Read Ebook: Little maid Marigold by Stooke Eleanora H

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Ebook has 1356 lines and 48160 words, and 28 pages

"Yes, mother."

"To-night when you go to bed I want you to think of a verse of my favourite hymn, and see if you cannot make it a real prayer--"

"I dare not choose my lot; I would not if I might; Choose Thou for me, my God, So shall I walk aright."'

So saying, Mrs. Holcroft took her little daughter's face between her two hands, and though her heart was heavy at the thought of the parting to come, she smiled brightly as she added--

"Dry your tears, my dear, and remember you are a soldier's daughter. You have a bright, happy spirit and a brave, loyal heart. I want you to be a great comfort to those two old aunts at Exeter, and I am sure if you try, it will not be long before you win their love."

Marigold choked back her tears, and endeavoured to smile, but it was a sorry attempt. It seemed to her that some terrible calamity had befallen her, and that she could never possibly be happy again as long as she lived.

A NEW STEP IN LIFE AND A NEW FRIEND

THE following morning Mrs. Holcroft, in spite of tears and protestations from Marigold, wrote to her husband's aunts and declared her acceptance of their offer, and in the course of a few posts received the reply, written as the preceding letter had been by Miss Pamela, the younger sister. Mrs. Holcroft knew that the elder Miss Holcroft--Aunt Mary--had been her husband's favourite aunt, being a much milder, gentler person than Miss Pamela, to whom she had grown accustomed to defer in every matter, whether of importance or not, and she rightly guessed that if Miss Holcroft had been allowed to entertain a mind of her own, she would have been friends with her nephew years before his death.

Mrs. Holcroft saw at once by the tenor of Miss Pamela's letter that she was really eager to see the little girl, and decided that as the parting was now inevitable it should not be delayed too long, or Marigold would have time to dwell on the thought of separation from her family. So the day was fixed for her journey westward, and preparations were commenced to renovate her somewhat scanty wardrobe. Marigold, who had at first been in the depths of despair at the idea of leaving her mother and brothers, could not help feeling an interest in these preparations, and as her mother was persistently cheerful, her own spirits began to revive. As to the boys, Marigold was somewhat hurt, to find that they did not seem to be much upset at the thought of being parted from her.

"I don't believe you care in the least," she told them vexedly.

"Oh yes, I do," Rupert answered. "We shall miss you, of course, for you're not a bad sort for a girl, Marigold! But think what a good time you will have, with servants to wait on you and money to spend! Oh, don't I wish I were in your place!"

"So do I!" little Lionel agreed.

"I wish you boys were going instead of me," Marigold grumbled. "I'm sure I'd much rather stay at home with mother--think how hard she'll have to work when I'm gone! She'll have to clean your boots, and--"

"No, she won't," Rupert interposed, "I'm to do that myself! I mean to get up earlier in the mornings and help mother like you do now, Marigold!"

"Oh, how nice of you, Rupert! And you'll write to me and let me know how you get on with your fretwork, and if you are put in a higher form at school next term, won't you?"

"Mother will be sure to tell you that. You're going to write to us once a fortnight, aren't you? Mind you say what Aunt Mary and Aunt Pamela are like, and how you get on with them."

"Oh yes, I'll be sure to tell you that. I'm afraid I shan't like them much, though. I have an idea Aunt Pamela will be very stiff and disagreeable."

"I daresay," Rupert replied, not very hopefully. "Doesn't it seem funny to think they brought father up? Mother says he went to live with them when he was quite small. I say, Marigold, you are very expensive."

"Expensive?" the little girl said wonderingly. "What do you mean, Rupert?"

"You are having all sorts of new clothes--a jacket, and a hat, and two new frocks, and--"

"Oh, now I understand! Yes! Mother said she would not like me to go to Exeter shabby and wanting new things immediately. Oh dear, only two days more at home!"

Mrs. Holcroft coming into the room at that moment heard the conclusion of the sentence, and echoed Marigold's sigh. She had made up her mind that she would not fret at having to give up the charge of her little daughter to those who were complete strangers to her; once having decided in which direction her duty lay; she, never faltered in the course she had taken. Nor would she allow Marigold to repine, for this gentle woman, with her naturally nervous disposition, had a wonderful fund of strength in reality, founded on a firm belief in God and His power to uphold her in all trials of whatsoever nature.

The night before Marigold's departure she and her mother had a long, long talk after the boys had retired to rest; and, much to the little girl's surprise and delight, her mother put into her hands the Bible that had been her dead father's constant companion.

"I wish you to have it, my dear," Mrs. Holcroft said tenderly. "You will see by the flyleaf that it was given to your father by his aunts when he was quite a boy. The writing underneath is his own: 'Fight the good fight of Faith.' That was his motto, and I want it to be yours. He told me that he wrote it down there the same day he obtained his commission in the army, that he might not forget whilst he was serving his Queen and country that he was fighting too for the cause of One greater than any earthly monarch against mightier, more deadly evils than are ever overcome by the sword. At one time I thought of keeping this book for Rupert, but you are the first of my fledglings to leave the nest, and I think your father would like you to have it now."

"Oh, mother, are you sure you do not want to keep it for yourself?" Marigold inquired.

"Quite sure. I have many other things that belonged to your father, and I wish you to have his Bible, and take his motto for yours, will you?"

"Indeed, indeed I will!"

"And you will read from his Bible every day, and ask God to be with you in your new life? You are going into a different world, my darling, to the one you have been familiar with so long. Here we have worked amongst working people, but in Exeter with your aunts, you will be thrown with those who have always been accustomed to plenty of this world's goods, and be tried with temptations that have never crossed your path before. I pray my little daughter may be kept unspotted from the world, that she may hold fast to her father's motto all her life, and ever fight the good fight of Faith!"

Mrs. Holcroft had spoken very solemnly, holding Marigold's little hand in hers, and looking earnestly into her wistful dark eyes. There was a long silence, broken at length by Marigold's saying, with a deep-drawn sigh--

"To-morrow this time I suppose I shall be at Exeter?"

"Yes, dear. I want you to try to please your aunts, and be attentive to their wishes. They are getting old, and I have no doubt are rather particular and fidgety, but you must never be impatient if they are. I am afraid you are inclined to be untidy, so you must guard against leaving things out of place; then again, you are apt to speak too hastily, without reflecting if you are injuring anyone's feelings by doing so. You must learn to curb that unruly tongue of yours."

"Yes, mother, I will really try. But oh, I know I shall be so dreadfully, dreadfully unhappy!"

"You will be a little lonely at first, no doubt; and you will miss the boys--"

"I shall miss you most of all, mother!"

"Ah, yes! But I shall be thinking of you, little daughter; and if you want to make me feel happy you must learn to be happy yourself."

Marigold had to say good-bye to the boys before they started for school, in the morning, as she would be gone before they returned. They clung around her neck kissing her, and crying all the while, for, now the parting had really come, they felt it quite as much as she did. Rupert forgot to be ashamed of his tears, as he sobbed out: "It's hard lines you should have to go, Marigold!" Whilst as for little Lionel he was in too great trouble to speak coherently at all.

But the worst time for Marigold was when she stood by her mother's side on the platform at Paddington Station, her modest trunk already labelled and in the train, and her mother's arms around her. She felt too dazed and shaken to say anything, and allowed herself to be placed in a compartment without uttering a word.

"Good-bye, my darling child," Mrs. Holcroft said. "The guard will see you get out at Exeter, and you know you will be met there."

"I'll see she's all right, ma'am," said a loud, jovial voice. "I'm going on by this train, and my destination is Exeter, too; so, if you'll entrust your little maid to me, I'll look after her to the best of my ability."

Mrs. Holcroft cast a quick look at the speaker. He was a tall, stout man, clad in a suit of tweed, and wore leather leggings. He had a brick-red complexion, a clean-shaven countenance, and a pair of kindly blue eyes; evidently a large man, with a large voice, and a large heart, if the mother's perception told her truly.

"How good of you!" she cried. "My little girl has never taken a long journey alone before."

"You may make your mind easy about her, ma'am."

"Thank you so much!"

There was no time for more conversation. The guard blew his whistle, and the train steamed out of the station, leaving Mrs. Holcroft gazing after it with the heaviest heart she had owned for many a day.

Marigold leaned back in her corner of the carriage, and tried hard not to cry, because she did not wish her fellow-travellers to notice her grief, and perhaps ask the cause. But, in spite of her efforts for composure the hot tears would come, and roll down her cheeks, till at last she had to take out her handkerchief and wipe them away.

She looked resolutely out of the window, trying to take an interest in the view, but it was all no good, she felt as though her heart was breaking. Having stealthily wiped her eyes for the third time, she glanced hastily around the compartment, and was much relieved to find that no one appeared to be paying her any attention, except her opposite neighbour, the stranger who had spoken to her mother, and he was peeping at her around the newspaper that he was holding open in front of him. When he met Marigold's tearful eyes he withdrew behind the newspaper, but the next moment he was peeping at her again, not curiously, but with a look of evident concern. This time he spoke--

"Have you ever been westward before?" he inquired.

"No, never!" she answered shyly.

"Ah, you have a treat in store, then! Fine place Exeter! Fine county Devon! I'm a Devonshire man; was born in a little village a few miles from Exeter."

"Oh! My mother and father were both born in Devonshire too!"

He brought his great hands down on his knees with a sounding smack that made his fellow-passengers start and regard him with amazement. Nothing abashed he laughed loudly.

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