking along the cliffs above the cove. The longperambulator was already waiting at the trysting-place, and Eric,propped up with pillows, smiled a welcome. Elaine was shocked to see howill the child looked. He had been frail enough in the autumn, but nowthe poor little body seemed only a transparent garment through which thesoul shone plainly. She greeted him brightly, but with an ache in herheart.
"My Princess!" he said. "So you've come back to me at last! And FairyBluebell too! Oh, I've wanted you all! It's been a weary winter. Thegnomes kept me shut up in their hill all the time. They wouldn't let meout."
"Perhaps they were afraid the witches might catch you," answeredMarjorie.
"Yes, I expect that was partly it, but the gnomes are jealous, and liketo guard me. I don't know what I should have done without Titania."
"Did she come to see you?"
"Sometimes. She can't come often, because she's so busy. She's gotcrowds of young fairies to look after and keep in order, and sometimesthey're naughty. You wouldn't believe fairies could be naughty, couldyou?"
"I suppose there are good and bad ones," laughed Dona.
"He's just silly over fairies!" broke in Lizzie. "Talks of nothing else,and makes out we're all witches or pixies or what not. Well, Eric, I'vegot to go and buy some butter. Will you be good if I leave you here tillI come back? I shan't be above half an hour or so," she added to thegirls.
"Don't hurry," replied Elaine. "We can stay until half-past five. We'vebrought our tea, if Eric may have some with us. May he eat cake?"
"Oh yes! He'll tell you what he may eat, won't you, Eric?"
The little fellow nodded. His eyes were shining.
"I didn't know it was to be a fairy feast!" he murmured softly, half tohimself.
The girls were busy unpacking their parcels. They had brought severalpresents which they thought would amuse the child during the long hourshe probably spent in bed, a jig-saw puzzle, a drawing-slate, a box ofcoloured chalks, a painting-book, and a lovely volume of new fairytales. His delight was pathetic. He looked at each separately, andtouched it with a finger, as if it were a great treasure. The fairybook, with its coloured pictures of gnomes and pixies, he claspedtightly in his arms.
"It's as good as having a birthday!" he sighed. "I had mine a whileago. Titania couldn't come to see me, because the young fairies had tobe looked after, but she sent me a paint box. I wish you knew Titania."
"I wish we did. What's she like?"
"She's the beautifullest person in all the world. Nobody else can playfairies as well as she can. And she can tell a new story every time.You'd just fall straight in love with her if you saw her. I know youwould! It's a pity fairies have to be so busy, isn't it? Some day whenI'm better, and she has time, she's going to take me away for a holiday.Think of going away with Titania! The doctor says I must drink mymedicine if I want to get well."
"Don't you like medicine?"
Eric pulled an eloquent face.
"It's the nastiest stuff! But I promised Titania I'd take it. Isometimes have a chocolate after it."
"Will you have one now? We're just going to unpack our basket to gettea. Will it hurt you if we wheel you over there on to the grass?There's such a lovely place where we could sit."
The spot that the girls had chosen for their picnic was ideal. It was apatch of short fine grass near the edge of the cliff, with a bank for aseat. The ground was blue with the beautiful little flowers of thevernal squill, and clumps of sea-pinks, white bladder campion, andgolden lady's fingers bloomed in such profusion that the place was likea wild garden. The air was soft and warm, for it was one of thosebeautiful afternoons in early May when Nature seems predominant, andone can almost spy nymphs among the trees. Below them the sea rippledcalm and shining, merging at the horizon into the tender blue of thesky. Gulls and puffins wheeled and screamed over the rocks. Eric lookedround with a far-away expression on his quaint little face, and gravelyaccepted the flowers that Dona picked for him.
"It's enchanted ground!" he said in his oldfashioned way. "Every flowerhides the heart of a tiny fairy. I know, because I've been here in mydreams. I have funny dreams sometimes. They're more real than beingawake. One night I was floating in the air, just like that bird over thesea. I lay on my back, and I could see the blue sky above me, and lookdown at the green cliffs far below. I wasn't frightened, because I knewI couldn't fall. I felt quite strong and well, and my leg didn't hurt meat all. Sometimes I dream I can go through the air. It isn't exactlyeither flying or floating or running--it's more like shooting. I get tothe tops of mountains, and see the wonderfullest places. And anothernight I was riding on the waves. There was a great storm, and I camesweeping in with the tide into the bay. I wish I could always dream likethat!"
"You shall have tea with the elves to-day," said Elaine, bringing thelittle fellow back, if not to absolute reality, at least to a lessvisionary world than the dream-country he was picturing. "Look! I'vebrought a mug with a robin on it for your milk. May you eat bread andhoney? Honey is fairy food, you know. Here's a paper serviette withviolets round it, instead of a plate."
Eric's appetite was apparently that of a sparrow. He ate a very littleof the bread and honey, and a tiny piece of cake, but drank the milkfeverishly. He seemed tired, and lay back for a while on his pillowswithout speaking, just gazing at the flowers and the sea and the sky. Hefondled his book now and then with a long sigh of content. Elainemotioned to Marjorie and Dona not to disturb him. Her knowledge ofnursing told her that the child must not be over-excited or wearied. Shefelt it a responsibility to have charge of him, and was rather relievedwhen Lizzie's creaking boots came back along the road.
Eric brightened up to say good-bye.
"I shall tell Titania all about you," he vouchsafed. "Perhaps she'llcome and see me soon now. I love her best, of course, but I love younext best. I shall pretend every day that I'm playing with you here."
"I hope he's not too tired," whispered Elaine to Lizzie.
"No, but I'd best get him home now, or his ma'll be anxious. He'd one ofhis attacks last night. Oh, it'll have done him good coming out thisafternoon! He was set on seeing you."
The girls stood watching as Lizzie trundled the long perambulator away,then packed their basket and set off towards Brackenfield, for it wastime for Marjorie and Dona to return to school.
"How stupid of us!" ejaculated Elaine. "We never asked his surname orwhere he lives, and I particularly int
ended to, this time."
"So did I, but I quite forgot," echoed Marjorie.
"I'm not sure if I want to know," said Dona. "He's just Eric to me--likesomeone out of a book. I've never met such a sweet, dear, precious thingin all my life before. Of course, if I don't know his name I can't sendhim things, but I've got an idea. We'll leave a little parcel for himwith the girl who looks after the refreshment kiosk on the WhitecliffeRoad, and ask her to give it to him next time he passes. She couldn'tmistake the long perambulator."
"And write 'From the fairies' on it. Good!" agreed Marjorie. "It'sexactly the sort of thing that Eric will like."
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