jane macalister was the governess. she was old—at least the lorrimers considered her old—she wore spectacles, and her hair was slightly tinged with grey. she had a queer mixture of qualities. she was affectionate and narrow; she was devoted to her pupils, and thought she could best show her devotion by an unceasing round of discipline. fortunately, both for her and the little lorrimers, this discipline never extended beyond the hours devoted to lessons. it never showed its stern visage in play hours, nor at meals, nor at night, nor on half holidays, nor on sundays. during all these times, jane was the intelligent and much belaboured companion. she was at everyone's beck and call. she was to be found here, there, and everywhere—darning the rent in molly's frock, or helping nora with her drawing, or trying to find a story-book for nell which she had not already read at least six times, or healing the small squabbles with which boris and kitty helped to beguile the weary hours. mrs. lorrimer consulted her with regard to the cook and the servants generally. the squire would shout to her to spare him a quarter of an hour in the study to see if he had totted up his accounts right. in short, jane macalister was as much part and parcel of the lorrimer household as if she were really one of themselves. she was by no means educated up to the standard of the latter half of the nineteenth century, but what she did know, [pg 33]she knew thoroughly. she was methodical and helpful. the kind of person whom mrs. lorrimer was fond of quoting as invaluable. the children, one and all, loved her as a matter of course, but, in school hours, their love was certainly mingled with awe. in school hours, jane allowed no relaxing of the iron rod.
kitty and boris, having just heard the dismal sound of the schoolroom bell, started from their fascinating occupation of feeding the white rats and ran as fast as their small feet could carry them in the direction of the house. they went in by a side entrance, and with panting breath and hot little steps began to mount the spiral staircase which led to the schoolroom in the tower. they were late already, and they knew that they could not possibly escape bad marks for unpunctuality. they pushed open the green baize door which admitted them to the sanctum of learning and came in. all the other children whom miss macalister taught were already in the room. kitty and boris were the sole delinquents—the only ones in disgrace; even elinor was present. their faces fell when they saw her. they had built great hopes on having at least elinor's company in their disgrace. the swift thought had darted through both their minds that she would be safe to be extra naughty that morning, and in consequence would divert some of the storm of jane macalister's wrath from their devoted heads; but no, there she sat in her accustomed place, her hymn book open on her knee, marks of tears on her cheeks, it is true, but in all other respects she looked a provokingly model elinor.
it was too bad; kitty made a face at her across [pg 34]the schoolroom, and even boris gave her a reproachful glance.
jane macalister fixed two awful spectacled eyes upon the culprits, and, scarlet blushes tingling in their cheeks, they took possession of their vacant chairs.
the children all sang their usual hymn, although elinor's voice was a little husky and boris held his book upside down.
"all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the lord god made them all."
"i wonder if he really made that dreadful horsey man," thought nell, as she looked out of the window.
boris smothered a sigh as he reflected again over the problem which had often before puzzled his small head—why god, when he made everything so beautiful, had forgotten to give jane macalister a beautiful temper in school hours?
the singing was followed by the bible reading, and then lessons began. molly and nora acquitted themselves admirably, as was their wont—nell's dark grey eyes grew full of interest as she read the fascinating story of the "field of the cloth of gold" in her history book—kitty worked at her sums with fierce persistence and tried to fancy herself at boarding-school, going up rapidly to the top of her class, while boris made more mistakes than ever over his dictation, and inked his fingers unmercifully.
"what was the use of fussing over such a stupid, useless thing as spelling?" this was his thought of thoughts.
the day was a warm one. jane macalister was [pg 35]icily cold, however, as unapproachable as an iceberg. boris watched her with anxiety. he knew well that there was no chance for him and kitty; they would both be punished for being late for prayers.
oh, dear, oh, dear; why was jane so unbeautiful, so unapproachable in school hours?
"i know she'll keep kitty and me in during the whole of the play hour," he muttered to himself. "i'm certain of it, because the tip of her nose is getting red; that's a sign that she's worried, and when she's worried she's twice as bad as she is at any other time."
"what noise is that? oh!—i say—miss macalister——"
jane macalister was always spoken to in this correct fashion during school hours.
"i say, there's a visitor!" burst from the eager lips of the little boy.
he started to his feet as he spoke, upsetting the ink-pot over his own copybook and also over kitty's white-frilled pinafore.
"boris, you are incorrigible!" exclaimed jane. "you lose all your conduct marks for the week, and must stay indoors for an hour and learn a piece of poetry after lessons."
boris got very red and tried to smile. the blow had fallen, so he wasn't going to whimper over it. he would stand up to his punishment like a man. he meant to be a soldier some day, and felt exactly now as if he were facing the guns. he met elinor's full, troubled grey eyes, and seated himself slowly once more in his chair.
the steps had come nearer, the schoolroom door was burst open, and nan thornton rushed in.
[pg 36]
"here i am," she said. "i have come to torment you, miss macalister, and to beg off lessons at once. how do you do, children? how are you, kitty? how are you, boris? how do you do, nell? molly and nora, i'll kiss you when i can get breath. oh, what a climb those stairs are! why do you have lessons in the tower? all the same, it's lovely when you are here. what a view! what a darling, darling, heavenly, scrumptious, ripping view. oh, dear! oh, dear! i am out of breath. jane, aren't you glad to see me? aren't you glad to know that all the children are to have a holiday immediately? shut up your books, young 'uns, and let's be off. you don't mind, do you, jane?"
certainly jane macalister did mind. the icy expression grew more marked on her face. boris gave her a glance, felt that he was very close to the guns, and lowered his eyes. nan began dancing about the room. nan was in white—white hat, white frock. her fluffy golden hair surrounded her like a cloud. boris felt that she was something like a very naughty and very beautiful angel. why was she tempting them all when jane macalister was like ice?
"i think, nan," said miss macalister—"(how do you do, my dear? of course i'm glad to see you)—i think i must ask you to leave the schoolroom for the present. recess will be at half-past eleven, and then you can talk to all the children except boris, who i grieve to say will have to undergo punishment. as to holidays, the summer holidays will begin in a fortnight, until then i cannot permit any such indulgence. go away, nan, for the present. molly, i can attend to your german now. bring your exercise book with the grammar and history."
[pg 37]
nan was not accustomed to being vanquished, but she was very near defeat then. the next moment she would have found herself ignominiously outside the baize door if other steps had not approached, and hester, looking cool and sweet, annie, all radiant and laughing, and mrs. lorrimer, with her usual gentle motherly expression, had not appeared on the scene.
"jane," said the mother, smiling round with her blue eyes at each of the children, "hester wants us to get up a hasty picnic to friar's wood. the day is perfect, and this is the first of nan's holidays, so i hope you will not object, particularly if the children promise to work extra well to-morrow."
jane began to close up all the books hastily. nan's petition was not to be listened to for a moment. mrs. lorrimer's was law, and must be cheerfully obeyed.
"certainly," she said, in a pleasant tone, dropping her frozen manner as if by magic. "it is a perfect day for a picnic. leave the schoolroom tidy, my loves, and then go and get ready. you'd like me to see the cook, wouldn't you, mrs. lorrimer? i can help her to cut sandwiches and to pack plates and dishes."
"jane, you're an angel," said mrs. lorrimer.
jane macalister kissed hester, was introduced to annie, and then rushed down the spiral stairs, intent on housekeeping cares.
the lorrimer boys and girls surrounded hester and annie. nan flitted in and out of the group, and was here, there, and everywhere. all was excitement and laughter. presently the children left the schoolroom in a body.
no, there was one exception. boris stayed [pg 38]behind. he looked wistfully after the others as they streamed away. miss macalister had not said a word about remitting his punishment, and he must be true to his colours. he found it very difficult to keep back his tears, but he would indeed think badly of himself if even one bright drop fell from his round blue eyes.
it would have comforted him if kitty had noticed him. kitty might have stayed if only to bestow a kiss of sympathy on him, but she was whirled on with the others. no one gave him a thought. he was only boris, one of the younger children. he was alone in the schoolroom.
he looked at the clock; it pointed to half past eleven; he would not be free until half past twelve. picnics at the towers were hastily improvised affairs. long before his hour of punishment was over the others would all be off and away. it was scarcely likely that any of them would even miss him. kitty would be in such a frantic state of excitement at having nan thornton to talk to, that she would not have room in her heart to bestow a thought on him. he could not walk all the way to friar's wood, the day was too hot. how delicious it would be there in the shade. how interesting to watch the squirrels in the trees, and the rabbits as they darted in and out of their holes. well, well, there was no use fretting. his heart felt sore, of course, but he wouldn't be half a boy in his own opinion if he didn't take his punishment without a murmur.
he drew his chair up to the table, pushed his ink-stained fingers through his curly brown locks, and looked around him.
miss macalister had forgotten to set him any [pg 39]task, but he supposed he could set himself something.
he was just wondering what would be the least irksome form of punishment he could devise, when a small head was pushed in at the door, and a voice, in accents of extreme surprise, shouted his name.
"why, boris, what are you doing? they'll be off if you don't look sharp."
"i'm not going, nell," said boris; "but please don't fuss over it, it's nothing."
"nothing!" said nell, coming into the room and seating herself by the side of her little brother. "don't you love picnics?"
"i adore them," said boris.
he shut up his lips as he spoke and winked his eyes.
"don't make a fuss," he said again after a pause. "do you think i might learn a bit of the 'ancient mariner' for my punishment task? i like that old chap, he's so grisly."
"it's a splendid poem," said nell with enthusiasm, "particularly that part about—
'water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.'
can't you picture it all, boris? the sea like a great pond, and the thirsty old mariner looking at it, and longing, and longing, and longing to drink it, and the dead people lying round. sometimes at night i think of it, and then afterwards i have a good, big, startling dream. a dream that's not too frightful is almost as good as a story-book. don't you think so?"
"no, i don't," said boris. "i hate dreams. [pg 40]perhaps i'd better learn the first six verses of the 'ancient mariner,' and perhaps i'd better begin at once. jane macalister is very stern, isn't she, nell?"
"awful in lesson times," said nell.
"well, the only way i can bear it," said boris, "is this—i think of her as the general of an army. i don't mind obeying her when i think of her in that way. soldiers have to promise obedience before anything else, and i'm going to be a soldier some day. i'd better not talk now, nell, for i must get the first six verses of the 'ancient' into me in an hour, and i can't if you keep chattering. the general was rather sharp with me this morning, i must say, for all my conduct marks are gone, too, and i won't get sixpence on saturday, and i'll have nothing to subscribe to mother's birthday present; still, of course, 'tis 'diculous to fuss. you'd best go, nell. why aren't you ready for the picnic?"
"i'm not going," said nell. "i have a headache, and a drive in the sun would make it worse. besides, nan thornton does chatter so awfully."
"chatter," repeated boris; "you don't mean to say you mind her chattering?"
"yes, i do, when i have a headache."
"well, i think she's sweet," said boris.
"you had better learn your 'mariner,' boris, and i'll sit in the window and look out."
the schoolroom was so high up in the tower that people who sat in one of its windows had really only a bird's-eye view of what went on below.
boris, in his rather tumbled sailor suit, sat with his back to nell. he kicked the rungs of the chair very often with his sturdy legs. his inky fingers took fond clutches of his curls, his lips murmured the [pg 41]rhyme of the "ancient mariner" in a monotonous sing-song. nell pushed open the lattice window and looked out. there was a waggonette drawn by a rather bony old horse standing by the side entrance; behind the waggonette was a pony-cart, a good deal the worse for wear. the pony, whose name was shag, stood very still and flicked his long tail backwards and forwards to keep the flies away. nell saw miss macalister and two of the servants come out with those flat delicious picnic baskets which she knew so well, and which had so often made her lips water in fond anticipation; they were placed with solemnity in the waggonette. then molly and nora, in their white sun-bonnets, took their places, and hester and annie sat opposite to them, and mrs. lorrimer took the seat of honour, and two or three of the smaller children were packed in heterogeneously, while nan and kitty and miss macalister bundled themselves into the pony-cart.
nell's heart beat high as she watched. was no one going to think of her and boris? was no one going to miss them?
apparently no one was.
the gay cavalcade got under weigh and disappeared from view down the long and lovely beech avenue.
nell did not wish to go to the picnic, not to-day with her heart so sore, but it made that heart feel all the sorer not to be missed.
