“I’d like to have a grip like that myself.  Is there anything else I can help about?”

“No, thank you.”  She was embracing Fanny, and she did not glance at him as she responded:  “You are very kind, but my trunks are arranged for.”

At this he went without a word, and Gabriella began a joyous account of her trip to the children.

“Year after next, if you work hard with your French, you may both go with me.  Then you’ll be big enough to look after each other while I am with the dressmakers.”

“Oh, tell me about the dressmakers, mother.  What did you bring me?” urged Fanny, prettily excited by the thought of her gifts.  “I need dreadfully some dancing frocks.  Carlie has a lovely one her mother has just bought for her.”

“I have all your autumn dresses, darling; everything you can possibly need at Miss Bradfordine’s.”

Fanny’s eager face grew suddenly fretful.  “Am I really to go away to school, mother?”

“Really, precious, both you and Archibald.  Think of your poor lonely mother.”  Breaking off with a start she glanced inquiringly about the room, and turned a hurt look on Miss Polly.  “Why, where is Archibald?  I thought he was in the room.”

“I reckon he must have gone down after Mr. O’Hara.  They had just got back from a ball game, and I ’spose they felt like talking about it.  He’ll be up again in a minute, because Mr. O’Hara goes out at six o’clock.”

“But I’ve just come home.”  Her lip trembled.  “I should think Archibald would rather be with me.”

“Oh, he won’t stay, and you’ll have him all the evening.  Archibald is just crazy about gettin’ you back.”

Taking off her hat, a jaunty twist of black velvet from Paris, Gabriella went into her bedroom and changed to a gown of clear blue crape, which she took out of the new bag.  When she came out again, with her arms filled with Fanny’s gifts, there was a flush in her usually pale face, and her eyes were bright with determination.

“I put these in my bag, Fanny, so you wouldn’t have to wait for the trunks.  Try on this little white silk.”

“Oh, mother, you look so sweet in that blue gown!”

“I got it for almost nothing, dear, but the colour is lovely.”  Turning restlessly away, she walked to the window and stood looking over Miss Polly’s window box down on the brilliant border of red geraniums.

“Has Archibald come upstairs yet, Miss Polly?”

“Not yet, but he’ll be up directly.  Don’t you worry.”

For an instant Gabriella hesitated; then crossing the room with a resolute step, she turned, with her hand on the knob, and looked back at the startled face of the little seamstress, who was fastening Fanny’s white gown.

“Well, I’m going after him,” she said sternly; “I am going straight downstairs to find him.”

CHAPTER VII

READJUSTMENTS