When the door was opened, she flew up to her room and girl fashion, went
straight to the mirror. Generally she had very little color, now her
cheeks bloomed like roses and her eyes were brilliant, something more, a
light she had never seen in them; and, yes, her scarlet lips were shut,
with dimples in the corners. Then she laughed, half in anger, half in a
mood she had never known before, it was compounded of so many varieties.
At Laconia, she had known several pretty school girls but they had
golden hair and lovely blue eyes. It was odd, but she had always liked
the word cerulean so much. And her eyes were almost black when anything
moved her deeply. She had not thought much of beauty applied to herself.
"I am glad we don't look alike," she mused. "I am willing to be plainer,
and if I had some great gift--perhaps my voice might be cultivated. But
I mean never to be ashamed of that past life. Oh, what would Willard say
if he knew I had carried bundles back and forth and done errands for the
dressmaker! Well I must keep that part locked in my own heart. Poor
mamma Boyd, I'm glad you never understood the difference. I wish I had
loved you better."
She bathed her face and took off her cloth dress, putting on one of some
light material Mrs. Barrington had given her awhile before. Then she
went down stairs just as the summons for dinner sounded. Mrs. Barrington
met her in the hall with a smile.
"Did you have a nice day? And did your brother find you?"
"Yes, I enjoyed it very much. And--we walked back together. He leaves on
Wednesday night."
"And is very sorry to go. He is so interested in you. I wish he could
remain longer, but he has the true sailor heart."
Lilian felt suddenly ashamed of her anger. Of course the whole family
must look at it from that point of view, which was not hers. And having
a brother was such a new thing to her. She had not been thrown much with
boys. Her books had been her dearest companions.
They all went to the drawing room afterward and had a pleasant talk
about the day and its duties. It softened Lilian's heart strangely.
After that some almost divine music, it seemed to her, and her thoughts
were lifted above distracting reflections.
The girls sang also. Several of them had very good voices but the best
singers were away. Lilian was not afraid tonight, but let her voice
swell out as she had in church this morning, and it surprised even
herself.
When they said good-night to each other Mr. Barrington led her to her
own pretty sitting room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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