第22章 A HAPPY BREAKFAST(1)

Mrs.Forbes was on the porch next morning when Mr.Evringham returned from his canter.

"Fine morning，Mrs.Forbes，"he said，as he gave Essex Maid into Zeke's hands.

"Very fine.A regular weather breeder.It'll most probably rain to-morrow，and what I wanted to speak to you about，Mr.Evringham，is，that the child hasn't any rubbers.""Indeed？What else does she need？"

"Well，nothing that I can see.Her things are all good，and she's got enough of them.The trouble is she says she has never worn rubbers and doesn't want to，and if she gets sick I shall have to take care of her；so I hope，sir，you'll say that she must have them.""Not wear them？Of course she must wear them，"returned Mr.Evringham brusquely."Get them to-day，if convenient，Mrs.Forbes."The housekeeper looked relieved.

"I hope she's not making you any trouble，eh？"added Mr.Evringham.

"Not any more than she can help，I suppose，"was the grudging reply.

"She's a smart child，and being an only one，she's some notional.She won't eat this and that，and doesn't want to wear rubbers，but she's handy and neat，and is used to doing for herself；her mother hasn't had time to fuss with her，of course，and that's lucky for me.She seems very well behaved，considering."Jewel had made heroic efforts while Mrs.Forbes assisted at her morning toilet，and this was her reward.

"Well，we mustn't have you imposed upon，"returned Mr.Evringham，feeling guilty of the situation."The child must obey you implicitly，implicitly."So saying he passed into the house，and after making a change in his toilet，entered the dining-room.There he was seated，deep in his newspaper and waiting for his coffee，when the door opened，light feet ran to him，and an arm was thrown around his neck.He looked up to meet a happy smile，and before he could realize who had captured him，Jewel pressed a fervent kiss upon his cheek.

"Oh，grandpa，how nice and cold your cheek feels！Have you been out doors already？"Mr.Evringham could feel the said cheek grow hot in surprise at this onslaught.He held himself stiffly and uncomfortably in the encircling arm.

"Yes，I've been out on horseback，"he returned shortly."I go every morning."Jewel's eyes sparkled."Oh，I'm so glad.Then I can watch you.I love to see anybody ride.When I see a beautiful horse something inside me gets warm.Father says I like just the same things he does.I must let you read your paper，grandpa，but may I say one thing more？""Yes."

"I didn't come last evening to kiss you good-night because you had somebody with you in the library，and，the giant--and Mrs.Forbes wouldn't let me；but I wanted to.You know I wanted to，don't you？Ifelt all sorry inside because I couldn't.You know you're the only real relation I have in the castle"--Here Mrs.Forbes's entrance with the coffee interrupted the confidence，and Jewel，with a last surreptitious squeeze of Mr.Evringham's neck，intended to finish her sentence eloquently，left him and went to her chair.

"You're to sit here this morning，"said Mrs.Forbes，indicating the place opposite her employer."Mrs.Evringham and her daughter don't come down to breakfast."Jewel looked up eagerly."Not ever？"she asked.

"Never."

The child shot a radiant glance across at her grandfather which he caught，the thread of his business calculations having been hopelessly broken."Oh，grandpa，we're always going to have breakfast alone together！"she said joyously.Noting Mrs.Forbes's set countenance，she added apologetically，"They're so pretty，cousin Eloise and aunt Madge，I love to look at them，but they aren't my real relations，and，"her face gladdening again，"to think of having breakfast alone with you，grandpa，makes me feel as if--as if I had a birthday！"Mr.Evringham cleared his throat.The situation might have been a little easier if Mrs.Forbes had not been present，but as it was，he had never felt so embarrassed in his life.

"Now eat your oatmeal，Julia，"said the housekeeper repressively."Mr.

Evringham always reads his paper at breakfast.""Yes，"replied the child with docility.She poured the cream from a small silver pitcher with a neatness that won Mrs.Forbes's approval；and Mr.Evringham read over headlines in the paper，while he sipped his coffee，without understanding in the least the meaning of the words.Mrs.Forbes was right.Discipline must be maintained.This was the time during which he wished to read his paper，and it was most astonishing to be so vigorously taken possession of by an utter stranger.Now was the time to repress her if she were to be repressed.

Mrs.Forbes was right.After a while he glanced across at the child.

She looked very small and clean，and she was ready with a quick smile for him；but she put a little forefinger against her lips jocosely.He cleared his throat again and averted his eyes，rumpling the paper as he turned a leaf.

Mrs.Forbes left the room with the oatmeal dishes.

Jewel leaned forward quickly."Grandpa，"she said earnestly，"if you would declare every day，over and over，that no error could come near your house，I think she would go away of her own accord."Mr.Evringham stared，open paper in hand."What？Who？""Mrs.Forbes."

"Go away？Mrs.Forbes？What are you thinking of！I couldn't get on without Mrs.Forbes.""Oh！"Jewel leaned back with the long-drawn exclamation."I thought she was what made you look sorry.""No indeed.I have enough things to make me sorry，but she isn't one of them.""Do you like her？"wonderingly.

"I--why--I respect her profoundly."

"Oh！It must be lots easier to respect her pro--the way you do，than to like her；but，"with firm lips，"I've got to love her.I told Anna Belle so this morning，and especially if you want her to stay.""Bless my soul！"Mr.Evringham looked in dismay as his vis-à-vis.

"You must be very careful，Julia，not to offend or trouble her in any way，"he said.

"All right，grandpa，I will，and then will you do me a favor too？""I must hear it first."