Saidee, well and
safe, and lovely as ever, hardly changed in feature, and yet--there was
something strange about her, something which stopped the joyous beating
of the girl's heart. It was almost as if she had died and come to
Heaven, to find that Heaven was not Heaven at all, but a cold place of
fear.
She was shocked at the impression, blaming herself. Surely Saidee did
not know her yet, that was all; or the surprise was too great. She
wished she had sent word by the negress. Though that would have seemed
banal, it would have been better than to see the blank look on Saidee's
face, a look which froze her into a marble statue. But it was too late
now. The only thing left was to make the best of a bad beginning.
"Oh, darling!" Victoria cried. "Have I frightened you? Dearest--my
beautiful one, it's your little sister. All these years I've been
waiting--waiting to find a way. You knew I would come some day, didn't
you?"
Tears poured down her face. She tried to believe they were tears of joy,
such as she had often thought to shed at sight of Saidee. She had been
sure that she could not keep them back, and that she would not try. They
should have been sweet as summer rain, but they burned her eyes and her
cheeks as they fell. Saidee was silent. The girl held out her arms,
running a step or two, then, faltering, she let her arms fall. They felt
heavy and stiff, as if they had been turned to wood.
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