QUEENIE'S WHIM A Novel BY ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY AUTHOR OF "NELLIE'S MEMORIES," "WOOED AND MARRIED," ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen 1881 [_Rights of Translation Reserved_] BUNGAY: CLAY AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS. CONTENTS OF VOL. III. CHAPTER I. IN THE GLOAMING CHAPTER II. "DO YOU LIKE ME AS WELL AS YOU DID THEN?" CHAPTER III. "CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME" CHAPTER IV. THE SWING OF THE PENDULUM CHAPTER V. CHANGES AND CHANCES CHAPTER VI. THE TWO CONSPIRATORS CHAPTER VII. "YOU KNOW THIS IS A GREAT SECRET" CHAPTER VIII. CROSS PURPOSES CHAPTER IX. "TOO MANY COOKS" CHAPTER X. "HAVE YOU NOTHING TO SAY TO ME?" CHAPTER XI. "A GOLDEN-HAIRED CIRCE" CHAPTER XII. "HE BELONGS TO ME" CHAPTER XIII. "WHY DOES HE NOT COME AND SEE US?" CHAPTER XIV. "EMMIE'S LETTER" CHAPTER XV. GARTH'S WIFE QUEENIE'S WHIM. CHAPTER I. IN THE GLOAMING. "So she loved, and she was happy, As if walking in Paradise; Nay, as heaven he seemed above her, This love of her own heart's choice. It was not his birth or riches, But that he was born to bless, With the treasure of his wisdom, And the wealth of his tenderness." _Isa Craig-Knox._ Dora's sleep was quite peaceful and unbroken, while Garth tossed restlessly on his bed half the night, staring open-eyed into the darkness. She came down in the morning in her pretty travelling dress looking as fresh and bright as possible. She was not even pale as she had been the previous evening; possibly the excitement of last night had stimulated her, and roused her from her sadness. She was thinking more of Flo than of Garth this morning. With all her coolness of judgment, and her disposition to meddle in all things spiritual and material, Dora dearly loved her young sisters, and was warmly beloved by them in return. Beatrix was at times almost too much for her, with her helplessness and impulsive ways, but Flo was to her as the apple of her eye. "My poor Flo, I hope they will not have cut off her hair, papa," she observed, tenderly; "she has such pretty hair, though it is darker than mine." "Ah, Dorrie, my dear, it is a bad business I fear," returned her father mournfully. "I always said that I disliked those foreign schools; and then those German doctors!" "Now, papa, it is only Beattie's absurd letter has made you so faint-hearted," replied Dora cheerfully, "as though girls of seventeen are to be trusted, and Beattie especially!" "I think Beatrix is remarkably sensible for her age," observed Garth in a caustic tone. "I cannot understand your always under-valuing her; in my opinion she has twice the amount of common sense that Florence has," he went on in a contradictory manner.