The Squire's Little Girl Read online

naughty children theyare, he would certainly approve of my determination not to allow Phyllisto have anything to do with them. Yes, I must be guided by my owncommon-sense in the matter."

  Miss Fleet therefore now looked full up at the little girl, and saidslowly and gently:

  "All the same, I do not think you will make me unhappy while your fatheris away."

  Some one called the governess hastily; she ran out of the room. Phylliscontinued her breakfast, feeling extremely discontented.

  "Oh, I do wish Dad would come back!" she said to herself. "It is morethan horrid to have him away. What am I to do? I know he would notmind my playing with the children."

  As these thoughts came to her, she saw her father's letter lying uponMiss Fleet's plate. Phyllis was a thoroughly honourable child, and shewould not have read the letter for worlds, but just then, as if to tempther to the uttermost, a puff of wind came in through the open window.The letter, written on thin paper, fluttered to the floor, and asPhyllis sprang to pick it up, her eyes fell on the very words she wasnot meant to see. She turned very white, and a look of resolutioncrossed her face.

  "So Father approves. Then I am quite right, and I will disobeyto-morrow," she thought.

  She put the letter back on Miss Fleet's plate, and a moment later hergoverness came in.

  "Fleetie," said the little girl, "do you know what has happened sinceyou left the room? This letter was blown off your plate by a gust ofwind. I jumped up to put it back again, and I saw the words in whichFather said that he was glad that I had playmates, so after that ofcourse you will not object to my playing with the Rectory children?"

  Miss Fleet's face turned very red.

  "Am I to believe this story or not, Phyllis?" she said. "Is it possiblethat you did not read the letter on purpose?"

  "I have told you just the very exact truth," replied Phyllis. "You canbelieve it or not, as you please."

  She then got up and marched out of the room.

  "Dear, dear!" thought Miss Fleet, "how very difficult it is sometimes toknow what is right!"

  The rest of the day passed quietly, and Phyllis was still a model child.She did her different lessons to the absolute satisfaction of hergoverness, and the time slipped by quickly.

  "We have had a happy day," said Miss Fleet as she kissed the little girljust before her bed-hour. "I hope it is a forerunner of many othersjust as happy." Phyllis looked full at her, but did not speak. MissFleet tried hard to read the thoughts which were behind those frank greyeyes. Presently the little girl left the room and went to bed.

  The next morning she awoke very early. She had a curious sense ofsomething delightful, and, at the same time, very disagreeable, whichwas happening. At first her memory would not serve her right, but thenit rushed back, and she knew everything.

  "I have been good for two days, and I have not promised to be good foranother instant," she said to herself. "I can do what I like to-day,and Father wants me to play with the Rectory children."

  She raised herself on her elbow and looked at a little clock on themantelpiece. She wondered why Nurse had not come in to dress her asusual. The clock pointed to a quarter past seven. The first rays ofthe wintry light were streaming in at the window. Phyllis got softly upand washed herself after a fashion, got into her clothes, and beforeNurse appeared on the scene was already out. She walked quickly in thedirection of the Rectory; excitement filled her breast; she wasintensely interested in what she was about to do. Should she by anychance meet Ralph! How glad she would be to spring to his side, and tosay:

  "It is all right now, Ralph. I have kept my promise, and we can playtogether quite happily this afternoon."

  But there was no Ralph about; nor was there any Susie or Rosie. Shepresently reached the Rectory gates, and walked up the avenue. She hadstarted out without her breakfast, and she was very hungry, and itoccurred to her that she might ask Mrs Hilchester to give her somethingto eat.

  "Of course, I cannot stay long," she thought. "I must be honourablewhatever happens. I must be back with Miss Fleet in time for lessons.Then in the afternoon the children can come over to me, and we can havea real good time." But all Phyllis's gay resolves and all her plans forthe afternoon were suddenly put a stop to by the appearance of agentleman who was driving down the avenue. He stopped when he saw thelittle girl, and put his head out.

  "Are you not Miss Harringay?" he said. "Yes; I thought so. Please, donot go up to the Rectory."

  "Why not?" said Phyllis.

  "I have just been there, and two of the children are not well. Pray, gohome as quickly as possible. May I give you a seat in my carriage? Itis rather early for a little girl like yourself to be out."

  "No, thank you," answered Phyllis, with dignity.

  She felt angry with the doctor, who had often seen her on her pony, andhad recognised her at once.

  What business had he to interfere? And if the children were ill, it wasall the more reason why she should go and find out about them.

  So she waited until his carriage had turned an angle of the avenue, andthen, putting wings to her feet, ran up in the direction of the house.The hall door was wide open. She rang the bell. No one attended to hersummons. She heard voices in the distance--the quick voice of MrsHilchester as she bustled about. Then a child came down the stairs--achild with a rosy face, and with marks of tears round her eyes. Themoment she saw Phyllis she rushed to meet her.

  "Oh, Phyl! Phyl!" she exclaimed. "It is Ralph, and he is very ill. Wedo not know what he has got, we don't; and the doctor does not know, buthe thinks perhaps he has something bad; and Susie is ill too. Oh! herthroat is so sore, and the doctor says--"

  But what further Rosie would have uttered was fiercely interrupted. MrsHilchester came out and stood in the hall.

  "Rosie," she said, "how dare you! Who is this little girl?"

  "I am Phyllis Harringay," answered Phyllis stoutly. "And," she added,"I am very sorry to hear that Ralph is ill. Please, may I come and sitwith him, and tell him funny stories, and amuse him; and may I seeSusie? I am so fond of them both, and of Rosie too. Oh, please, pleaselet me!"

  Mrs Hilchester fairly gasped.

  "Two days ago," she said, "you would not have come here. Two days agoyou invited my children to go to you, and then sent a note telling themnot to come. Two days ago your governess was here--a most offensiveperson--and now, now you come. Do you think we want you here? Go awayat once--at once--and get your nurse to change your things, and--Here, Iwill write her a note. Go out, child, and stand in the open air. Oh,this is too distracting!" Mrs Hilchester disappeared into her littlesitting-room. There she wrote a few lines, folded them up, sprayed themwith a sanitas spray which stood near, and put them into an envelope.She gave the envelope to Phyllis.

  "Take that back with you," she said, "and do not come near the place forthe present."

  "But I am so sorry," said poor little Phyllis, and her bright eyesfilled with tears.

  "There, dear, there; I know you mean all right. But go now, forHeaven's sake!--Rosie, my dear, come with me."

  Phyllis and Rosie looked longingly one at the other for the world ofthings they could talk about, for the world of sympathy each could haveshown to the other; but for a reason unknown to either little girl, itwas dangerous for them to meet. Phyllis walked very sadly back to herown home; her mother took Rosie into the parlour.

  "You and Ned are going to your uncle Joe's as soon as ever your fathercan take you," she said. "If you are at all ill, or you have theslightest headache, you are to be sent back here; but there is just apossibility that you may escape. And now, my dear little girl, don't goupstairs, and don't talk to any one as you have just spoken to poorlittle Miss Harringay. You were very imprudent. Did I not tell youthat you were not to speak to any other child?"

  "But, oh, Mother! she looked so sweet, and she did promise therocking-horse, and the baby-house, and--and I could not help myself,Mother, I could not really."

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bsp; "Well, don't cry, child. Sit down and eat your breakfast. God help usall, I only trust you have escaped infection, and that she, poor littlegirl! has not received it from you."

  Mrs Hilchester left the room. Rosie sat down close to the fire; she didnot like to own it to herself, but her head did ache just a tiny bit,and her throat felt dry, and it hurt her to swallow, and as to eatingher breakfast, she could not even think of such a thing. Oh! it wouldbe very dreary at Uncle Joe's, even though Ned would be with her. Shewould think all the time of Susie's burning eyes as she looked at herout of her little bed, and hear her cry for "water, water," as she,Rosie, had administered it to her at intervals all night; and howeverhard