"It is very wrong, I suppose, but I do sometimes wish I had not quite somany aunts. They are all very good to me, and I want to please them; butthey are so different, I feel sort of pulled to pieces among them," saidRose, trying to express the emotions of a stray chicken with six hensall clucking over it at once.
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Uncle Alec threw back his head and laughed like a boy, for he couldentirely understand how the good ladies had each put in her oar andtried to paddle her own way, to the great disturbance of the waters andthe entire bewilderment of poor Rose.
"I intend to try a course of uncles now, and see how that suits yourconstitution. I'm going to have you all to myself, and no one is to givea word of advice unless I ask it. There is no other way to keep orderaboard, and I am captain of this little craft, for a time at least. Whatcomes next?"
But Rose stuck there, and grew so red, her uncle guessed what thattrouble was.
"I don't think I can tell this one. It wouldn't be polite, and I feelpretty sure that it isn't going to be a trouble any more."
As she blushed and stammered over these words, Dr. Alec turned his eyesaway to the distant sea, and said so seriously, so tenderly, that shefelt every word and long remembered them,
"My child, I don't expect you to love and trust me all at once, but I dowant you to believe that I shall give my whole heart to this new duty;and if I make mistakes, as I probably shall, no one will grieve overthem more bitterly than I. It is my fault that I am a stranger to you,when I want to be your best friend. That is one of my mistakes, and Inever repented it more deeply than I do now. Your father and I had atrouble once, and I thought I could never forgive him; so I kept awayfor years. Thank God, we made it all up the last time I saw him, and hetold me then, that if he was forced to leave her he should bequeath hislittle girl to me as a token of his love. I can't fill his place, butI shall try to be a father to her; and if she learns to love me half aswell as she did the good one she has lost, I shall be a proud and happyman. Will she believe this and try?"
Something in Uncle Alec's face touched Rose to the heart, and when heheld out his hand with that anxious troubled look in his eyes, she wasmoved to put up her innocent lips and seal the contract with a confidingkiss. The strong arm held her close a minute, and she felt the broadchest heave once as if with a great sigh of relief; but not a word wasspoken till a tap at the door made both start.
Rose popped her head through the window to say "come in," while Dr. Alechastily rubbed the sleeve of his jacket across his eyes and began towhistle again.
Phebe appeared with a cup of coffee.
"Debby told me to bring this and help you get up," she said, opening herblack eyes wide, as if she wondered how on earth "the sailor man" gotthere.
"I'm all dressed, so I don't need any help. I hope that is good andstrong," added Rose, eyeing the steaming cup with an eager look.
But she did not get it, for a brown hand took possession of it as heruncle said quickly,
"Hold hard, my lass, and let me overhaul that dose before you take it.Do you drink all this strong coffee every morning, Rose?"
"Yes, sir, and I like it. Auntie says it 'tones' me up, and I alwaysfeel better after it."
"This accounts for the sleepless nights, the flutter your heart getsinto at the least start, and this is why that cheek of yours is paleyellow instead of rosy red. No more coffee for you, my dear, and by andby you'll see that I am right. Any new milk downstairs, Phebe?"
"Yes, sir, plenty right in from the barn."
"That's the drink for my patient. Go bring me a pitcherful, and anothercup; I want a draught myself. This won't hurt the honeysuckles, for theyhave no nerves to speak of." And, to Rose's great discomfort, the coffeewent after the medicine.
Dr. Alec saw the injured look she put on, but took no notice, andpresently banished it by saying pleasantly,
"I've got a capital little cup among my traps, and I'll give it to youto drink your milk in, as it is made of wood that is supposed to improvewhatever is put into it something like a quassia cup. That reminds me;one of the boxes Phebe wanted to lug upstairs last night is for you.Knowing that I was coming home to find a ready-made daughter, I pickedup all sorts of odd and pretty trifles along the way, hoping she wouldbe able to find something she liked among them all. Early to-morrowwe'll have a grand rummage. Here's our milk! I propose the health ofMiss Rose Campbell and drink it with all my heart."
It was impossible for Rose to pout with the prospect of a delightfulboxful of gifts dancing before her eyes; so, in spite of herself, shesmiled as she drank her own health, and found that fresh milk was not ahard dose to take.
"Now I must be off, before I am caught again with my wig in a toss,"said Dr. Alec, preparing to descend the way he came.
"Do you always go in and out like a cat, uncle?" asked Rose, much amusedat his odd ways.
"I used to sneak out of my window when I was a boy, so I need notdisturb the aunts, and now I rather like it, for it's the shortest road,and it keeps me limber when I have no rigging to climb. Good-bye tillbreakfast." And away he went down the water-spout, over the roof, andvanished among the budding honey-suckles below.
"Ain't he a funny guardeen?" exclaimed Phebe, as she went off with thecups.
"He is a very kind one, I think," answered Rose, following, to prowlround the big boxes and try to guess which was hers.
When her uncle appeared at sound of the bell, he found her surveyingwith an anxious face a new dish that smoked upon the table.
"Got a fresh trouble, Rosy?" he asked, stroking her smooth head.
"Uncle, are you going to make me eat oatmeal?" asked Rose, in a tragictone.
"Don't you like it?"
"I de-test it!" answered Rose, with all the emphasis which a turned-upnose, a shudder, and a groan could give to the three words.
"You are not a true Scotchwoman, if you don't like the 'parritch.' It'sa pity, for I made it myself, and thought we'd have such a good timewith all that cream to float it in. Well, never mind." And he sat downwith a disappointed air.
Rose had made up her mind to be obstinate about it, because she didheartily "detest" the dish; but as Uncle Alec did not attempt to makeher obey, she suddenly changed her mind and thought she would.
"I'll try to eat it to please you, uncle; but people are always sayinghow wholesome it is, and that makes me hate it," she said, half-ashamedat her silly excuse.
"I do want you to like it, because I wish my girl to be as well andstrong as Jessie's boys, who are brought up on this in the good oldfashion. No hot bread and fried stuff for them, and they are the biggestand bonniest lads of the lot. Bless you, auntie, and good morning!"
Dr. Alec turned to greet the old lady, and, with a firm resolve to eator die in the attempt, Rose sat down.
In five minutes she forgot what she was eating, so interested was she inthe chat that went on. It amused her very much to hear Aunt Plenty callher forty-year-old nephew "my dear boy"; and Uncle Alec was so fullof lively gossip about all creation in general, and the Aunt-hill inparticular, that the detested porridge vanished without a murmur.
"You will go to church with us, I hope, Alec, if you are not too tired,"said the old lady, when breakfast was over.
"I came all the way from Calcutta for that express purpose, ma'am. OnlyI must send the sisters word of my arrival, for they don't expect metill to-morrow, you know, and there will be a row in church if thoseboys see me without warning."
"I'll send Ben up the hill, and you can step over to Myra's yourself; itwill please her, and you will have plenty of time."
Dr. Alec was off at once, and they saw no more of him till the oldbarouche was at the door, and Aunt Plenty just rustling downstairs inher Sunday best, with Rose like a little black shadow behind her.
Away they drove in state, and all the way Uncle Alec's hat was more offhis head than on, for everyone they met smiled and bowed, and gave himas blithe a greeting as the day permitted.
It was evident that the warning had been a wise one, for, in spite oftime and place, the lads were in such a ferment that their elders satin momentary dread of an unseemly outbreak somewhere. It was simplyimpossible to keep those fourteen eyes off Uncle Alec, and the dreadfulthings that were done during sermon-time will hardly be believed.
Rose dared not look up after a whil
e, for these bad boys vented theiremotions upon her till she was ready to laugh and cry with mingledamusement and vexation. Charlie winked rapturously at her behind hismother's fan; Mac openly pointed to the tall figure beside her; Jamiestared fixedly over the back of his pew, till Rose thought his roundeyes would drop out of his head; George fell over a stool and droppedthree books in his excitement; Will drew sailors and Chinamen on hisclean cuffs, and displayed them, to Rose's great tribulation; Stevenearly upset the whole party by burning his nose with salts, as hepretended to be overcome by his joy; even dignified Archie disgracedhimself by writing in his hymn book, "Isn't he blue and brown?" andpassing it politely to Rose.
Her only salvation was trying to fix her attention upon Uncle Maca portly, placid gentleman, who seemed entirely unconscious of theiniquities of the Clan, and dozed peacefully in his pew corner. This wasthe only uncle Rose had met for years, for Uncle Jem and Uncle Steve,the husbands of Aunt Jessie and Aunt Clara, were at sea, and Aunt Myrawas a widow. Uncle Mac was a merchant, very rich and busy, and as quietas a mouse at home, for he was in such a minority among the women folkhe dared not open his lips, and let his wife rule undisturbed.
Rose liked the big, kindly, silent man who came to her when papa died,was always sending her splendid boxes of goodies at school, and ofteninvited her into his great warehouse, full of teas and spices, wines andall sorts of foreign fruits, there to eat and carry away whatever sheliked. She had secretly regretted that he was not to be her guardian;but since she had seen Uncle Alec she felt better about it, for she didnot particularly admire Aunt Jane.
When church was over, Dr. Alec got into the porch as quickly aspossible, and there the young bears had a hug all round, while thesisters shook hands and welcomed him with bright faces and glad hearts.Rose was nearly crushed flat behind a door in that dangerous passagefrom pew to porch; but Uncle Mac rescued her, and put her into thecarriage for safe keeping.
"Now, girls, I want you to come and dine with Alec; Mac also, of course.But I cannot ask the boys, for we did not expect this dear fellow tilltomorrow, you know, so I made no preparations. Send the lads home, andlet them wait till Monday, for really I was shocked at their behaviourin church," said Aunt Plenty, as she followed Rose.
In any other place the defrauded boys would have set up a howl; as itwas, they growled and protested till Dr. Alec settled the matter bysaying,
"Never mind, old chaps, I'll make it up to you to-morrow, if you sheeroff quietly; if you don't, not a blessed thing shall you have out of mybig boxes."