Frederica and her Guardians; Or, The Perils of OrphanhoodRobertson, Margaret M. (Margaret Murray)
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Frederica and her Guardians; Or, The Perils of Orphanhood
Robertson, Margaret M. (Margaret Murray)
Orphans -- Fiction
To-morrow found Frederica not at all well; a restless night had given
her a headache; and when she did not appear at breakfast, Edgar went up
to see her, only half convinced that real illness was keeping her in her
room. She was ill certainly, and very silent, but she was not angry any
longer. Selina was with her, and Edgar knew in a moment that nothing
had been said between them with regard to the coming separation. He was
very gentle and kind, but Fred could not look up and meet his eye,
because she had not fought out the battle with herself yet. She had got
so far as to acknowledge that it was very ungrateful in her to act and
speak as though Edgar had no right to interfere in their affairs, after
all his kindness to them. Every hour she had felt more deeply how
dearly she loved him, and how entirely she trusted him, and how terrible
a thing it would be for them if their brother were to leave them to
their own guidance, as she had yesterday wished him to do.
But she had not been able during the wakeful night to persuade herself
that he was right with regard to Selina. She had thought of many things
that she would like to say to him about her to make him change his mind;
but when she saw his face in the morning, so kind and yet so firm in its
expression, she doubted whether her words would avail, and so she did
not look up, and scarcely uttered a word. Tessie waited eagerly to hear
what might be said, but she heard nothing, and their brother took her
and Selina away with him, leaving Frederica to Miss Agnace's care. So
she had time to think over her trouble, and the longer she thought the
more clearly she saw how foolish had been her anger, and how wrong her
example to Tessie.
Still she could not yield the point in question. Edgar could not know
as well as she what was best for Selina. It would be like forsaking her
sister, were she to consent to his plan. It would be breaking her
promise to her mother, that Selina should always be considered before
herself. She could not do it.
And yet something made her feel sure that she must do as her brother
wished, and feeling confidence in his love and in his wisdom, she
thought if it had been anything else she would have yielded to him so
gladly. But she lay and turned about restless and feverish, more
unhappy than she had ever been since the days of her illness after her
father went away. Miss Agnace came in and went out softly, saying
little, but very gentle and kind.
"Is it something that you cannot tell to your best friend?" she said at
last, as she bathed her hot brow with cool water, and smoothed the hair
that lay in confusion on the pillow.
Frederica gave her a quick look. She longed to ask her about her
brother's plans, but it would not be right to do so. And besides, Miss
Agnace might not know, and might not tell her if she did.
"After all He has brought you through to these happy days, you are
surely not forgetting to bring your trouble to Him, are you?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Frederica and her Guardians; Or, The Perils of Orphanhood — John Shaqi
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