Nanny was not sitting on the bench near the gate and Donal was
not to be seen amusing himself. But he was somewhere just out of
sight, or, if he had chanced to be late, he would come very soon
even if his Mother could not come with him--though Robin could
not believe she would not. To a child thing both happiness and
despair cannot be conceived of except as lasting forever.
Anne sat down and opened her book. She had reached an exciting
part and looked forward to a thoroughly enjoyable morning.
Robin hopped about for a few minutes. Donal had taught her to hop
and she felt it an accomplishment. Entangled in the meshes of the
feathery, golden, if criminal, ringlets of Lady Audley, Anne did
not know when she hopped round the curve of the walk behind the
lilac and snowball bushes.
Once safe in her bit of enchanted land, the child stood still and
looked about her. There was no kilted figure to be seen, but it
would come towards her soon with swinging plaid and eagle's feather
standing up grandly in its Highland bonnet. He would come soon.
Perhaps he would come running--and the Mother lady would walk
behind more slowly and smile. Robin waited and looked--she waited
and looked.
She was used to waiting but she had never watched for anyone
before. There had never been any one or anything to watch for. The
newness of the suspense gave it a sort of deep thrill at first.
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