A GLIMPSE OF THE TOWER ROOM
Not even the excitement of anticipation could keep the Merediths awake that first night of their visit to Land's End, but after a refreshing sleep, bright and early the next morning they were awakened by the sun shining through the green blinds that shaded the old castle windows.
Also by Aunt Janice calling pleasantly, "Did you have a good night's rest, and are you ready to go down to breakfast now?"
She beamed happily around on all the young Meredith's, as they hurriedly joined her at the top of the stairs.
A little later at the breakfast table she asked suddenly,—"What shall the program be today; an exploring expedition into the forest—a trip to the city to shop, or perhaps a ride on the ponies and a visit to the old castle gardens?"
"Oh," chorused the Merediths—"everything sounds so delightful, it's hard to choose!"
Aunt Janice's eyes twinkled.
"Perhaps I'd best help you out to begin with then—suppose you explore the gardens and the old place this morning; then by the afternoon, you'll be ready to choose what you'd prefer next. I shall not go along, but you are to feel perfectly at home; go anywhere you fancy— only —," Aunt Janice lowered her voice—"only pass quickly by the tower room at the extreme west wing—perhaps sometime—," the old lady paused, a sigh escaping her lips, that she forgot to stifle, but quickly remembering, brought back a bright smile, as she first led them in family prayers and then waved them off, bidding her young visitors to have a happy morning.
"What a wonderful old place!" Nora was the first to speak, as they passed here and there examining one thing after another.
"It certainly is," Harry's eyes were thoughtful. "I wonder why Dad has only dropped a word, here and there, of it, and about Aunt Janice. I hardly realized that she was real until we came and saw!"
"It puzzles me, too," Nora agreed, "I keep thinking that maybe I'll wake up directly and find I've been dreaming."
"And we thought Land's End was going to be the end of everything! The old place holds a mystery, and I can't but wonder what it is."
The undercurrent of excitement was thrilling to the Merediths, as their thoughts turned to Aunt Janice's parting injunction about the tower room.
"If there's anything bothering Aunt Janice, I'd do anything to help her out." Nora was speaking softly.
"Perhaps we can help," Don said, "anyhow we can follow out her instructions, whatever they may be."
"I love Aunt Janice," Alice joined in, "don't you?"
"She's a perfectly darling old lady," Beth replied, a sentiment that expressed the feelings of all the Merediths.
A sudden turn in their wanderings, revealed the mysterious west wing and tower room, that was uppermost, just then, in their minds.
With its clinging ivy that covered the old walls, it looked more mysterious than they dreamed it would. In another moment, however, they remembered what Aunt Janice had said, and hurried on by.
"I don't think we ought to look at it even at a distance," Nora remarked, "because I'm sure that room holds the secret that shadows the old place; for some reason Aunt Janice isn't ready to disclose it."
"And I believe that Dad would have told us all about the castle if it hadn't been for the mystery." Janey glanced back over her shoulder as she spoke, then gave a suppressed scream.
"There's someone inside the tower room," she gasped—"I saw a handkerchief waving behind the ivy covered window!"
"Hush!" Nora broke in hurriedly, "you imagined that, Janey—probably a white pigeon has flown in and can't find its way out again."
"Imagined indeed!" Janey's voice was shaking with excitement, "I tell you that someone is there at this moment, peering through those overhanging vines."
Alice began to cry softly, while Nora had to turn her attention toward pacifying the little girl.
"Don't cry Alice, I think it is only a white pigeon that can't escape, and is flying back and forth to find an opening; there's nothing mysterious in that; now promise not to say anything of this to Aunt Janice."
"I'll try to remember," and Alice dried her tears with Nora's words of comfort, and soon they caught up with the party ahead, and for the time being the incident was forgotten.
The morning hours slipped rapidly along, but at last they had gone over the old place and gardens, which stretched around on all sides. With reluctance they then retraced their steps, thinking perhaps they were overstaying their time.
Aunt Janice was standing in the door awaiting them.
"Did you have a pleasant morning; and what do you think of the old gardens?"
"Beautiful" and "Wonderful!" Their exclamations of delight and pleasure, were quite satisfying to Aunt Janice.
"We're having the loveliest visit, and everything is charming."
The old lady's face was a picture, as she smiled on the group, reacting to the breath of youth, again awakened in her heart, by these happy young visitors.
"Suppose it could be managed, would all of you care to make the old castle your—home?" She spoke on impulse on hearing their words of praise.
"Oh, Aunt Janice—" Nora replied quickly, "it would seem like the happy ending to a book!"
"Perhaps it can be arranged then," the old lady clasped her hands together—"you could have all of the advantages of the near-by city, and yet we could have a merry time out here in the old homestead, if only Gwen—" she paused, suddenly remembering, and cut short the words unuttered.
"Come—" she said, turning abruptly, "lunch is waiting, and I feel sure you must be ready for it, after the morning hours of exploration."