Feeling that she must be homesick, Mrs. Noah suggested that she try
the fine piano in the little music-room.
"Maybe you can't play, but you can drum 'Days of Absence,' as most
girls do," and opening the lid she bade Maddy "thump as long as she
liked."
Music was a delight to Maddy, who coveted nothing so much as a
knowledge of it, and sitting down upon the stool, she touched the
soft-toned instrument, ascertaining by her far several sweet chords,
and greatly astonishing Jessie, who wondered at her skill. Twice each
week a teacher came up from Devonshire to give lessons to Jessie, but
as yet she could only play one scale and a few simple bars. These she
attempted to teach to Maddy, who caught at them so quickly and
executed them so well that Jessie was delighted. Maddy ought to take
lessons, she said, and some time during the next day she took to Mrs.
Noah a letter which she had written to Guy. After going into ecstasies
over Maddy, saying she was the nicest kind of a girl, that she prayed
in the morning as well as at night, and looked so sweet in blue, she
asked if she couldn't take music lessons, too, advancing many reasons
why she should, one of which was that she could play now a great deal
better than herself.
It was several days before an answer came to this letter, and when it
did it brought Guy's consent for Maddy to take lessons, together with
a note for Mr. Simons, requesting him to consider Miss Clyde his
pupil, on the same terms with Jessie.
Though greatly pleased with Aikenside, and greatly attached to Jessie,
Maddy had had many hours of loneliness when her heart was back in the
humble cottage where she knew they were missing her so much, but now a
new world, a world of music, was suddenly opened before her, and the
homesickness all disappeared. It had been arranged with Mrs. Noah, by
Agnes, that Jessie should only study for two hours each day,
consequently Maddy had nearly all the time to herself, and well did
she improve it, making so rapid progress that Simons looked on amazed
declaring her case to be without a parallel, while Jessie was left far
behind. Indeed, after a short time Maddy might have been her teacher,
and was of much service to her in practicing her lessons.
Meanwhile the doctor came often to Aikenside, praising Maddy's
progress in music, and though he did not know a single note,
compelling himself to listen while with childlike satisfaction she
played him her last lesson. She was very happy now at Aikenside, where
all were so kind to her, and half wished that the family would always
remain as it was then, that Agnes and Guy would not come home, for
with their coming she felt there would be a change. It was nearly time
now to expect them. Indeed, Guy had written on one Saturday that they
should probably be home the next, and during the ensuing week
Aikenside presented that most uncomfortable phase of a house being
cleaned. Everything must be in order for Mr. Guy, Mrs. Noah said,
taking more pains with his rooms than with the remaining portion of
the building. Guy was her idol; nothing was too good for him, few
things quite good enough, and she said so much in his praise that
Maddy began to shrink from meeting him. What would he think of her?
Perhaps he might not notice her in the least, and that would be
terrible. But, no, a man as kind as he had shown himself to her, would
at least pay her some attention, and so at last she began to
anticipate his coming home, wondering what their first meeting would
be, what she should say to him, and what he would think of her.