When Maddy prayed that he might come and see her she did not expect an
answer so soon, and she started back in much surprise, while Guy came
easily forward to greet her, asking how she was, once telling her she
looked tired and thin, then making her take the chair he had vacated,
he stood over her, smoothing her hair, while he continued: "I have taken some liberties, you see, and have made myself quite at
home. I knew how unaccustomed you were to the duties of a house, and
as I saw that girl was wholly incompetent, I denied myself at least
two hours' sleep this morning for the sake of getting here early,
bringing Flora with me and a few things which I thought would be for
your comfort. You must excuse me, but Flora looked so cold when she
came down from your chamber, where I sent her to see how you were,
that with your grandfather's permission I ordered a fire to be kindled
there. I hope you found it comfortable. This house is very cold."
He kept talking on, and Maddy in a delicious kind of bewilderment
listened to him, wondering if ever before there was a person so kind
and good as Guy. And really Guy was doing great violence to his pride
by being there as he was, but he could do anything for Maddy, and so
he had forced down his pride, trying for her sake to make the cottage
as pleasant as possible. With Flora to assist he had succeeded
wonderfully, and was really enjoying it himself. At first Maddy could
not thank him, her heart was so full, but Guy was satisfied with the
expression of her face, and calling Flora he bade her serve the
breakfast.
"You know my habits," he said, smilingly, as he took a seat at the
table, "and breakfasting at daylight, as I did, has given me an
appetite; so, with your permission, I'll carve this nice bit of steak
for you, while you pour me a cup of coffee, some of Mrs. Noah's best.
She"--Guy was going to say, "sent it," but as no stretch of the
imagination could construe her "calling him a fool" into sending Maddy
coffee, he added instead, "I brought it from Aikenside, together with
this strawberry jelly, of which I remember you were fond;" and he
helped Maddy lavishly from the fanciful jelly jar which yesterday was
adorning the sweetmeat closet at Aikenside.
How chatty and social he was, trying to cheer Maddy up and make her
forget that such a thing as death had so lately found entrance there;
talking of Jessie, of Aikenside, of the pleasant little time they
would have during the vacation, and of the next term at school, when
Maddy, as one of the graduating class, would not be kept in as
strictly as heretofore, but allowed to see more of the city. Maddy
felt as if she should die for the pain tugging at her heart, while she
listened to him and knew that the pictures he was drawing were not for
her. Her place was there; and after the breakfast was over and Flora
had cleared the dishes away, she shut the door, so that they might be
alone, and then standing before Guy, she told him of her resolution,
begging of him to help her and not make it harder to bear by devising
means for her to escape what she felt to be an imperative duty. Guy
had expected something like this and was prepared, as he thought, to
combat all her arguments; so when she had finished, he replied that of
course he did not wish to interfere with her duty, but there might be
a question as to what really was her duty, and it seemed to him he was
better able to judge of that than herself. It was not right for her to
bury herself there while her education was unfinished, when another
could do as well. Her superior talents were given to her to improve,
and how could she improve them in Honedale; besides her grandfather
did not expect her to stay. Guy had talked with him while she was
asleep, and the matter was all arranged; a competent woman was to be
hired to take charge of the domestic arrangements, and if it seemed
desirable, two should be procured; anything to leave Maddy free.