"Don't give me so many things!" she had said, almost with a stamp, the
sudden, astonishing tears in her great eyes; when, after the first week,
the new clothes began to shower upon her. "I can't help wanting them! I
adore them! But I won't be a beggar--no! You will think we only came here
for this--to get things out of you. We didn't--we _didn't_.'"
"My dear, won't you give me the pleasure?" Victoria had said,
shamefacedly, putting out a hand to stroke the girl's hair. Whereupon
Felicia had thrown herself impulsively on her knees, with her arms round
the speaker, and there had been a mingled moment of laughter and emotion
which had left Victoria very much astonished at herself, and given
Hesketh a free hand. Victoria's solitary pursuits, the awkward or stately
reserve of her ordinary manner, were deplorably interfered with, indeed,
by the advent of this lovely, neglected child, who on her side had fallen
passionately in love with Victoria at first sight and seemed to be now
rarely happy out of her company.
After which digression we may return for a moment to Felicia on the
loggia, admiring her new shoes.
From that passing ecstasy, she emerged resolved.
"We will stay here till Christmas--and--"
But on the rest of her purpose she shut her small lips firmly. Before
she turned indoors, however, she gave some attention to the course of a
white road in the middle distance, on which she had travelled with Lord
Tatham the day he had taken her to Green Cottage.
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