The setting sun shed its bright tints
over the snow which lay thick upon the ground, making
it glisten like diamonds, the cold was intense, and
a bitter wind howled through the leafless trees, when
the train arrived at M , and Isabel
almost benumbed with cold, procured a conveyance from
the station to the Rock Hotel, where Mrs. Arlington
had promised to send for her.
On arriving at the hotel, she found
the sleigh waiting punctual to the time appointed.
Isabel would gladly have partaken of some refreshment,
but Mrs. Arnold had informed her, that Mrs. Arlington
was very particular, and to have kept the horses standing,
Isabel felt would have offended her, which she was
very anxious to avoid although she was shivering with
cold.
It was a long drive of twelve miles
to Elm Grove, but the horses went at a great speed,
and in less than an hour they arrived at their destination.
As they drew up at the door, it was opened by a footman,
and a woman who seemed to be an upper servant met her
in the hall, and conducted her to her room.
“I suppose you would like some
tea Miss,” she said “I will order it while
you are taking off your things, and then I will show
you the school-room. Mrs. Arlington and the young
ladies are dressing for a ball, so they cannot see
you to-night.”
When Norris had left the room, Isabel
sat down with a sigh, and looked about to see what
kind of accommodation she was to have. It was
a nice sized room, with a bay window having an eastern
aspect, at which the wind was now howling with great
violence. It was neatly, but plainly furnished,
the fire had burnt low, and the room was cold.
She took off her things as quickly as possible, and
sincerely hoped that the school-room would be more
comfortable.
Norris soon returned, and Isabel desiring
her to have more fuel put upon the fire descended
to the school-room, which she found very bright and
pleasant looking, the large fire and lamp making it
look quite attractive.
The tea was on the table, and Norris
after saying “if you want anything Miss, please
ring for Susan,” left the room. Isabel was
very glad to have some refreshment after her cold
drive, and when she rang to have the things removed,
the bell was answered by a neat, pleasant looking
girl, who had such a sunny face that it did one good
to look at her, and presently a sweet little girl
of about seven years old came running into the room,
and going up to Isabel, said “you are our new
governess are you not. I think I shall like you
very much, but I can’t stay now, for Eliza is
waiting to put me to bed, but I did so want to see
you to-night. Good night!” and throwing
her arms round Isabel’s neck, she gave her a
hearty kiss, and disappeared as quickly as she came.
When Isabel returned to her room she had no cause
to complain of the fire which was piled to the top
of the grate.
When she awoke next morning it seemed
very strange to be where she had not the least idea
what any of the family were like. After dressing
and arranging some of her things, she sat down to
contemplate her situation, which she found anything
but pleasant, so she determined to descend to the
school-room.
The door was open, and as she approached
she overheard little Amy saying “she is the
prettiest lady I ever saw, only she looks so pale and
sad.” Isabel found three little girls in
the room, of whom Amy was the youngest. Amy greeted
her in the same cordial manner she had done on the
preceding evening, the other two rose saying “good
morning Miss Leicester,” but when she stooped
to kiss them, Alice sulkily put up her face, and Rose
laughed. “Fancy, Miss Manning kissing us”
she whispered to her sister. “Hush!”
returned Alice, “she will hear.”
Isabel spoke kindly to them, but Alice
only returned unwilling, and Rose pert answers, so
the breakfast was a dull unpleasant affair, and Isabel
perceived they regarded the governess in the light
of an enemy; even little Amy became shy and uneasy.
After breakfast Rose informed her
that they always had half an hour before school for
a run out of doors. As they were departing little
Amy ran back, and coming close up to Isabel whispered
“don’t cry Miss Leicester, I love you,
indeed I do,” for Amy had noticed the tears that
would come in spite of her efforts to repress them.
Isabel drew the child to her, and kissing her pretty
upturned face, told her to go with the others.
Amy had scarcely gone, when Mrs. Arlington
entered. She was tall and stately, rather cold
and haughty, and very dignified and patronizing in
her manner. She hoped Miss Leicester had been
made comfortable, and was sure that she would like
the children. She then informed her that the
school hours were from nine until four, with an hour
for dinner, then she would have to take them for a
walk, after that her time was her own. She would
take her meals with the children, but she would be
happy to have her come into the drawing-room occasionally
in the evening. She said that her own time was
so much occupied with her elder daughters, that she
was forced to leave the children entirely to the governess,
but, that as Mrs. Arnold had so strongly recommended
her she felt sure she should be satisfied, then bidding
Miss Leicester a polite good morning, she swept majestically
from the room.
Poor Isabel, she had not expected
quite so much dignity, and was excessively annoyed.
“Take the children for walks,” that was
a thing she had not thought of, and she did not relish
the idea and as to going into the drawing-room, she
could very well dispense with that. She was not
aware that Mrs. Arlington intended her accomplished
young governess to help to amuse her guests.
Excessively annoyed, Isabel repaired to her own room
to calm her ruffled feelings.
At nine o’clock she went to
the school-room and found her pupils there already,
also a very pretty girl of about seventeen, whom they
were coaxing to tell them about the ball. As
Isabel entered the room, Amy exclaimed, “Miss
Leicester this is Emily!” Then Emily laughed
merrily, and held out her hand saying, “I hope
we shall be good friends Miss Leicester, I’m
sorry we were out last night.”
“Oh! Emily, I’m sure
you wanted very much to go to the ball, and you just
now said that you enjoyed yourself exceedingly,”
said Alice gravely.
“I didn’t mean that you
silly child, returned Emily, but I am intruding upon
school hours I fear, so if you will allow me Miss Leicester
I will come for a chat before dinner.”
Isabel bowed assent and Emily retired,
rather annoyed that her advances had not met with
a warmer reception. Shortly after Emily’s
departure, a tall and very elegant looking girl of
about twenty entered the room, and bowing condescendingly
to Isabel, said, “have the goodness to try these
songs Miss Leicester, I wish to know if there are any
pretty ones among them, I would not trouble you only
I am so excessively tired” she added, taking
the most comfortable seat the room afforded; this was
done in the most easy manner possible, precluding
of course the idea that it was by design. Miss
Arlington upon entering any room, immediately perceived
the nicest place, and having seen, at once took possession
with an easy indifference, as if totally unconscious
that she was monopolizing the best place. Isabel
complied with her request, tho’ not best pleased
with the interruption.
“You sing very nicely Miss Leicester,”
Miss Arlington said patronizingly.
Isabel’s lip curled contemptuously,
she presumed so when the crowded room had been hushed
to perfect silence whenever she approached the piano,
and when she ceased singing, the murmured praise and
applause on all sides had sent the hot blood to her
cheeks, and this not once or twice, but scores of
times she needed not to be told that she
sang nicely.
“She sings much better than
you do Grace,” said Rose pertly.
“Don’t be rude, Rose,”
replied Grace, haughtily, “Miss Leicester will
have some trouble with you I imagine,” then thanking
Isabel, she left the room excessively annoyed with
Rose.
The lessons proceeded, and Isabel
thought that Alice and Rose must alter their manners
greatly before she could take any interest in teaching
them. It was evident that they had not been treated
kindly by their last governess. Alice sulked
so much, and Rose was so pert, that Isabel found it
difficult to keep her temper, and when tea was over,
her head ached so severely, and she felt so tired
and miserable, that she retired to her room, and locking
herself in gave way to irrepressible emotion, while
she thought that she should indeed be unhappy in her
new position.
Presently some one knocked at the
door, but vexed at the interruption, and not wishing
to be seen giving way to her feelings, Isabel took
no notice. As the knocking continued unanswered,
a soft voice pleaded for admittance. On opening
the door, she found it was Emily, and not Amy, as
she expected.
“I hope you will excuse me,”
she said, “but not finding you in the school-room
I came after you, as I knew that I should not have
any other opportunity this evening.”
Isabel was very much confused, but
Emily sat down by her side, telling her how very much
she felt for her, and how she hoped she would consider
her a friend. “Mrs. Arnold wrote and told
me all about you” she said, “and dear
Isabel I will do all in my power to make you happy.”
But Isabel only sobbed, “I can
never be happy again never.”
“You must not say that, you
must not think so,” exclaimed Emily. “You
must come into the drawing-room with us, and that will
cheer you up a bit. I know you will like papa.
Elm Grove looks dreary now, but in summer it is delightful.
Then, I always get up early and go for a ramble before
breakfast, if I can only get any one to go with me,
and I feel sure you will go with me next summer.
I think I shall breakfast with you, I can’t
wait for mama’s late breakfast, but I would sooner
have gone without altogether, than have taken it with
Miss Manning. I only left school you know a few
weeks ago, and I like a little fun. I know I
make the children very outrageous sometimes, but then,
you know I could not behave at all like a fashionable
young lady in the evening, if I did not get rid of
some of my wild spirits before hand. By-the-bye,”
she cried, laughing, “I believe you will have
to teach me manners, Miss Massie pronounced me quite
incorrigible, my sister is a perfect model according
to her idea, but I could never be like Grace, I think
mamma has given up all thought of it.”
“I don’t know about teaching
you manners, but I must try what I can do with Alice
and Rose, they are sadly deficient even in politeness.”
“Ah, you have found that out
already have you,” cried Emily laughing.
Isabel colored, and murmured something
about forgetting who she was speaking to. “O
you needn’t mind, I like people who say what
they think” said Emily, “besides that
is just what papa says about them, but you must own
that Amy is a nice little thing, I don’t think
she could be rude or unkind.”
“Yes Amy is a sweet child.”
“It will not be quite so dull
here next week, for Everard is coming home. I
do wish so much for you to see him, he is my idea of
perfection as far as attainable in human nature.
Oh! he’s so handsome, and such a dear nice fellow,
I’m sure you will like him.”
“Perhaps you are not an impartial
judge, I may not be able to see his perfections so
clearly.”
“You can’t help seeing
them, they are as clear as daylight,” returned
Emily, warmly. “What do you think he asked
me in his last letter to tell him what
sort of a gorgon the new governess was, so as I wrote
to-day, I said she was beyond all description, and
not to be compared with Miss Manning, so if he does
not imagine something awful its very strange, (Isabel
did not look well pleased) I hope you wont mind; it
was such a nice opportunity for a trick, but it is
time I dressed for dinner, dear me how tiresome, and
away she bounded. What a funny girl, thought
Isabel, I wonder if I shall like her, at all events
she means to be kind.