It made Dolores's heart go down farther, though there was a beautiful
and unexpected card from Mrs. Sefton, one from her former servant,
Caroline, also from Fraulein, and three or four from old friends of her
mother, who had remembered the solitary girl. In truth, she had more
beautiful ones than anybody else, but she kept these in their
envelopes, and showed herself so much averse to free fingering and
admiration of them that Lady Merrifield had to call off Valetta, remind
her that her cousin had a right to her own cards, and hear in return
that Dolores was so cross.
'Dolly,' said Uncle Reginald, in a low voice, since he was permitted to
look over the cards with her, 'I think I have found out part of your
troubles.'
She looked at him in alarm.
He put his finger on a card bearing the words, 'Goodwill to men.'
'Umph,' said she. 'I don't want everything of mine messed and spoilt.'
And as his eye fell on Fergus's cards, he felt there was reason in what
she said.
Aunt Lily had taken her for a quarter of an hour that morning, trying
to infuse the real thought underlying the joy that makes it Christmas,
not only yule-tide. But it all fell flat--it was all lessons to her--
imposed on her on a day that she had not been used to see made what she
called 'goody.' Last year her father had shut himself up after church,
and she had spent the evening in noisy mirth with the Seftons.
CHAPTER XIII.
AN EGYPTIAN SPHYNX
Aunt Adeline was afraid of winter journeys as well as of the tumultuous
festivities of Silverton; so at twelve o'clock.
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