Chapter 3--Uncles
When Rose woke next morning, she was not sure whether she had dreamedwhat occurred the night before, or it had actually happened. So shehopped up and dressed, although it was an hour earlier than she usuallyrose, for she could not sleep any more, being possessed with a strongdesire to slip down and see if the big portmanteau and packing caseswere really in the hall. She seemed to remember tumbling over them whenshe went to bed, for the aunts had sent her off very punctually, becausethey wanted their pet nephew all to themselves.
The sun was shining, and Rose opened her window to let in the soft Mayair fresh from the sea. As she leaned over her little balcony, watchingan early bird get the worm, and wondering how she should like UncleAlec, she saw a man leap the garden wall and come whistling up the path.At first she thought it was some trespasser, but a second look showedher that it was her uncle returning from an early dip into the sea. Shehad hardly dared to look at him the night before, because whenever shetried to do so she always found a pair of keen blue eyes looking at her.Now she could take a good stare at him as he lingered along, lookingabout him as if glad to see the old place again.
A brown, breezy man, in a blue jacket, with no hat on the curly head,which he shook now and then like a water dog; broad-shouldered, alert inhis motions, and with a general air of strength and stability about himwhich pleased Rose, though she could not explain the feeling of comfortit gave her. She had just said to herself, with a sense of relief, "Iguess I shall like him, though he looks as if he made people mind," whenhe lifted his eyes to examine the budding horse-chestnut overhead,and saw the eager face peering down at him. He waved his hand to her,nodded, and called out in a bluff, cheery voice,
"You are on deck early, little niece."
"I got up to see if you had really come, uncle."
"Did you? Well, come down here and make sure of it."
"I'm not allowed to go out before breakfast, sir."
"Oh, indeed!" with a shrug. "Then I'll come aboard and salute," headded; and, to Rose's great amazement, Uncle Alec went up one of thepillars of the back piazza hand over hand, stepped across the roof,and swung himself into her balcony, saying, as he landed on the widebalustrade: "Have you any doubts about me now, ma'am?"
Rose was so taken aback, she could only answer with a smile as she wentto meet him.
"How does my girl do this morning?" he asked, taking the little coldhand she gave him in both his big warm ones.
"Pretty well, thank you, sir."
"Ah, but it should be very well. Why isn't it?"
"I always wake up with a headache, and feel tired."
"Don't you sleep well?"
"I lie awake a long time, and then I dream, and my sleep does not seemto rest me much."
"What do you do all day?"
"Oh, I read, and sew a little, and take naps, and sit with auntie."
"No running about out of doors, or house-work, or riding, hey?"
"Aunt Plenty says I'm not strong enough for much exercise. I drive outwith her sometimes, but I don't care for it."
"I'm not surprised at that," said Uncle Alec, half to himself, adding,in his quick way: "Who have you had to play with?"
"No one but Ariadne Blish, and she was such a goose I couldn't bearher. The boys came yesterday, and seemed rather nice; but, of course, Icouldn't play with them."
"Why not?"
"I'm too old to play with boys."
"Not a bit of it; that's just what you need, for you've beenmolly-coddled too much. They are good lads, and you'll be mixed up withthem more or less for years to come, so you may as well be friends andplaymates at once. I will look you up some girls also, if I can find asensible one who is not spoilt by her nonsensical education."
"Phebe is sensible, I'm sure, and I like her, though I only saw heryesterday," cried Rose, waking up suddenly.
"And who is Phebe, if you please?"
Rose eagerly told all she knew, and Uncle Alec listened, with an oddsmile lurking about his mouth, though his eyes were quite sober as hewatched the face before him.
"I'm glad to see that you are not aristocratic in your tastes, but Idon't quite make out why you like this young lady from the poor-house."
"You may laugh at me, but I do. I can't tell why, only she seems sohappy and busy, and sings so beautifully, and is strong enough to scruband sweep, and hasn't any troubles to plague her," said Rose, making afunny jumble of reasons in her efforts to explain.
"How do you know that?"
"Oh, I was telling her about mine, and asked if she had any, and shesaid, 'No, only I'd like to go to school, and I mean to some day."
"So she doesn't call desertion, poverty, and hard work, troubles? She'sa brave little girl, and I shall be proud to know her." And Uncle Alecgave an approving nod, that made Rose wish she had been the one to earnit.
"But what are these troubles of yours, child?" he asked, after a minuteof silence.
"Please don't ask me, uncle."
"Can't you tell them to me as well as to Phebe?"
Something in his tone made Rose feel that it would be better to speakout and be done with it, so she answered, with sudden colour and avertedeyes,
"The greatest one was losing dear papa."
As she said that, Uncle Alec's arm came gently round her, and he drewher to him, saying, in the voice so like papa's,
"That is a trouble which I cannot cure, my child; but I shall try tomake you feel it less. What else, dear?"
"I am so tired and poorly all the time, I can't do anything I want to,and it makes me cross," sighed Rose, rubbing the aching head like afretful child.
"That we can cure and we will," said her uncle, with a decided nodthat made the curls bob on his head, to that Rose saw the gray onesunderneath the brown.
"Aunt Myra says I have no constitution, and never shall be strong,"observed Rose, in a pensive tone, as if it was rather a nice thing to bean invalid.
"Aunt Myra is a ahem! an excellent woman, but it is her hobby to believethat everyone is tottering on the brink of the grave; and, upon my life,I believe she is offended if people don't fall into it! We will show herhow to make constitutions and turn pale-faced little ghosts into rosy,hearty girls. That's my business, you know," he added, more quietly, forhis sudden outburst had rather startled Rose.
"I had forgotten you were a doctor. I'm glad of it, for I do want to bewell, only I hope you won't give me much medicine, for I've taken quartsalready, and it does me no good."
As she spoke, Rose pointed to a little table just inside the window, onwhich appeared a regiment of bottles.
"Ah, ha! Now we'll see what mischief these blessed women have been at."And, making a long arm, Dr. Alec set the bottles on the wide railingbefore him, examined each carefully, smiled over some, frowned overothers, and said, as he put down the last: "Now I'll show you the bestway to take these messes." And, as quick as a flash, he sent one afteranother smashing down into the posy-beds below.
"But Aunt Plenty won't like it; and Aunt Myra will be angry, for shesent most of them!" cried Rose, half frightened and half pleased at suchenergetic measures.
"You are my patient now, and I'll take the responsibility. My way ofgiving physic is evidently the best, for you look better already," hesaid, laughing so infectiously that Rose followed suit, saying saucily,
"If I don't like your medicines any better than those, I shall throwthem into the garden, and then what will you do?"
"When I prescribe such rubbish, I'll give you leave to pitch itoverboard as soon as you like. Now what is the next trouble?"
"I hoped you would forget to ask."
"But how can I help you if I don't know them? Come, let us have No. 3."