Maura, however, came running up, and said to Gillian, ’Please come this way.  She is here.’

‘What has she hidden herself for?’ demanded Mr. White.  ’I thought she might have been here to welcome this—–­Miss Adeline.’

‘She is not very well to-day,’ faltered Maura.

‘Oh! ay, fretting.  Well, I thought she had more sense.’

Gillian followed Maura, who was no sooner out of hearing than she began:  ’It is too bad of him to be so cross.  Kally really is so upset!  She did not sleep all night, and I thought she would have fainted quite away this morning!’

‘Oh dear! has he been worrying her?’

’She is very glad and happy, of course, about Miss Ada! and he won’t believe it, because he wants her to go out to Italy with them for all next winter.’

‘And won’t she?  Oh, what a pity!’

’She said she really could not because of us; she could not leave us, Petros and all, without a home.  She thought it her duty to stay and look after us.  And then he got cross, and said that she was presuming on the hope of living in idleness here, and making him keep us all, but she would find herself mistaken, and went off very angry.’

‘Oh, horrid! how could he?’

’I believe, if Kally could have walked so far, she would have gone down straight to Mr. Lee’s.  She wanted to, but she was all in a tremble, and I persuaded her not, though she did send me down to ask Mrs. Lee when she can be ready.  Then when Alexis came home, Mr. White told him that he didn’t in the least mean all that, and would not hear of her going away, though he was angry at her being so foolish, but he would give her another chance of not throwing away such advantages.  And Alexis says she ought not.  He wants her to go, and declares that he and I can very well manage with Mrs. Lee, and look after Petros, and that she must not think of rushing off in a huff for a few words said in a passion.  So, between the two, she was quite upset and couldn’t sleep, and, oh, if she were to be ill again!’

By this time they were in sight of Kalliope lying back in a basket-chair, shaded by the fence of the kitchen-garden, and her weary face and trembling hand showed how much this had shaken her in her weakness.  She sent Maura away, and spoke out her troubles freely to Gillian.  ’I thought at first my duty was quite clear, and that I ought not to go away and enjoy myself and leave the others to get on without me.  Alec would find it so dreary; and though Mr. and Mrs. Lee are very good and kind, they are not quite companions to him.  Then Maura has come to think so much about people being ladies that I don’t feel sure that she would attend to Mrs. Lee; and the same with Petros in the holidays.  If I can’t work at first, still I can make a home and look after them.’

’But it is only one winter, and Alexis thinks you ought; and, oh, what it would be, and how you would get on!’