"It is the likeness of my mother" was the reply, given with a softened

voice and eyes that looked up tenderly.

"Ah, I might have known, from the resemblance, but I scarcely saw you

last night. Excuse my freedom, but Lady Sydney treated me as a friend,

and I forget my position. Allow me."

As she spoke, Miss Muir stooped to return the handkerchief which had

fallen from Lucia's hand, and did so with a humble mien which touched

the other's heart; for, though a proud, it was also a very generous one.

"Thank you. Are you better, this morning?" she said, graciously. And

having received an affirmative reply, she added, as she walked on, "I

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will show you to the breakfast room, as Bella is not here. It is a very

informal meal with us, for my aunt is never down and my cousins are very

irregular in their hours. You can always have yours when you like,

without waiting for us if you are an early riser."

Bella and Edward appeared before the others were seated, and Miss Muir

quietly ate her breakfast, feeling well satisfied with her hour's

work. Ned recounted her exploit with Hector, Bella delivered her

mother's thanks for the flowers, and Lucia more than once recalled,

with pardonable vanity, that the governess had compared her to her

lovely mother, expressing by a look as much admiration for the living

likeness as for the painted one. All kindly did their best to make the

pale girl feel at home, and their cordial manner seemed to warm and

draw her out; for soon she put off her sad, meek air and entertained

them with gay anecdotes of her life in Paris, her travels in Russia

when governess in Prince Jermadoff's family, and all manner of witty

stories that kept them interested and merry long after the meal was

over. In the middle of an absorbing adventure, Coventry came in,

nodded lazily, lifted his brows, as if surprised at seeing the

governess there, and began his breakfast as if the ennui of another

day had already taken possession of him. Miss Muir stopped short, and

no entreaties could induce her to go on.

"Another time I will finish it, if you like. Now Miss Bella and I should

be at our books." And she left the room, followed by her pupil, taking

no notice of the young master of the house, beyond a graceful bow in

answer to his careless nod.

"Merciful creature! she goes when I come, and does not make life

unendurable by moping about before my eyes. Does she belong to the

moral, the melancholy, the romantic, or the dashing class, Ned?" said

Gerald, lounging over his coffee as he did over everything he attempted.

"To none of them; she is a capital little woman. I wish you had seen her

tame Hector this morning." And Edward repeated his story.




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