her own family.I don't believe it has once come into her mind, even the very leastlittle bit, to wish any of it were coming to them."
"She is a most sweet and noble girl," said Mr Waldron.
"And, _papa_, to think of all she has told me--of how horribly Imisunderstood her. To think how poor they are, and of her father'sblindness, and how they have struggled, and all that Claudia has done--not that she seems to think she has ever done anything. I sometimescan't _bear_ to think of the feelings I had," and Charlotte's honesteyes filled with tears.
"It was not altogether your fault," said her father consolingly.
"Yes, papa; the horrid feelings were," said Charlotte firmly. "But doyou know it is Claudia's _happiness_ that makes me the most ashamed.She does not know--you said when you first understood about her, youremember, that it would hurt her for me to say too much about how Imisjudged her?--she does not know half, and she thinks it was allbecause she dared not be frank and companionable at school. And shesays she is so happy now that we are friends that it was the only thingwanting, and that she is the luckiest girl in the world. And after all,papa, the happiness she is so looking forward to, of working hard andearning, not many would think it a very delightful future, would they?Oh, papa, she is _so_ good."
"And so she is to be envied after all. Has she not `everything' in thebest sense, gipsy dear?"
"And we will _always_ be her dearest friends, won't we, papa?Afterwards--when--when Lady Mildred is dead, though I don't like tospeak of it, you will be rich enough to help them in many ways that theywould not mind, won't you, papa?"
Mr Waldron's eyes looked very bright as he turned to Charlotte.
"I have been saying to Lady Mildred that nothing she can ask of me wouldgive me greater pleasure than the being allowed now, or in the future,to be of use to the Meredons. Even were they less to be admired andrespected than they are, it would be my place. And for Claudia herself,I am like you, Charlotte, I can't say what I feel about her. I can onlysay I am most thankful for you to have such a friend."
"I'm only dreadfully afraid, papa, that now I am learning to love herso, I shall not see much more of her. Lady Mildred is already talkingof perhaps not returning to England all this year--of going to Germanyin the summer, and back here again next winter. She says her mind is atpeace about Silverthorns now, and that she means to have some holidays.And I mustn't stay away from home very long, papa. Mamma could nevermanage the removal to Silverthorns, to the Old Lodge, I mean, withoutme," she added importantly; "though I shall be dreadfully sorry to leaveClaudia, and Lady Mildred too."
"But think how very delightful it will be to be installed at the OldLodge when they do come back, and to be able to give them a sort ofwelcome home."
"And, papa, Claudia must always come to us for holidays even when she issettled at her own home, unless she is with Lady Mildred. And Jerry andI were planning we might ask one or two of the little ones to come withher each time, so that she wouldn't feel she was leaving them all withher mother. Though Mrs Meredon isn't quite so badly off as mamma, thenext girl is past twelve, and our little girls are _so_ tiny. But Ithink we must go on to Claudia and Jerry, papa. They want to seesomething of you, too, before you go. Oh, papa, _how_ lovely it ishere!"
And her eyes seemed as if they would never be tired of gazing at theperfection of sky and sea--at the blue glory one must leave our coldnorthern shores far behind ever to see.
"Yes," said Mr Waldron, "it is very, very beautiful. But there arechilly and dull days here too, Charlotte. It is not always suchsunshine and brilliance."
"And even if it were, one would wish for home in a while," the girlreplied. "When the spring comes."
"Yes--
"`Oh, to be in England Now that April's there,'" quoted her father."Well, I hope we shall be all together there before April goes at anyrate."
And so saying they rejoined the others.
Charlotte's misgivings that Lady Mildred would not return home for somelength of time were realised. The old lady, who had not left Englandfor many years, greatly enjoyed another taste of foreign travel, ofwhich in her youth she had had much. Her mind was more at ease than ithad been since her husband's death as to the management of the property,and she also felt that she was conferring real and lasting benefits onClaudia. But some months before the two years during which hergrand-niece was to be her charge, had expired, a sort of home-sicknesscame over them both.
"I think we won't spend another Christmas away from England, Claudia,"she said rather suddenly one day. "I have a yearning to seeSilverthorns again. And I know the Waldrons will never feel thoroughlyat home till I am there myself. I must get to know Amy, and I want tosee my pet Jerry again, and Charlotte too. And you will like to feelnear your own people again, eh, my dear?"
"Yes, Aunt Mildred. It will be very nice, _very_ nice," said Claudia.
"Another Christmas if all's well--if I'm still with you all, that's tosay," pursued Lady Mildred, "we must have the house full. I must haveyou all over with me. But this year of course I must devote myself moreparticularly to Edward's wife and children. And in that you will be agreat help to me, you and Charlotte being already such friends."
"She says--they say," said Claudia laughing, "that I'm to spend all myholidays there--that's to say when _you_ don't invite me. They are so_very_ kind to me, really as if they were relations of my own. And somepeople in their place, Aunt Mildred, _might_ not have been so cordial tome. I do think it's delightful that your relations on the other sideshould be so nice. How beautifully things have turned out for us eversince that day you came down to Britton-Garnett! I do think I must havebeen born under a lucky star."
And as she looked up with her sweet bright face and sunny eyes, LadyMildred could not help agreeing with her.
"Yes, my dear, good child," she said; "I think indeed some verybeneficent fairy godmother must have been at your christening. You havesome gifts you scarcely realise--the gift of bringing sunshine intoother lives for one."
"Auntie dear," said Claudia, almost startled, for never was woman lessdemonstrative than Lady Mildred; "you are too good to me. I can do _so_little, and everybody is so kind to me. Auntie dear," she went ontimidly; "have I really brought a little sunshine to _you_?"
Lady Mildred smiled and stroked the girl's soft hair as Claudia kneltdown beside her; and though she did not speak, her niece was more thansatisfied.
And no more was ever heard of the owls in the tower room atSilverthorns.
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The End.
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