The Children of Wilton Chase

Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Juliet Sutherland, and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net








        [Illustration: 'Let's come away,' whispered Marjorie.]



                           The CHILDREN of

                             WILTON CHASE



                                  By

                           MRS. L. T. MEADE

                              AUTHOR OF

              A GIRL IN TEN THOUSAND, A RING OF RUBIES,
                       GIRLS NEW AND OLD, ETC.






                               NEW YORK

                           GROSSET & DUNLAP

                              PUBLISHERS



                            Copyright 1891

                    BY CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY

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CONTENTS.


CHAPTER                                               PAGE

I.      MARJORIE'S WAY,                                 1

II.     SHARK,                                         13

III.    ERMENGARDE'S SIN,                              25

IV.     THE DAY OF THE PICNIC,                         32

V.      LOCKED IN THE CUPBOARD,                        62

VI.     A STOLEN TREASURE,                             69

VII.    A GOOD, BOYISH SORT OF GIRL,                   82

VIII.   FATHER'S BIRTHDAY,                             97

IX.     FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING,                  104

X.      THE REIGN OF CHAOS,                           115

XI.     AFTER THE FUN,                                133

XII.    AFTER THE BIRTHDAY,                           150

XIII.   BASIL'S OPINION,                              162

XIV.    I SERVE,                                      175

XV.     LILIAS,                                       187

XVI.    THE BEAUTIFUL DRESS,                          199

XVII.   THE MORE BEAUTIFUL FACE,                      210

XVIII.  IN THE TOILS,                                 217

XIX.    SOME PEOPLE WHO DID NOT FLATTER,              228

XX.     WHAT DID BASIL MEAN?                          235

XXI.    SUSY'S FEVERISH DESIRE,                       241

XXII.   QUITE IN A NEW CHARACTER,                     250

XXIII.  BLESSED AND HAPPY,                            261

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THIS STORY

IS DEDICATED, WITH AFFECTION,
TO

MARJORY

A CHILD WHO, POSSESSING THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND SERVICE,
HAS INSPIRED THE IDEA OF THAT OTHER MARJORY
WHO APPEARS IN THESE PAGES.

_August, 1891._

       *       *       *       *       *




THE

CHILDREN OF WILTON CHASE

CHAPTER I.

MARJORIE'S WAY.


"I don't care," said Ermengarde. "I won't do it! I won't obey her!"

"What are you saying, Ermie?"

Ermengarde was standing by the dressing-table in her room. She had
been talking half to herself; she now turned quickly round, and
confronted a plain little girl of between eleven and twelve.

"Is that you, Marjorie? I didn't know you were listening. I had not an
idea you were in the room."

"But what _did_ you say, Ermie? Who is the person you won't obey?"

Marjorie had puckered up her brows. Her small, shrewd, sensible face
looked full of anxiety.

"Now, look here," said Ermengarde, speaking with passion, "don't you
interfere! You are always poking your finger into everyone's pie.
Leave mine alone. I don't want you to meddle, nor to help me. I
understand my own affairs. What is the matter? Are you going to cry?"

"No, Ermengarde. I don't cry. I think it's babyish."

Marjorie walked to the other end of the large bedroom, tied on a
shabby brown hat, and prepared to leave the room. When she reached the
door she turned again, and looked at her sister.

"When Basil comes home----" she began.

"Oh, don't. Why do you talk about Basil?" Ermengarde tossed her hat
off her head as she spoke. "And just when I might have been happy!
What are you lingering by the door for, Marjorie? Well, if you must
know, I am not going to obey Miss Nelson any more. She went a little
too far this morning, and I'll show her that I'm Miss Wilton, and that
she's only the governess--and--and----Now, where's that child gone to?
I do think Marjorie is a perfect nuisance. I don't see anything good
in her. Paul Pry, I call her. Paul Pry, and a little busy-body. I
suppose she'll go and make up to Miss Nelson now, and tell her what
I've said. No, though, that isn't like her. She does try to stick up
for one. Poor little plain mite. Well, I don't intend to obey Miss
Nelson, Marjorie or no Marjorie. Basil is coming home from school, and
I shall go in the carriage to meet him. I don't care what Miss Nelson
said. She's not going to keep me from meeting my own Basil. Why, I was
fourteen a month ago--a great many girls are grown up at fourteen. I
don't mean English girls, of course, but foreigners, and I'm not going
to be kept in surveillance, just as if I was an infant."

Ermengarde was quite alone in her nice room.