Free 03 Mary Wakefield by Mazo de La Roche Page A

Philip. “She’s only been with us three days.”
    “Is it possible,” exclaimed Mrs. Lacey, “that you, the children’s grandfather, haven’t seen her yet?”
    “I have not yet been invited.”
    “Come back with me,” said Philip, “and I’ll put her through her paces.”
    “Philip, you are disgraceful,” declared Mrs. Lacey. “But you must be prepared for one thing, Doctor Ramsey, and that is to see her in the gayest clothes, though her father has been dead only a few months.”
    Philip pushed out his lips. “All her clothes aren’t gay,” he said. “She was dressed very simply this morning.”
    “I should hope she would be.” Mrs. Lacey spoke with a little asperity. “Teaching two children their multiplication tables is scarcely a time for fancy dress.”
    “Come now, Mrs. Lacey, don’t be hard on the girl. That’s not like you.”
    Philip patted her knee and she took his hand with a coy look and held it a moment. She was more flirtatious than either of her daughters.
    “What like is she?” asked the doctor.
    “Tell him what you called her when you first came, Philip,” cried Ethel. “I dare you to.”
    “What was that?” asked Dr. Ramsey, sharply.
    “Come and see for yourself, sir.”
    “Why have an English governess?” asked Ethel.
    “Much better have a good Scotswoman,” said the doctor. “That is what I have always advocated.”
    “Why not a Canadian?” asked Ethel.
    “They don’t seem to go in for governessing,” answered Philip. “But I do think it would be a good idea. I think we have clung too much to Old Country ways in our neighbourhood.”
    Now the Admiral spoke. “The Whiteoaks, the Vaughans, the Laceys and the others who first settled here, promised each other to preserve their British principles, culture and —”
    “Prejudices,” put in Philip.
    “Very well. Prejudices. Prejudices against making a fetish of material progress — against all the hurry-scurry after money that goes on in the big American cities. They wanted to lead contented peaceful lives and teach their children to fear God, honour the Queen, fight for her if necessary. In short, behave like gentlemen.”
    “I’m not setting myself up to criticize you, sir. I only mean that this country is growing and it’s bound to grow in a new way. Why, we’ve got a population of about five millions. We can’t go on modelling ourselves on the Old Land. Now you went into the Royal Navy as a youth —”
    “There was no Canadian Navy and the sea was in my blood.”
    “I know. But the consequence is that you’re just as English as your father was. You married an English-woman.”
    “Oh, Philip, do you hold that against me?” Mrs. Lacey gave him a charming smile.
    “Never.” He smiled back. “But this is an English household, with two English daughters.”
    “We were born here,” said Ethel.
    “I love Canada,” said Violet.
    Philip ignored them. “Now there’s my mother. She’s just as Irish as she ever was. God knows she can’t help it! And my sister and two brothers live in England. When they come to Jalna they expect to see my children brought up exactly like children in England. It can’t be done. I think that, as time goes on, the people of this country will probably be a good deal Americanized.”
    “Heaven forbid!” said Admiral Lacy.
    Mrs. Lacey turned to the doctor who sat gazing at the ceiling with his arms folded.
    “What are your feelings about all this, Dr. Ramsey?” she asked.
    Without taking his eyes from the ceiling he declaimed, in sonorous tones:
    “‘My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here:
    My heart’s in the Highland’s a-chasing the deer.”

VI
G ETTING B ETTER A CQUAINTED
    L EAVING D R . R AMSEY in the sitting-room Philip ran upstairs to look for Mary and the children. At the foot of the second flight of stairs he stopped and listened. Then he called softly:
    “Meggie!”
    All was silent above. He went up and looked into the children’s rooms.