Millicent's Double Page #2

"Millicent's Double" by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a charming short story that explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of human relationships. The narrative follows Millicent, a young woman who, feeling confined by societal expectations, finds an unexpected opportunity to explore her true self through an intriguing encounter. As she navigates the duality of her existence, Millicent learns valuable lessons about love, authenticity, and the courage to embrace one's unique individuality. With Montgomery's signature lyrical prose, the story delicately weaves humor and poignancy, making it a delightful read for fans of her work.

• Short story

								

start at first. You are very like what a half-sister of mine used to
be when a girl long ago. Of course the resemblance must be quite
accidental."

"Of course," said Worth, without any very clear sense of what she was
saying. Her face was uncomfortably flushed and she was glad when tea
was announced.

As nothing more of an embarrassing nature was said, Worth soon
recovered her self-possession and was able to enter into the
conversation. She liked the Kirbys; still, under her enjoyment, she
was conscious of a strange, disagreeable feeling that deepened as the
evening wore on. It was not fear--she was not at all afraid of
betraying herself now. It had even been easier than she had expected.
Then what was it? Suddenly Worth flushed again. She knew now--it was
shame. She was a guest in that house as an impostor! What she had done
seemed no longer a mere joke. What would her host and hostess say if
they knew? That they would never know made no difference. She
herself could not forget it, and her realization of the baseness of
the deception grew stronger under Mrs. Kirby's cordial kindness.

Worth never forgot that evening. She compelled herself to chat as
brightly as possible, but under it all was that miserable
consciousness of falsehood, deepening every instant. She was thankful
when the time came to leave. "You must come up often, Miss Moore,"
said Mrs. Kirby kindly. "Look upon Beechwood as a second home while
you are in Kinglake. We have no daughter of our own, so we make a
hobby of cultivating other people's."

When Millicent returned home from the Alpha Gamma outing, she found
Worth in their room, looking soberly at the mirror. Something in her
chum's expression alarmed her. "Worth, what is it? Did they suspect?"

"No," said Worth slowly. "They never suspected. They think I am what I
pretended to be--Millicent Moore. But, but, I wish I'd never gone to
Beechwood, Millie. It wasn't right. It was mean and wrong. It was
acting a lie. I can't tell you how ashamed I felt when I realized
that."

"Nonsense," said Millicent, looking rather sober, nevertheless. "No
harm was done. It's only a good joke, Worth."

"Yes, harm has been done. I've done harm to myself, for one thing.
I've lost my self-respect. I don't blame you, Millie. It's all my own
fault. I've done a dishonourable thing, dishonourable."

Millicent sighed. "The Alpha Gamma picnic was horribly slow," she
said. "I didn't enjoy myself a bit. I wish I had gone to Beechwood. I
didn't think about it's being a practical falsehood before. I suppose
it was. And I've always prided myself on my strict truthfulness! It
wasn't your fault, Worth! It was mine. But it can't be undone now."

"No, it can't be undone," said Worth slowly, "but it might be
confessed. We might tell Mrs. Kirby the truth and ask her to forgive
us."

"I couldn't do such a thing," cried Millicent. "It isn't to be thought
of!"

Nevertheless, Millicent did think of it several times that night and
all through the following Sunday. She couldn't help thinking of it. A
dishonourable trick! That thought stung Millicent. Monday evening
Millicent flung down the book from which she was vainly trying to
study.

"Worthie, it's no use. You were right. There's nothing to do but go
and 'fess up to Mrs. Kirby. I can't respect Millicent Moore again
until I do. I'm going right up now."

"I'll go with you," said Worth quietly. "I was equally to blame and I
must take my share of the humiliation."

When the girls reached Beechwood, they were shown into the library
where the family were sitting. Mrs. Kirby came smilingly forward to
greet Millicent when her eyes fell upon Worth. "Why! why!" she said.
"I didn't know you had a twin sister, Miss Moore."

"Neither I have," said Millicent, laughing nervously. "This is my
chum, Worth Gordon, but she is no relation whatever."

At the mention of Worth's name, Mr. Kirby started slightly, but nobody
noticed it. Millicent went on in a trembling voice. "We've come up to
confess something, Mrs. Kirby. I'm sure you'll think it dreadful, but
we didn't mean any harm. We just didn't realize, until afterwards."

Then Millicent, with burning cheeks, told the whole story and asked to
be forgiven. "I, too, must apologize," said Worth, when Millicent had
finished. "Can you pardon me, Mrs. Kirby?"

Mrs. Kirby had listened in amazed silence, but now she laughed.
"Certainly," she said kindly. "I don't suppose it was altogether right
for you girls to play such a trick on anybody. But I can make
allowances for schoolgirl pranks. I was a school girl once myself, and
far from a model one. You have atoned for your mistake by coming so
frankly and confessing, and now we'll forget all about it. I think you
have learned your lesson. Both of you must just sit down and spend the
evening with us. Dear me, but you are bewilderingly alike!"

"I've something I want to say," interposed Mr. Kirby suddenly. "You
say your name is Worth Gordon," he added, turning to Worth. "May I ask
what your mother's name was?"

"Worth Mowbray," answered Worth wonderingly.

"I was sure of it," said Mr. Kirby triumphantly, "when I heard Miss
Moore mention your name. Your mother was my half-sister, and you are
my niece."

Everybody exclaimed and for a few moments they all talked and
questioned together. Then Mr. Kirby explained fully. "I was born on a
farm up-country. My mother was a widow when she married my father, and
she had one daughter, Worth Mowbray, five years older than myself.
When I was three years old, my mother died. Worth went to live with
our mother's only living relative, an aunt. My father and I removed to
another section of the country. He, too, died soon after, and I was
brought up with an uncle's family. My sister came to see me once when
she was a girl of seventeen and, as I remember her, very like you are
now. I never saw her again and eventually lost trace of her. Many
years later I endeavoured to find out her whereabouts. Our aunt was
dead, and the people in the village where she had lived informed me
that my sister was also dead. She had married a man named Gordon and
had gone away, both she and her husband had died, and I was informed
that they left no children, so I made no further inquiries. There is
no doubt that you are her daughter. Well, well, this is a pleasant
surprise, to find a little niece in this fashion!"

It was a pleasant surprise to Worth, too, who had thought herself all
alone in the world and had felt her loneliness keenly. They had a
wonderful evening, talking and questioning and explaining. Mr. Kirby
declared that Worth must come and live with them. "We have no
daughter," he said. "You must come to us in the place of one, Worth."

Mrs. Kirby seconded this with a cordiality that won Worth's affection
at once. The girl felt almost bewildered by her happiness.

"I feel as if I were in a dream," she said to Millicent as they walked

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