The Palace Beautiful: A Story for Girls

by L. T. Meade

  CHAPTER XV.

  IN SPITE OF OPPOSITION.

  But although Mrs. Ellsworthy wept and lamented, although she triedboth persuasions and scoldings, and finally left the cottage in astate of deep offence, vowing within herself that she would nevertrouble her head again over the affairs of such silly and obstinategirls, she could not in the least shake Primrose's quiet resolve.

  Primrose said over and over again: "Two things are absolutelyindispensable--we must be independent, and we must keep together. Ican think of no better plan than this--it may fail, but we can but tryit--we are certainly going to try it."

  Mrs. Ellsworthy kept up her offence for twenty-four hours, then shebegan to soften, and to agree with her husband, whose solitary remarkwas, "My dear, you cannot coerce the children, and upon my word it's aplucky notion, and if those girls are brave enough to carry it outthey must have real stuff in them."

  "They may have plenty of stuff, and the plan may be as plucky as youlike, Joseph," replied his excitable little wife. "I am quite willingto admire it in the abstract, but I am quite determined, if I have anyinfluence whatever, to prevent them carrying it through."

  Then she went off to Miss Martineau, invading the schoolmistress inthe sacred hour when she was engaged with her pupils. Mrs. Ellsworthycarried Miss Martineau away from her school, and shutting the door ofthat lady's little parlor, clasped the governess's thin hands, andpoured her troubles into her ears.

  "Joseph calls it plucky," said Mrs. Ellsworthy at the end of hernarrative.

  But Miss Martineau's face was perfectly aghast.

  "Plucky!" she ejaculated. "Dear Mrs. Ellsworthy, pardon me, but yourhusband is a man--what can a man know about the intricate workingswhich go on within the breast of a perverse girl? Plucky!--I call itwicked--I call it wanting in all decorum, in all right sense. PrimroseMainwaring has disappointed me deeply; she showed undue temper when Ispoke to her here the other day--oh yes, this thing must be preventedby main force, if necessary."

  Miss Martineau's pupils could not imagine what was the matter with herthat morning. She was known to be a most strict disciplinarian, shewas reported to have the sharpest eyes, and the quickest ears; herpupils believed that nothing ever could pass Miss Martineau'sobservation; nevertheless, after Mrs. Ellsworthy's visit she was_distrait_, she was indifferent to mistakes, and she allowed hernaughtiest and most troublesome scholar to gabble through her Frenchtranslation without once correcting her. School over, Miss Martineaudiscovered that she had no appetite for her dinner; she left quite anice little repast, cooked in French style, untasted on the table, andhurrying up to her bedroom, put on her mantle and poke bonnet and wentout. She had made up her mind to visit the Mainwarings, and toexpostulate with these headstrong and naughty girls on their daringscheme. "Wicked, I call it," she ejaculated many times under herbreath!--"a wicked scheme, wicked, and a tempting of Providence. Oh,my poor orphan children, I must do my utmost to prevent your havingyour own perverse way in this matter!"

  She arrived at Woodbine Cottage to find the neat little house alreadyin sad confusion. Hannah favored her with an expressive look, and agrave shaking of her head.

  "I don't know if they'll see you," she said--"they won't see you if itis on a lecturing errand you've come, ma'am. Their minds is made up,ma'am, and obstinate is no word for them. Dear Miss Martineau, youmeans well, and you has known them most of their lives, poor darlings,so sit you down in the hall, and I'll see if I can get them to have aword with you."

  Jasmine, however, had heard her old governess's voice, and now runningout, looking extremely untidy but very pretty, she exclaimed in hereager tones--

  "Now, you dear Miss Martineau, say you're not--do say you're not!"

  "Not what, my dear?" asked the governess, who really felt quite angrywith Jasmine at this moment. "If you mean that I am not displeased--Iam displeased; and if you mean that I am not to oppose you, my dear, Ishould not be doing my solemn duty, the duty which I owe to your poordead mother, if I did not oppose you to the very uttermost. My dear,Mrs. Ellsworthy has told me all about your mad scheme; my poor child,it cannot be allowed for a moment."

  "Come into the drawing-room and hear what Primrose has to say,"answered Jasmine, in quite a meek and unruffled voice. "Primrose isvery busy, for she is dusting and packing all our books and littleknick-knacks. Do you know, Miss Martineau, that just when I heard yourring at the hall-door I came across a pincushion which you gave meages and ages ago. You gave it to me when I could say, _Le the estchaud_ with a Parisian accent. It was such a pretty pincushion madeof pink silk, and dotted over with steel beads to look like pins. Justwhen you were ringing the bell I had it in my hand, and I felt so softand loving towards you, and of course I had to run out to see you,and--; Primrose, dearest, here is Miss Martineau. She is dreadfullyopposed, and she says she won't let us go."

  Primrose was bending over a battered old trunk which had been hauleddown from the lumber-room. She was filling it with books, and her fairface was slightly flushed, and her eyes were brighter than usual.

  "How do you do, Miss Martineau?" she said, rising to her feet. "It isvery kind of you to call. I feel sure you are annoyed, and think usgirls rather silly, but I'm afraid we must do what we think rightourselves in this matter. We have taken our first steps, and now thatwe have quite and absolutely made up our minds, mean to leave Roseburyas quickly as possible. It is very kind of you to be interested in us,and I am sorry that I spoke bitterly the other day, but the plan whichwas to divide us girls was of course impossible, and we could notlisten to it for a moment. We have made our own little scheme, andperhaps we shall not fail. Daisy, darling, hand me dear old 'Sandfordand Merton,' I have just got a nice corner for it here."

  Primrose went down again on her knees, and serenely continued herpacking, while Miss Martineau, standing over her, then and there gaveway to a burst of passion.

  She was well aware that she lost ground with her pupils by notcontrolling her temper, but as she said afterwards, she really couldnot help herself. Such coolness, such perversity, such a headstrongflying in the face of their elders, she had never encountered in threeyoung girls before.

  Poor Daisy quite sobbed, and even Jasmine felt a little frightened atMiss Martineau's bitter and angry words; but no language she coulduse, no threats of the direst failure she could utter, had power toshake Primrose's resolve.

  "We have no guardian, and we can go if we please, and we have reallymade up our minds to go," replied that perverse young lady.

  As a last resource Mr. Danesfield was appealed to, but he, being anold bachelor and not quite at home with girls, although in his hearthe was very fond of them, declined to interfere.

  "I gave Primrose Mainwaring some uncalled-for advice when she came tosee me the other morning," he said. "She is perfectly at liberty tochoose her own life, and I, for one, am not going to add to hertroubles by needlessly opposing her. Very likely the girls will get onin London--they are spirited girls, and they may do better forthemselves by struggling for independence than by living with theEllsworthys. I always did maintain that work hurts no one."

  So Primrose carried out her little plans, and made all arrangements,and her friends, when they found she would not yield, came round her,and began to counsel her as to the best place to go to.

  Mrs. Ellsworthy was, after all, the first to forgive the girls. Shefelt very indignant, and stayed away for more than a week; but oneevening, when the day's packing was over, and the three, rather tiredbut quite cheerful and full of hope, were sitting down to their tea,her carriage was seen to draw up to the door, and the little lady,bustling and good-natured as ever, entered the drawing-room.

  "My dears," she said, holding out a hand each to Primrose and Daisy,but imprinting a kiss on her favorite Jasmine's brow, "my dears--Oh,of course, I am still very angry! I see, too, that you are at thathorrid packing; but if you must go, there is a Mrs. Moore--such a goodsoul, a widow, and quite a lady--indeed, I may say highly connected.She lives in Kensington, and I ha
ve written to her. My dears, shewould be charmed to take you all into her family. She would give youcomforts--oh! I don't mean luxuries, but the necessary comforts thatyoung girls who are using their brains require. She would feed youwell, and chaperone you when you went out, and, in short, see to youall round. I know her house so well. It is very pretty--indeed,charming--and she would take you in for a pound a week between you.She would give you board and lodging, and all you require, for a pounda week. I hope, my dear Primrose, you don't consider that too dear. Itis, I believe"--here Mrs. Ellsworthy coughed slightly--"consideredcheap for Kensington."

  This torrent of words, poured forth with rapidity and yet withdistinctness, rather astonished the girls. They were afraid they hadlost Mrs. Ellsworthy for their friend, and they, every one of them,hailed this overture of kindness with delight. Innocent Primrose nevereven suspected that a pound a week for the lodging and maintenance ofthree girls was at all unusually cheap. She little guessed that Mrs.Ellsworthy had written to her special friend, Mrs. Moore, telling herthe girls' story, begging of her to give them a home, to provide themwith every comfort, and even luxury, and asking her to look to her,Mrs. Ellsworthy, for the necessary payment.

  Jasmine began to dance about, and to say, softly--

  "Oh! this is too delightful! You darling Mrs. Ellsworthy, you arebeginning to approve of our scheme. Oh, yes; I know you are, althoughyou were too proud to say so. Now, is it not a little bit wrong of youto be proud after the way you lectured Primrose? Well, Primrose, shallwe go to Mrs. Moore? I don't know anything about Kensington, but Isuppose it is as good as any other place. I don't suppose, either, apound a week is too much for the three of us. Shall we go to Mrs.Moore, Primrose?"

  Daisy also joined her voice in favor of going to Mrs. Ellsworthy'sfriend, and after all, but for that obstinate young person Primrose,the good little lady might have had her way, but Primrose, althoughshe was quite ignorant of fashionable localities or of any Londonexpenses, was very firm, very firm indeed, when she made up her mind.

  "It is most kind of you to call and say all this to us," she answered."Oh, yes, we would come if we had not quite decided on an altogetherdifferent plan. That being the case we cannot go to Mrs. Moore--thankyou so much."

  When Jasmine heard her sister speak her face first fell and thenbrightened up considerably. "How stupid of me to forget!" she said."Oh, yes, we have made a lovely plan, and of course we could not go toanybody whom anybody knew. Oh, no, of course not. I cannot think how Icame to forget."

  Again Mrs. Ellsworthy tried persuasion and even entreaty, but againshe had to own herself vanquished by that most obstinate girlPrimrose. "I really cannot make out why I care for them all," she saidto herself as she drove away. "I do care for them, poor children! Iwould do anything to help them, but I am simply not allowed. Well,Primrose, no doubt you would be a great trial to me if you were mydaughter; I could never bear obstinate characters, and yet to acertain extent I admire you."

  Miss Martineau also made up her mind to forgive these naughty girls,and to give them the benefit of her most sapient counsel. She toowrote a private letter to a London friend, and arrived at WoodbineCottage primed with what she considered valuable information. "Now, mydears, you must go to Shepherd's Bush--that is the place, and the onlyplace where you can live within your means. My friend ConstantiaWarren has rooms there, and she says--I have written to her, myloves--she says if you will let her accompany you in your search shemay be able to secure you a clean, respectable bedroom in a fairlygood locality. Constantia is an excellent woman; she is fifty, andplain in her tastes, and has no nonsense about her. She has promisedme, for my sake, to accompany you to church in the evenings, and tosee that you wear your veils down when you go out, and that you areback in your bedroom--you can't afford a sitting-room, so don't thinkof it--that you are back in your bedroom by five o'clock in theevening, as all girls who have any idea of what is correct and properare of course in by that hour in London. Now, my dears, Constantiawill be a sort of protectress to you three, and I had better write toher at once. My dears, it is a relief to me to know you will be nearConstantia, for London is a pit--a pit, and a snare."

  Miss Martineau had talked herself quite out of breath, and lookedquite pleading, but the same obstacle which had prevented the girls'acceding to Mrs. Ellsworthy's request now debarred their taking uptheir quarters near Constantia Warren.

  They spoke of their plans, but would not tell what they were, and MissMartineau again went away offended.

  "There is no secret in the matter," she said, when talking over theaffair with Mrs. Ellsworthy. "Primrose tries to make a mystery, andJasmine likes to look mysterious, but there is not the smallest doubtthat all the girls really want is to have their own way, and to bebeholden to none of us."

  "Nevertheless, I love them, and shall always love them," answered Mrs.Ellsworthy.

  "Oh, for the matter of that, so will I always love them, Mrs.Ellsworthy. It seems to me they want a lot of pity, poor misguidedyoung things!"

  Primrose, Jasmine and Daisy all this time felt wonderfully serene.They were very sorry to hurt their friends, but it is quite true thatthey did want to have their own way. They had made distinct plans, butthey must go to London to carry them out. They thought their wisestcourse was to go up to Penelope Mansion for a few days, and make theirfinal arrangements from there.

  "I'd be very lonely in London if I wasn't near Poppy," said Jasmine;and Primrose too said that she thought their wisest course was to goup to Penelope Mansion, and make their plans from there.

  Accordingly, one afternoon, when Poppy Jenkins had been three weeks inher new place, she received a letter from Primrose Mainwaring, towhich she sent the following reply. Poppy's spelling need not becopied, but her language ran as follows:--

  Penelope Mansion, Wright street, off the Edgware Road, _July 22._

  HONORED Miss,--

  "Your letter was that gratifying. I am so glad you have put by yoursavings, and are coming to visit this vast Babylon. Miss Primrose, itwill do me a sight of good to see your face, and the face of MissJasmine, and the face of Miss Daisy. The ladies here, miss--for I mustown to the truth--are not as beautiful as was to be expected. Neitherin their visages nor in their manners are they beautiful. Sharp's theword from morn till night here, and many a time I cry. I hasn't had nomoment yet to visit the sights, for aunt's hands are very full, andshe looks most natural to me to assist her, which I do, as in dutybound. I'm told that there isn't much of the real London to be seenfrom Penelope Mansion, so I live in hopes that it is as beautiful aswe pictured it beyond these dull walls. Miss, I has spoken to my aunt,and she will be very pleased to receive you three, and will put you ina bedroom to the front of the house. You'll be fretted by the roarfrom the continuous multitude which passes these windows all day andall night, but otherwise the room is cheerful, although somewhat hot.Miss Primrose, I'll give you all such a welcome.

  "Your humble and most devoted friend, "POPPY JENKINS."

  This letter was received by the girls while they were eating theirbreakfast. Primrose read it aloud to her sisters, and the effect ofPoppy's words was certainly not enlivening. Jasmine was the first torecover her spirits.

  "Never mind," she said; "Poppy feels a little dull and it is more thanever our duty to go up to London, and try and cheer her. Poor Poppy!it is very wrong of her aunt not to let her go out to see the sights,and you see, Primrose, she really knows no part of London yet, exceptPenelope Mansion. Poor Poppy! how she did long to go to see thewonderful city; but she was a little frivolous, and seemed only towant to look at the shop windows and to examine the newest fashions._We_ go to this grand, great London in a different spirit--we godetermined to conquer, don't we, Queen Rose?"

  "We go to do what seems to be our duty," answered Primrose, solemnly."Oh, Jasmine! I hope we are doing right--I hope, I pray that God mayhelp us."

  Then a letter was written to Poppy, in which the noisy room wassecured for the
following Thursday, and as this was Monday, the girlswere too busy packing to give many mere thoughts to poor Poppy'ssomewhat melancholy epistle.