CHAPTER V.

MOLLIE'S WELCOME.

THE train was speeding towards London, bearing Gertrude to her new home.

The partings had all been said. Oh, the terrible wrench it was to leave her mother, to know that henceforth she must be left to Phyllis's care and thoughtfulness!

Then Phyllis! How her large eyes had filled with tears, and how sober her sweet face had looked as she realized for the first time her responsibilities as sole home-daughter!

And then the third parting had perhaps been the worst of all, because the feeling on both sides had not been able to be expressed.

"Will you think of me and trust me, Gertrude?" was all that Otto's dry lips had been able to falter.

And Gertrude had put her hand in his, and had answered a very quiet, "Yes, Otto," as their eyes met.

Now, seated in the train, she felt as if she would like to have been able to live the last twelve hours over again.

Towards afternoon a cab drove up to that certain road near Hampstead where the Shaddocks lived, and Gertrude and her two modest boxes were deposited within the hall of her new home.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ashlyn," said a tall, pleasant-looking girl of about thirteen, coming out of the dining-room, where she had been waiting on purpose to receive her governess. "Mother is out just now, but told me to make you welcome."

"Thank you," said Gertrude. "Are you Mollie?"

"Yes. Will you like to remove your things, or will you have some tea first?"

The prospect of a cup of tea after her long journey looked very inviting, and gave Gertrude a pleasant impression of her new surroundings that such a thing should have been thought of.

"Stay!" said Mollie, ere she could reply. "I will have it brought to your room; you will feel more at home so."

"She won't!" said Ned, peeping in at the door and hearing his sister's remark. "People don't get at home in their bedrooms! Besides, I want to see Miss Ashlyn, and if you shut her up there, I shan't."

Mollie tossed her head at this advice. While Ned came forward on Gertrude's holding out her hand, with an awkward attempt to be at his ease.

"I shall soon be at home, I dare say," said Gertrude, as brightly as she could, though her heart felt like a lump of lead, and she would like to have hidden her face and had a good cry.

"Come up-stairs, Miss Ashlyn," said Mollie then, "and do not mind Ned. He is always rude."

The matter-of-fact tone of this revelation was very astonishing, but Mollie left no time for Ned's rejoinder, as she tripped on before, having taken up Gertrude's umbrella and waterproof in her hand.

"This is your room," she said, when they had gained the top floor. "You will find a nice view from the windows, which 'I' think compensates for the stairs!"

"Beautiful!" said Gertrude.

"Susan will bring up your boxes in a moment. Oh! Here she is with your tea. We shall have high-tea at seven o'clock. When you are ready, if you will ring, Susan will tell me, and I will come up to show you the way down."

"Thank you, Mollie," said Gertrude gratefully. "You seem to have thought of everything!"

The girl looked rather astonished, but answered, abruptly, "Oh, that is nothing. I hope your tea will be good."

She left the room, and Gertrude laid her bonnet down and threw off her jacket, just as two maids came to her door with her boxes.

They were soon uncorded, the servants glancing at her a little curiously, though not unkindly. And then the door was shut and she was alone.

She looked round; her room was large and well-furnished, with a somewhat low ceiling, but the window was wide and low too, giving an impression of space and expanse very cheering to the country girl, who had dreaded brick walls and endless roofs.

No walls or roofs, at least near ones, obtruded themselves on her view. Before her stretched the gardens of neighbouring houses, and beyond these were a few more distant streets of villas, shut in finally by green hills and fields, with Highgate spire in the distance.

Then she turned her attention to her tea. On the dainty tray was a pretty tea-set with a plate of sandwiches and some cake for her refreshment.

So she sat down to partake of it, leaving her boxes and all else till she should have tasted that fragrant cup which had been prepared.

Greatly revived, and feeling that the world looked decidedly less dark than it had done a quarter of an hour ago, she rose and prepared to unpack her boxes, having gathered that this was what Mollie expected her to do.

The things which had taken so long to work at and pack at home, took but little time to take out of the box and arrange neatly in the wardrobe. All was done very quickly, and then she stood ready to begin her new life.

"This is the last time I shall be mistress of my own time," she said to herself with a little smile on her lips. "How strange it will seem!"

Then she knelt down by the bed, and asked that she might be blessed in this home and be made a blessing.

Then she rang her bell, as directed, and waited Mollie's appearance with beating heart.

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