Kendal's model patience was nearly
exhausted before they called for their little friend. There was
something very sweet and appropriate in her appearance; her dress,
without presuming to share their mourning, did not insult it by gay
colouring; it was a quiet dark violet and white checked silk, a black
mantle, and black velvet bonnet with a few green leaves to the lilac
flowers, and the face when at rest was softly pensive, but ready to
respond with cheerful smiles and grateful looks. She had become more
English, and had dropped much foreign accent and idiom, but without
losing her characteristic grace and power of disembarrassing those to
whom she spoke, and in a few moments even Sophy had lost all sense of
meeting under awkward or melancholy circumstances, and was talking
eagerly to her dear old sympathizing friend.
There was a great exchange of tidings; Genevieve had much to tell of
her dear Rainsforths, the many vicissitudes of anxiety in which she
had shared, and of the children's ways of taking the parting; and of
the dear little Fanny who seemed to have carried away so large a
piece of her susceptible heart, that Sophy could not help breaking
out, 'Well, I do think it is very hard to make yourself a bit of a
mother's heart, only to have it torn out again.'
Albinia smiled, and said, 'After all, Sophy, happiness in this world
is in such loving, only we don't find it out till the rent has been
made.
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