"My dear, does it strike you that you are talking in a very wild, exaggerated fashion?"

"I am, I am! Girls _do_, Aunt Maria, when they are off their heads with joy. Wild, I mean, not exaggerated--I mean it, every word. Oh, I _must_ hug you. Never mind your cap; I must give you a bear hug, if I die for it. Dear, dearest, kindest, best--"

The old lady's stiff, upright figure disappeared bodily within the swooping arms; she was squeezed, hugged, rocked to and fro, and pelted with kisses until she was speechless and gasping for breath. When she was released her cap was askew, and the muslin folds in the front of her gown crumpled out of recognition; but for a marvel she spoke no word of reproach, and Darsie saw, with a sobering thrill, a glitter as of tears in the old eyes, and the mental question which arose at the sight was answered with intuitive sharpness. It was so long since she had been hugged before, so many, many years since anything more than a conventional peck had been pressed upon her cheek! Old, stern, proper as she was, Aunt Maria loved to be loved!

For the rest of the morning Darsie was as subdued and gentle in manner as she had hitherto been boisterous. The future was discussed in detail, and plans made which revolutionised more and more her future life, for Lady Hayes seemed to take for granted that in taking upon herself the responsibility for the girl's education she had earned a certain right to her society. Such phrases as "And in the holiday-time we can discuss," "When you are here in the summer vacation," "I shall look forward to hearing your descriptions," could not be misunderstood, but for the moment the big gain outweighed the loss, and Darsie smiled on unperturbed. In time to come the sacrifice of merry family holidays would of a certainty demand its toll of suffering, but why encourage trouble that lay ahead when the present was so blissfully full of contentment?

When lunch was over Darsie tucked her hostess on the sofa, and hailed with delight the opportunity of a free hour in which to dream uninterrupted over the wonderful development of the day.

"I'll go out and walk it off. I'll rush down to the village and telegraph home. I can't possibly wait to write. How can I put it so that it will be plain enough and not too plain? 'Newnham ahoy!' 'I'm off to Newnham College in the morning!' 'Plans for Newnham satisfactorily arranged. Break news to Hannah.' _Won't_ they stare!

It's a blessing that neither Clemence nor Lavender would care to go if they had the chance, so they won't be jealous, but Hannah _will_ jump.

And Dan--what will Dan say? It is good luck knowing the boys so well.

We'll make them take us about. To think that I was so furious and rebellious about this visit, and that it should have ended like this!

It will be a lesson to me for life!"

It was very pleasant to ride through the sweet smelling lanes on this bright summer afternoon; very pleasant work sending off that telegram to the parents at the seaside, and drawing mental pictures of the excitement and rejoicings which would follow its arrival; pleasant to meet on every side kindly, interested glances, and to realise that if she were, as Noreen had declared, "the pet of the county," she was a.s.suredly also "the heroine of the village."

It was a temptation to linger in the quaint little streets; but on this afternoon of all others Darsie was anxious not to be late for tea, so, with a sigh of regret, she turned up a side lane leading to the field path to the Manor, and in so doing came face to face with Ralph Percival, who, in his lightest and most sporting attire, was escorting a pack of dogs for an airing. There was the big silky-haired collie whom Darsie loved, the splay-footed dachshund which she hated, the huge mastiff which she feared, with one or two terriers of different breeds-- alert, friendly, and gentle-eyed. One and all came sniffing round her as their master stopped to shake hands, and she stood up stiff and straight, trying to look at ease, and as if she were not really in momentary terror of an attack upon her ankles and skirts.

"Halloa!"

"How are you? Still living in a shower of jewels?"

"I _have_ been, but it's clearing off! The combination bracelet finished the list. Now I'm beginning to live in fear of another burglary, on myself. It will be a relief to get the things distributed.

Mother is to have the watch, Clemence the pendant, Lavender the brooch, and I am going to be greedy and keep the bracelet and necklace and ring for myself."

"What a miser!" cried Ralph, laughing. His grey eyes looked very handsome and agreeable lit up with the twinkling light of amus.e.m.e.nt, and Darsie's spirits rose still a degree higher as he whistled to the dogs and turned round with the evident intention of accompanying her home.

"We'll come along with you. It doesn't matter where we go so long as we have a run. Bound for the Manor, I suppose? How's the old lady? In a good humour, I should say. You look particularly full of beams this afternoon!"

"I am--br.i.m.m.i.n.g over! You see before you, kind sir, the touching spectacle of a young female who has not a single ungratified wish in the world, and is so happy that she doesn't know how to preserve a decent appearance of calm. It's the more extraordinary because she usually wants quite a lot."

Ralph's eyebrows went up in expressive disdain.

"Re-al-ly! You don't say so! Glad to hear it, I'm shaw! The kind donors would be much gratified to know of the magic effect of their gifts. I wonder, under the circ.u.mstances, that you could bear to part from any of them!"

The words were spoken in his most drawling and superior voice, and brought the blood rushing into Darsie's cheeks. She stood still in the middle of the road, and glared at him with flashing eyes.

"Horrible boy! What a disagreeable mind you must have, to think such mean, contemptible thoughts! Bother the jewellery! It may go to Jericho for all I care. I'm happy for a very different reason. Aunt Maria has just promised to pay for me to go to Newnham, and that has been the dream of my life. There's nothing to sneer at, you see, though perhaps _you_ can manage to be superior even about that!"

"Yes, easily. I hate blue-stockings," said Ralph calmly, but his eyes twinkled as he spoke, and in spite of herself Darsie was obliged to smile in response.

"And I hate narrow-minded, prejudiced young men! Oh dear! you've put me in a bad temper on this day of days, just when I felt that I could never be cross again. I'll forgive you only because it's impossible to go _on_ being cross. I've just been to the post-office to telegraph the great news to my people at the seaside. They'll be wild with excitement, especially my chum who will be going up at the same time, Hannah Vernon--'plain Hannah' we call her. Funny nickname, isn't it?"

"Sounds ingratiating!" Voice and expression were alike so expressive that Darsie went off into a merry trill of laughter, as she hastened to take up the cudgels in plain Hannah's defence.

"She doesn't care a bit. Jokes about it with the rest. And she is so funnily ugly that it's really rather dear. _And_ clever! She'll be a first-cla.s.s girl, you'll see if she isn't. I shall be nowhere beside her, but I'm going to _grind_. Let me see: if we go up in three years'

time, when we're eighteen, how long will you have left of your course?"

"Perhaps a year, perhaps two. Depends upon how soon I go up. It isn't as if I had to go in for a profession or anything of that kind. I shall spend my life looking after the property, and there's no particular need to swot for that."

"I hate loafers," said Darsie in her turn, then once more relented and said genially, "But I don't believe you mean half that you say. Anyway, I shall look forward to meeting you at Cambridge, and I hope you are prepared to be kind, and to be ready to return the good offices which I have been able to render to your respected family."

"I am. What do you want me to do?"

"To be nice to me at Cambridge! I shall be a shy, lone Fresher, and you can make things much livelier for me if you like. I want you to like!

Dan Vernon will be there, too, but he's so serious and clever that he won't be much good for the _fun_ part. I want you to promise not to be superior and proud, but a real friend to take us about, and dance with us at the b.a.l.l.s, and get up picnics on the river. I can manage the work part for myself, but I want some help for the fun!"

She expected an instant response, but Ralph was too cautious to be drawn into rash promises.

"Er--what exactly do you mean by 'we'?"

"Myself and my chum, of course--Hannah Vernon."

"Plain Hannah?"

"Plain Hannah!"

Ralph shook his handsome head.

"I make no promise as regards plain Hannah. I'm not particularly partial to plain Hannahs, but I'll do my level best for Darsie Garnett.

Like to! You can count upon me to do my best to give you a rattling good time."

Darsie regarded him doubtfully, reflected that it was wisdom to accept what one could get, and smiled a gracious approval.

"Thanks--so much! Then it's a promise?"

"Certainly. A promise!"

They laughed again. The dogs leaped in the air and barked with delight.

Everything and every one seemed happy to-day. Darsie felt that if she lived to be a hundred she could never, by any possibility, reach a higher pinnacle of content.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

AFTER THREE YEARS.

"Is your trunk ready, Darsie? Are you ready to come down? Lunch is on the table and we're all waiting. Have you fitted everything in? Oh dear, oh dear, how bleak and bare the room does look! I shall never have the heart to enter it after you're gone."

Clemence Garnett, aged twenty years, gave a pitiful glance round the dismantled room, which a few hours before had been decorated with the many and varied objects which were Darsie's treasures. She looked at the wooden wardrobe, the doors of which swung wide, showing a row of empty pegs, at the scattering of paper and rejected ends of ribbon and lace which littered the floor, and finally back at the figure of Darsie herself, kneeling before the great black trunk, with her golden hair ruffling round a flushed, eager face.

"Sit on it, Clemence, like a lamb. It's _got_ to meet, but it's inches apart still. Sit down with a flop, and be your heaviest, while I fight with the lock."

"Better take something out. If you make it so full, it may burst half- way. How would you like that?"

"Not much; but better than leaving anything behind. It wouldn't dare to burst after costing so much money. There! It's done. You're a pretty substantial weight, my dear. Now then for lunch and a rest; I've had a terrific morning."