Transcribed from the 1902 Macmillan and Co. “CountessKate and The Stokesley Secret” edition ,
COUNTESS KATE
BY
CHARLOTTE M. YONGE
London
MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1902
All rights reserved
Richard Clayand Sons, Limited,
LONDON AND BUNGAY
Transferred to Macmillan andCo., Limited, 1901. Reprinted, 1902.
CHAPTER I.
“There, I’ve done everybit I can do! I’m going to see what o’clock itis.”
“I heard it strike eleven just now.”
“Sylvia, you’ll tip up! What a tremendousstretch!”
“Wha-ooh! Oh dear! We sha’n’tget one moment before dinner! Oh, horrible! oh, horrible!most horrible!”
“Sylvia, you know I hate hearing Hamletprofaned.”
“You can’t hate it more than having no one to hearour lessons.”
“That makes you do it. What on earth can Mary beabout?”
“Some tiresome woman to speak to her, Isuppose.”
“I’m sure it can’t be as much her businessas it is to mind her poor little sisters. Oh dear! if Papacould only afford us a governess!”
“I am sure I should not like it at all; besides, it iswrong to wish to be richer than one is.”
“I don’t wish; I am only thinking how nice itwould be, if some one would give us a famous quantity ofmoney. Then Papa should have a pretty parsonage, like theone at Shagton; and we would make the church beautiful, and getanother pony or two, to ride with Charlie.”
“Yes, and have a garden with a hothouse like Mr.Brown’s.”
“Oh yes; and a governess to teach us to draw. Butbest of all—O Sylvia! wouldn’t it be nice not to haveto mind one’s clothes always? Yes, you laugh; but itcomes easier to you; and, oh dear! oh dear! it is so horrid to bealways having to see one does not tear oneself.”
“I don’t think you do see,” said Sylvia,laughing.
“My frocks always will get upon the thorns. It is very odd.”
“Only do please, Katie dear, let me finish this sum; andthen if Mary is not come, she can’t scold if we are amusingourselves.”
“I know!” cried Kate. “I’ll drawsuch a picture, and tell you all about it when your sum isover.”
Thereon ensued silence in the little room, half parlour, halfstudy, nearly filled with books and piano; and the furniture,though carefully protected with brown holland, looking the worsefor wear, and as if danced over by a good many young folks.
The two little girls, who sat on the opposite sides of alittle square table in the bay-window, were both between ten andeleven years old, but could not have been taken for twins, noreven for sisters, so unlike were their features and complexion;though their dress, very dark grey linsey, and brown hollandaprons, was exactly the same, except that Sylvia’s wasenlivened by scarlet braid, Kate’s darkened byblack—and moreover, Kate’s apron was soiled, and thefrock bore traces of a great darn. In fact, new frocks forthe pair were generally made necessary by Kate’s tatteredstate, whe