'Oh, if they
would only go home!' she said.
'I will send them,' said Mr. Kendal; and presently she heard sounds
of leave-taking, and he came back, as if he had been dispersing a
riot, announcing that the house was clear.
Gilbert and Lucy were watching at the foot of the stairs, the one
pale, and casting anxious, imploring looks at her; the other with
eyes red and swollen with crying, neither venturing near till she
spoke to them, when they advanced noiselessly to look at their little
brother, and it was not till they had caught his eye and made him
smile, that Lucy bethought herself of saying she had known nothing of
his adventure, and Albinia, thus recalled to the thought of the
culprit, asked where Sophy was.
'In her own room,' said Mr. Kendal. 'I could not bear the sight of
her obduracy. Even her aunt was shocked at her want of feeling.'
Low as he spoke, the sternness of his voice frightened the baby, and
she was obliged to run away to the nursery, where she listened to the
contrition of the little nursemaid, who had never suspected Miss
Sophy's intention of taking him out of the house.
'And indeed, ma'am,' she said, 'there is not one of us servants who
dares cross Miss Sophy.'
It was long before Albinia ventured to lay him in his cot, and longer
still before she could feel any security that if she ceased her low,
monotonous lullaby, the little fellow would not wake again in terror,
but the thankfulness and prayer, that, as she grew more calm, gained
fuller possession of her heart, made her recur the more to pity and
forgiveness for the poor girl who had caused the alarm.
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