A Bevy of Girls

by L. T. Meade

herarms round the girl and kissed her several times on her cheek.

  "Now, Nesta," she said, "we won't ask you for any motives. I am notgoing to put a single question to you, but I want you just to comestraight back with me to the Castle. I will tell you after dinner whatI am going to do next; but there is no scolding, nothing of that sort,you are just to come back with me."

  "Am I?" said Nesta. "I can't believe it."

  "You will believe it when you see it. Come, we must be quick, it isgetting late."

  She took Nesta's hand and led her down the road. There was the prettycarriage, there were the ponies with the silver bells; there was thesmartly dressed little groom.

  "Harold, get up behind," said Angela, "I am in a great hurry to get backto Castle Walworth."

  Nesta found herself seated beside Angela, and quick as thought, itseemed to her, they were flashing through the summer air, past MrsHogg's cottage, where the boys, Ben and Dan, raised the loudest andheartiest "Hooray!" and "Hurroa!" that Angela had ever heard. Theponies pricked up their ears at the sound, and flew faster than ever, upthe village high street, past the station, and up and up, a littleslower now, the steep hill where Nesta and Mary Hogg had walked side byside; then through the portcullis, and into the courtyard of the castle.

  Then indeed a new shyness came over Nesta. It was like a troubled,hopeless, despairing sinner, so she thought, being led into heaven by anangel.

  "I'm not fit--I'm not really," she said, and she tugged at Angela'shand, as if she would refuse to go in.

  "Oh, you are fit enough," said Angela, "you are my friend."

  When they got inside, Angela said something to a man who was standingnear in livery, and then they went down a passage, where they met noone, up some low steps, along another passage and then a door was flungopen, and Angela and Nesta entered. They entered a pretty bedroom,furnished as Nesta had never seen a bedroom before. Angela went up to agirl who was sitting by the window sewing.

  "Clements," she said, "this is my friend. I want you to put her intoone of my pretty dresses, so that she may come down to dinner with me.Attend to her and see to everything she wants; she will sleep hereto-night. This room leads out of my room, dear," she said, giving Nestaanother smiling glance, and then she left her.

  Clements dressed Nesta in white, and she would have thought on anotheroccasion that she had never looked so nice. But she was really pastthinking of how she looked, for somehow Angela's treatment was awakingsomething different within her, something which had never, even on thatnight when her mother was so terribly ill, been truly awakened before.She looked humble and very sad when Angela came back to her.

  "You look quite sweet," said Angela, giving her a kiss. "Come alongdownstairs. By the way, I have sent a telegram to Marcia to tell herthat you are all right, and that I am bringing you back to-morrow."

  "Home?" said Nesta.

  "Well, to your mother. That will make you happy, won't it?"

  "Mothery!" said Nesta, and there was a lump in her throat.

  "I'll tell you all about it after dinner. I have excellent news foryou," said Angela.

  At another time that dinner, eaten in the company of people whom Nestahad never even dreamed about before, might have confused her, but shewas past being confused now. She had a curious sensation, however, thatthe rich and delicately cooked food provided for the guests at CastleWalworth was as little to her taste as fried herrings and pease puddingat Mrs Hogg's cottage. There was a heavy weight about her heart; shecould scarcely raise her eyes to look at any one. Angela seemed to knowall that, for after dinner she took her away, and out in the cool gardenin the shadows of the summer night she talked to Nesta as no one hadever talked to her before.

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

  THE BEST OF THEM ALL.

  "It is all too wonderful," said Nesta.

  "Yes, isn't it?" replied Penelope.

  "To think," continued Nesta, "that I should like it, that I should evenon the whole be quite pleased."

  "As to me," said Penelope, "I can scarcely contain myself. It is all onaccount of her, too. In fact, it is on account of both of them. Theyare both coming, you know."

  "Oh, it is mostly on account of her, as far as I am concerned," saidNesta.

  As Nesta spoke Penelope looked at her.

  "You certainly are very much changed," she said. "I wouldn't know youfor the same girl."

  "And I wouldn't know you for the same girl," retorted Nesta. "You seemto be sort of--sort of watching yourself all the time."

  Penelope smiled. She slipped her hand through Nesta's arm.

  "Let us walk up and down," she said.

  The girls disappeared out of a low French window, and paced slowly upthe shrubbery at Court Prospect. When they came to the end of theshrubbery they crossed the lawn and stood for a few moments just wherethey could get a peep into what had been the rose garden. Thatold-world garden where Angela used to walk when she was a child, andwhere her mother had walked before her. When they reached this spot,Penelope said very slowly:

  "Do you know, Nesta, it was here, just here, she found me. Here on theground."

  "Were you really just here?" said Nesta.

  "I was, and I was about as miserable a girl as could be found in thewide world. I told you all about it, didn't I?"

  "Oh, yes, and we needn't go into it now, need we?"

  "We need never talk of it any more. It is buried away deep; even Godhas forgotten it, at least, that is what Angela says."

  "I was a thousand times worse than you," said Nesta, "and Angela says--by the way she found me, too, lying on the grass--I was sobbingbitterly. I had cause to sob, I was just fifty times as wicked as you.But we needn't talk of that now."

  "Of course not," replied Penelope, "for as Angela says, if God hasforgotten, nobody else need mind."

  "But it is strange," continued Nesta, "how different you are."

  "And how different you are, Nesta, so we both understand each other."

  They walked a little further, and then they turned. Wonderful thingshad happened since that day only two short months ago, when Angela StJust had found Nesta sobbing her heart out on the banks of the prettylittle river Tarn, which flowed not far from Castle Walworth.

  Amongst many remarkable things Mrs Aldworth had been restored tocomparative health. The great specialist who had come down from Londonon purpose to see her, declared that all the treatment she had hithertoundergone was wrong. He had suggested a course of electricity, whichreally had a miraculous effect. It strengthened her nerves and seemedto build up her whole system. Mrs Aldworth was so well that it was nolonger in the least necessary for her to be confined to her bedroom.She had remained at Hurst Castle for over six weeks, and a fortnight agohad started for the continent with Molly, and Ethel, and Nurse Davenantas her companions. This was Angela's suggestion. Angela thought thatMrs Aldworth and the girls would really enjoy a little tour in Normandyand Brittany, and afterwards they might go further south. To MrsAldworth it seemed like a glimpse of heaven, and Molly and Ethel were inraptures at the thought of their new dresses, and their newsurroundings, and had gone off with the cheers and good will of everyone concerned.

  The final arrangement of all was that Nesta and Penelope were to go fora year to that excellent school at Frankfort, which Mrs Silchesterpresided over. Marcia was to go back again to her beloved occupation,and Angela was to spend the winter with them. Thus, indeed, waseverything _couleur de rose_.

  "For my part," said Nesta, as she continued to talk to her companion, "Ican't imagine how I could ever take up with that common girl, FlossieGriffiths."

  "Angela says that no one is common, that if we look deep enough we shallfind something to love and to care for in every human being," saidPenelope. "I never used to think so, and if any one had said that sortof thing to me some time ago, I should have set that person down as aprig, but somehow when Angela says it, I don't seem to mind a bit. Itseems to come all right. Isn't it quite wonderful?"r />
  "Yes, she is like no one else," said Nesta.

  But just as this moment, when they were both talking and wondering whatthe future would bring forth, and what golden hopes would be realised,and how many good resolutions carried into effect, there was seencrossing the lawn a stout little woman and a girl walking by her side.This person was no other than Mrs Griffiths, of Scarborough fame. Justfor the moment Nesta held back. She had not seen Mrs Griffiths, andhad not heard a single word from Flossie since the day she had leftScarborough. Mrs Griffiths had not even acknowledged the letter inwhich Nesta had returned the half-sovereign.

  "Oh, there they come, and I don't one bit want to meet them," said Nestato Penelope.

  But Mrs Griffiths quickly waddled forward.

  "Now, my dear Nesta, this is just wonderful. I am glad to see youagain. Do you remember the shrimps and the wading, and how we bathed ona certain morning that shall be nameless?"

  Nesta coloured and glanced at Penelope. Flossie, without taking anynotice of Nesta, went straight up to Penelope.

  "Well," she said, "and how are you? What is all this fuss about? Whyshould you, who hoped to be a grand lady, go off to a dull Germanschool? I am sure I should hate it."

  "I don't," said Penelope. "I like it very much."

  "Nesta," said Mrs Griffiths, "just come along and have a walk with meall alone."

  Nesta was forced to comply.

  "Is it true," said Mrs Griffiths, in an awe-struck tone, "that you arehand in glove with those aristocratic St Justs?"

  "I am not," said Nesta, who with all her faults was very downright."Only Angela, one of the family, has been very kind to me, more thankind. She wouldn't have noticed me but for Marcia, dear Marcia. I oweit all to her."

  "To your sister Marcia, that priggish girl, the old maid of the familyas you used to call her? Miss Mule Selfish?"

  Mrs Griffiths laughed.

  "I did roar over that name," she said. "I told Griffiths about it, andI thought he wouldn't never stop laughing. He said it was the best andvery smartest thing he had ever heard any girl say. It was you who gaveit, wasn't it?"

  "I did; I am horrible sorry, for she isn't Miss Mule Selfish at all.The name fits me best," said Nesta.

  "Oh, my word," said Mrs Griffiths. "How queer you are. You are muchchanged; I doubt if you are improved. Flossie, come along here thisminute."

  Flossie ran forward.

  "What do you think Nesta calls herself now?"

  "What?" said Flossie, who was not specially inclined to be friendly.

  "Why, she says she was all wrong about that fine-lady sister of hers,and that she herself is Miss Mule Selfish."

  "Very likely," said Flossie. "I always did think Nesta a remarkablyselfish girl, even when she was supposed to be my great friend. Mother,have you told her?"

  "No," said Mrs Griffiths, "I have been asking her about herself. Sheis going to the German school, and she seems quite pleased."

  "Yes, I am delighted," said Nesta.

  "Well then, you may as well tell her now," said Flossie.

  "It's this," said Mrs Griffiths, slightly mincing her words andspeaking in a rather affected tone, "that Floss and I are going toLondon, for father--we always call him father, don't we, Floss?--that isMr Griffiths, you know, has got a splendid opening there, and he istaking a very fine house in Bayswater, and we are to live there, andFlossie will have masters for music and dancing, and she will come outpresently, and perhaps make a great match, for I am given to understandthat the men admire her very much, with her black eyes and her rosycheeks."

  "Oh, don't," said Flossie, flushing, it is true, but at the same timeflashing her eyes with a delighted glance from Nesta to Penelope."We'll be very rich in the future," she said, in a modest tone, and thenshe dropped her eyes.

  There was a dead pause for a minute or two.

  "Father has been having some luck lately," said Mrs Griffiths, "and soperhaps he'll ride over the heads even of the grand Aldworths, and evenof you Carters, although you do own a fine place like Court Prospect."

  "We are very glad," said Nesta.

  "I thought, perhaps," said Flossie, "it would be best to say that seeingthe change in my circumstances, I wish to have nothing more to do withyou, Nesta Aldworth."

  "It seems unkind," said Mrs Griffiths. "I didn't much like coming uphere to say it, but Flossie was determined."

  "It was father and I who settled it last night," said Flossie. "I spoketo him about it, and he said that such a very deceitful girl could havenothing to do with me in the future; so this is good-bye. I wish youwell, of course. I would not wish my worst enemy anything but well, butwhatever happens in the future I cannot know you."

  "Very well; of course I am sorry. I know I behaved like a perfecthorror," said Nesta.

  "You say that!" cried Flossie. There was a queer look in her blackeyes. She fully expected that Nesta would make a scene and get, inshort, into one of her celebrated tantrums; but Nesta's eyes kept onbeing sorry, and Penelope said:

  "Oh, don't let's talk about disagreeables. If we are all happy in ourown way, why should we nag and jar at one another? Do come into thehouse, Mrs Griffiths, and have some tea, and if father is anywhereround I'll ask him to have a chat with you. I am sure he will bedelighted to hear that Mr Griffiths had made a lot of money."

  "Not so much made, my dear," said Mrs Griffiths, going on in front withPenelope, "but in the making. That's it--it's in the making. We arelikely to be richer and richer. Father is so excited you can scarcelyhold him in bounds. But there, my dear, there. I am sorry Flossie isso rude, but the child's head is turned by her fine prospects."

  When they got near the house Nesta turned and looked at Flossie.

  "So you are never going to speak to me again, even though--"

  "Well?" said Flossie.

  "Even though we were such friends always."

  "You never really loved me; I don't believe it a bit," was Flossie'sresponse. "Did you, now?"

  "I think I did," said Nesta; "in a horribly selfish way perhaps."

  "Well, you were fairly generous, that I will say," continued Flossie,"with regard to your yellow-boy. Anyhow, I'll try to think kindly ofyou. Take a kiss and we'll say no more about it."

  Nesta thought that to kiss Flossie at that moment was one of the hardestthings she had to do. But then she was doing a great many hard thingsjust then, and she found as life went on that she had to go on doinghard things, harder and harder each day; a fault to be struggled witheach day, a lesson to be learnt, for hers was by no means an easycharacter. She was not naturally amiable; she was full of self-will,pride, and obstinacy; but nevertheless, that sweet germ of love whichAngela had planted in her heart that day down by the river, kept ongrowing and growing, sometimes, it is true, very nearly nipped by thefrosts of that wintry side of her nature, or scorched by the tempests ofher violent passions, but nevertheless, the fires of summer, and thefrosts of winter could not quite destroy it, for it was watered bysomething higher than anything Nesta could herself impart to it.

  "Nesta is the best of them all," said Marcia, a long time afterwards toAngela, "and she owes it to you."

  "No," said Angela, "she owes it to God."

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  The End.