Hayslope Grange: A Tale of the Civil WarLeslie, Emma
History
Hayslope Grange: A Tale of the Civil War
Leslie, Emma
Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Juvenile fiction; Historical fiction
"Prithee, now hush," said Maud. "Harry loves you all the same, I am
sure, and you can love him; so that it need make no difference to you,
Bessie."
"But it does make a difference," passionately exclaimed Bessie. "You
said it did a little while ago."
Maud had forgotten the circumstance to which the girl referred, until
she went on--"You said Harry was not your real brother, and now I am not
his real sister. Has Harry got another name?" she suddenly asked.
Maud smiled, but Mary shook her head sorrowfully. "No, his name is Drury
still," she said, "and he has disgraced it, Bessie--disgraced the good
old name that you and I bear."
Bessie looked at Maud. "Are you glad your name is not Drury?" she said.
Maud shook her head. "I wish it was," she said, "and then I could make
you understand better that I do not think Harry has disgraced it."
"Then it can be, can't it?" said Bessie, drying her tears.
"What, dear?"
"Drury. You can change your name, can't you?"
A momentary blush overspread Maud's pale face, but it quickly faded, and
a sadder look than ever came into her eyes as she shook her head and
said, "No, dear, I shall never change my name now." Then, seeing that
her sadness had brought back the tears to Bessie's eyes, she asked where
Bertram had gone.
"To look after Harry's horse," answered Bessie. "Aunt Mabel says it is
to be his, now; but Bertram says he will never ride it, for it will be
like robbing Harry."
"Suppose we go and look at Cavalier, too," said Maud. "He will miss his
master almost as much as you do, Bessie," she added, trying to speak
cheerfully.
They went through the painted gallery and out of the side door, as Harry
went in the morning, the little girl wondering why they went that way.
Bertram had sobbed out the first portion of his grief to his brother's
dumb favourite, and now stood stroking its silky chestnut coat; but as
Maud entered the paddock the noble creature pricked up its ears and gave
a pleased whining of recognition.
"It is not Harry, Cavalier," said Bertram, sadly.
"Prithee, Cavalier is almost as fond of Maud as he is of Harry," said
Bessie.
"Oh, Maud, then you have him," said Bertram, with a fresh burst of
tears. "He is mine now, Aunt Mabel says; but I shall never be able to
ride him, for thinking of Harry; but he'll like to have you on his back,
and Harry will like it too, I know."
That Harry would like it Maud knew full well, but the appropriation of
his things in this way she did not approve of at all; but Bertram's next
words settled the matter.
"Aunt Mabel says Cavalier shall be sold, and a pony bought for me, if I
don't like it; and I can't bear to part with Cavalier," sobbed the
little boy.
"We won't part with it, Bertie," said Maud. "I will have Cavalier, and
ride him every day, and I will buy you a pony instead, and you can ride
with me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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