I am sure.'
Gerald shook hands, and Marian thought she ought to do so too; but it had not been her first impulse, and it was too late, so she only made a stiff bend of head and knee. Clara, happily unconscious of the embarrassment with which Marian had infected Caroline, went on talking fast and freely:
'So, you see, this is the schoolroom. There is Caroline's desk, and here is mine; and we have made room for you here. I suppose you have a desk. And here are all our books, and our chiffonniere; Caroline has one side and I the other. Oh, I must show you my last birthday presents. Ah! aren't we lucky to have got such a nice view of the terrace and the portico from here! We can always see the people coming to dinner, and when the gentlemen go out riding, it is such fun, and--'
'My dear Clara,' interposed Miss Morley, seeing Marian's bewildered looks, 'your cousin is not used to such a chatterbox. I assure you, Miss Arundel, that Clara has been quite wild for the last week with the prospect of seeing you. I have actually not known what to do with her.'
Marian gave one of her awkward smiles, and said nothing.
'You left Devonshire this morning, I think?' said Miss Morley.
'Yes, we did.'
'Fern Torr is in a very beautiful part of the country, is it not?'
'Yes, very.'
They were getting on at this rate when Mrs. Lyddell came in, and took Marian and Gerald down to the drawing-room with her, as it was almost dinner time. No sooner had the door closed behind them, than governess and pupils at once exclaimed, 'How pale!' 'how shy!' 'how awkward!'
'I dare say that is only shyness,' said Caroline, 'but I must say I never saw anything so stiff and chilly.'
'Yes, that she is,' said Clara, 'but it's only shyness; I am sure she is a dear girl. But how white she is! I thought she would have been pretty, because they say the Arundels are all so handsome.'
'She has fine eyes,' said Miss Motley; 'and that dear little Sir Gerald, I am sure we shall all be in love with him.'
'Well, I hope we may get on better in time,' said Caroline, taking up a book, and settling herself in a most luxurious attitude in spite of the unaccommodating furniture of the schoolroom.
Marian recovered a little at dinner, and was not quite so monosyllabic in her replies. Her netting was a great resource when she went into the drawing-room after dinner, and she began to feel a little less rigid and confused, made some progress in acquaintance with Clara, and when she went to bed was not without hopes of, in time, liking both her and Caroline very much.
Chapter IV.
'A place where others are at home,
But all are strange to me.'
LYRA INNOCENTIUM.
Marian began the next morning by wondering what a Sunday at Oakworthy would be like, but she was glad the formidable first meeting was over, and greeted Gerald cheerfully when he came into the room.
After a few minutes a bell rang, and Marian, thinking it must be for family prayers, hastened into the passage, wondering at herself for not having asked last night where she was to go. She was glad to meet Caroline coming out of her room, and after quickly exchanging a 'good morning,' she said, 'Was that the bell for prayers?'
'No, it was for the servants' breakfast,' said Caroline 'and for ours in the schoolroom too.'
