Girls of the True Blue Read online

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  "He is not horrid at all," said Nan, very cross.]

  GIRLS OF THE TRUE BLUE

  BY

  L. T. MEADE

  Author of

  "Miss Nonentity," "The Odds and the Evens," "Light o' the Morning,""The Girls of St. Wode's," etc.

  WITH TEN ILLUSTRATIONS

  BY

  PERCY TARRANT

  W. & R. CHAMBERS, Limited

  LONDON AND EDINBURGH

  1901

  Edinburgh:

  Printed by W. & R. Chambers, Limited

  CONTENTS.

  I. "I PROMISE" II. "I WON'T EVER GO TO YOU" III. THE FROCK WITH CRAPE IV. THE BEST GIRL V. THE MYSTERY-GIRL VI. THE BULL-PUP VII. THE FALL VIII. PIP IX. UNDER HER THUMB X. A MYSTERY XI. THE MIDDLE WAY XII. "I SHALL STAY FOR A YEAR" XIII. UNCLE PETER XIV. "IT WAS NOT WORTH WHILE" XV. SOLDIERS OF THE TRUE BLUE XVI. TIGHTENING HER CHAIN XVII. AUGUSTA'S RESOLVE XVIII. AUGUSTA'S SIGNATURE XIX. THE ASPRAYS XX. THE ORDERLY-BOOK XXI. THE PICNIC XXII. THE BROKEN LOCK XXIII. "PRIZE-DAY COMES IN A MONTH" XXIV. THE GIPSY TEA XXV. THE PACKET OF LETTERS XXVI. SUNBEAM XXVII. "WAS THAT THE REASON?" XXVIII. "IS WRONG RIGHT?" XXIX. DOWN BY THE WISTARIA XXX. AUGUSTA IS FRIGHTENED XXXI. UNCLE PETER'S CONSIDERING CAP XXXII. THE BEGINNING OF THE SHADOW XXXIII. THE CROSS XXXIV. THE LETTER XXXV. THE WAY OF TRANSGRESSORS IS HARD

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  "He is not horrid at all," said Nan, very cross.

  Nan was perfectly satisfied to sit near the fire holding the kittens.

  "Cross!" he said to himself; "why, it is one of the dearest little faces in the world."

  "Here is some paper," said Nancy, "and here is a pencil. Write the words down, Augusta, and let me keep the paper."

  Augusta nearly fell back as she read the words.

  "What are you doing by that drawer, Gussie!"

  "I have brought a bird for her--my own bird. May I go in and see her at once?" said Nancy.

  Augusta in terror was hiding behind a bush of laurustinus.

  "As to your shilling, miss, you can keep it, for I don't want none of it."

  "Let me fasten it round your neck, Nan, then I shall feel better."

  GIRLS OF THE TRUE BLUE.

  CHAPTER I.

  "I PROMISE."

  "And how is she to-day, Nan?" said the kindly voice of Mrs. Richmond.

  The time was early spring. The lady in question had come into a darkand somewhat dismal room; she herself was richly wrapped in furs andvelvet; her large, smooth face was all beams and smiles. A dark littlegirl with thin cheeks, about eleven years of age, clasping a battereddoll in her arms, looked full up at her.

  "She is no better," said Nan; "and I think perhaps it would be a goodplan for you to go."

  "What a little monkey you are!" said Mrs. Richmond. "But I do not mindyou, my dear Anna; I have known you too long. Come here, dear, and letme look at you."

  Nan laid her doll on the table and approached slowly. Her dress wasuntidy, her hair unkempt. There were traces of tears round her eyes,but none showed at that moment; the sad eyes looked bold and full anddefiant into the kindly face of the lady.

  "You are not too tidy, my dear little girl; that pinafore would be thebetter for the wash-tub. And must you play with that horrid old doll?"

  "I would not give up dear Sophia Maria for anybody on earth," said Nanin a determined voice; and now she went back and clasped her raggedand disreputable-looking baby to her breast.

  "But you might have a new one."

  "I would not like a new one, thank you."

  "And you are rather old to play with dolls. Now, my Kitty and myHonora have long ceased to make babies of themselves; you must whenyou come."

  "I must when I come!" repeated Nan; and now, her eyes grew very bigand bright and angry. "Oh! please," she added, "will you excuse me? Iwant to go up to mother."

  "Certainly, dear. Tell her I am here, and would be glad to have a talkwith her."

  Nan vouchsafed no reply to this, and left the room. Mrs. Richmond saton in thought; she folded her hands in her lap.

  "I will do my duty," she said to herself; "it is my duty. Poor, dearAmy was always improvident, and careless of her health. She marriedwithout means; her husband died within a year; there is this child noweleven years of age and with no provision. Ah!"

  There came a tap at the door, and the wizened and somewhat cross faceof a middle-aged woman appeared.

  "How do you do, Mrs. Vincent?" said Mrs. Richmond. She always spokecordially to every one; her face beamed kindness itself on all theworld.

  Mrs. Vincent came in slowly.

  "I am glad you have called, ma'am; the poor thing upstairs is verybad--very bad indeed--not likely to live many hours, the doctor says."

  "Oh! my good soul, I had not an idea that it was so near as that."

  "I am telling you the truth, madam; and the fact is, her poverty isexcessive, and"----

  "Now listen to me, Mrs. Vincent. Everything she needs as far as you areconcerned will be paid for; see that she has every imaginable comfort.And leave the room."

  Mrs. Richmond's kindly eyes could flash when occasion arose, and Mrs.Vincent, curtsying and mumbling, but highly delighted all the same,went downstairs.

  There was no sign of Nan coming back, and Mrs. Richmond, after waitingfor a quarter of an hour, determined to go upstairs to her sickfriend's room. The door was a little ajar; she pushed it open and wentin. Nan was lying across the bed, her face close to the very whiteface of a woman whose features were wonderfully like her own. Thewoman's eyes were open, and her lips were moving. Mrs. Richmond cameand, without saying a word, lifted the child off the bed. Nan turnedin a wild fury; she felt very much inclined to strike the intruder,but the look on her visitor's face restrained her.

  "You can stay, dear, if you like," said Mrs. Richmond; and then shewent round to the other side of the bed.

  "Have you anything to tell me, Amy, before you go?" she asked.

  There came a low--very low--murmur, and a glance of the dying woman'seyes in the direction of the child.

  "Only--only"----she began.

  "I will see to everything, dear; I have promised."

  "And if--if at the end of a year---- You remember--you remember thatpart, don't you, Caroline?"

  "I remember it. It will not be necessary."

  "But if it is--if it should be--you will send her"----

  "I faithfully promise."

  "You are so good!" said the dying woman.

  "God bless you! You have made things easy for me."

  "Come here, Nan, and kiss your mother," said Mrs. Richmond suddenly.

  The child, overawed by the entire scene, advanced. She pressed herlips to the lips growing colder moment by moment.

  "And now leave the room," said Mrs. Richmond. "Go--obey me."

  Nan went.