Chapter VI

           IremainedinLondonseveralweeks.IstayedbecausetheMacNairnsweresogoodtome.IcouldnothavetoldanyonehowIlovedMrs.MacNairn,andhowdifferenteverythingseemedwhenIwaswithher.Iwasnevershywhenweweretogether.Thereseemedtobenosuchthingasshynessintheworld.IwasnotshywithMr.MacNairn,either.AfterIhadsatunderthebigapple-treeboughsinthewalledgardenafewtimesIrealizedthatIhadbeguntobelongtosomebody.Thosetwomarvelouspeoplecaredformeinthatway—inawaythatmademefeelasifIwerearealgirl,notmerelyaqueerlittleawkwardghostinafar-awaycastlewhichnobodywantedtovisitbecauseitwassodullanddesolateandfarfromLondon.Theyweresoclever,andknewalltheinterestingthingsintheworld,buttheirclevernessandexperienceneverbewilderedoroverwhelmedme.

           “Youwerebornawonderfullittlecreature,andAngusMacayrehasfilledyourmindwithstrange,richfurnishingsandmarvelouscolorandform,”Mrs.MacNairnactuallysaidtomeonedaywhenweweresittingtogetherandshewasholdingmyhandandsoftly,slowlypattingit.Shehadawayofdoingthat,andshehadalsoawayofkeepingmeverynearherwhenevershecould.ShesaidoncethatshelikedtotouchmenowandthentomakesurethatIwasquiterealandwouldnotmeltaway.Ididnotknowthenwhyshesaidit,butIunderstoodafterward.

           Sometimeswesatundertheapple-treeuntilthelongtwilightdeepenedintoshadow,whichclosedroundus,andanightingalethatlivedinthegardenbegantosing.