A Girl to Come Home To (Musaicum Romance Classics). Grace Livingston Hill
but Jeremy saw him, and he looked quickly away toward his mother. How would she take this announcement?
But Margaret Graeme was a thoroughbred, and she lifted calm eyes to the unwelcome relative and answered in a low, quiet voice without a quaver in it, “Why certainly, Louella, that engagement was broken long ago, soon after Rodney went away to war.”
“It was? But Margaret, you must be mistaken about that. You know I was here for a long time and no one ever said a word about it to me.”
“Why should they, Louella? It wasn’t a matter that any but the two concerned had any right to talk over. Won’t you sit down and have a piece of Hetty’s lemon pie and a cup of coffee with us? Jerry, bring that chair over here by me for her.”
“Well, yes, I don’t mind if I do have a cup of coffee,” she said in a parenthesis, “but Margaret, who broke it, Rodney or the girl?”
Then before the gentle-voiced mother could reply, Rodney spoke up haughtily, “That’s not a matter for outsiders to discuss, Cousin Louella,” he said, and Jeremy, listening, caught the look that Rodney must have worn when he went out after the enemy and felt like cheering for him.
It was then that the wise, quiet father put in his voice. “Cousin Louella, did you ever succeed in getting in touch with that lawyer out west who had had to do with that property that you were so worried about when you were there last?”
The cousin turned, annoyed, and answered sharply, “No, I didn’t, not yet. We’ll talk of that later. You know, Donald, I hate to be interrupted when I’m talking about something else, and I’m not through with this matter yet. I want to know the truth about this before I speak of other things. Rodney, suppose you tell me the whole story, and then I shall know what to answer when I’m asked.”
Then Rodney sat up straight and faced the curious cousin sternly in most decided tones. “I’ve nothing to say, Cousin Louella, and I should think if anybody asked you impudent questions like that, the only answer would be to say it was none of their business.”
“Oh, but Rodney! That would not do at all. If the engagement is broken, why did that girl come here to see you tonight? Does she want to make it up?”
“I really don’t know,” said Rodney in a cold voice. “She couldn’t have known that I was here, unless some lousy sneak who had seen me get off the train told her. Even Mom didn’t know I was coming.”
“Oh, I told her,” said the cousin serenely. “I met her as I was coming away from the post office where I had stopped for a package. They sent me a notice that it had come for me postage due, and I told her.”
“Oh, you told her,” said Father Graeme. “And how did you know, Louella?” His face was grave and his voice very stern.
“Why, the taxicab driver told me. He saw the boys as they went across lots from the station, and he was eager to tell me. And later, coming out of the post office I met Jessica, and she said she wondered if Rodney had come home yet, and I said, yes, he had.”
“Oh,” said the master of the house. “Well, now, Louella, if you’ve got that off your chest I think you and I will go into the other room and talk over that matter of business.”
Mr. Graeme took his last bit of pie and the last swallow of coffee and arose with finality. But the persistent guest sat still, her full coffee cup in her hand, and shook her head with firm determination. “No indeed, Donald. I intend to finish this lovely pie and coffee before I talk business, but I certainly have to get a little more data about this broken engagement.”
The she took her first bite of her pie, and the children by common consent arose from the table and followed their father from the room, wearing amused and angry looks, if one can combine those two adjectives.
And there were only Margaret Graeme and Louella left at the table, while Louella took another bite of the pie and cast an eager inquiry toward her hostess. “Now, Margaret, they’ve gone, and you’ll tell me all about it, won’t you? I feel terribly hurt to have been left out of this important happening of the family. When did you first find it out, and weren’t you terribly disappointed and grieved?”
“No, I’m sorry you feel that way, Louella,” answered Rodney’s mother. “I don’t feel that it was so important a happening. It was just a youthful high school attachment, you know, and things of that sort are better ignored, don’t you think? No, I wasn’t disappointed. I knew if it wasn’t the wisest, best arrangement all around it would work itself out, and we were all quite satisfied that it did. But I do feel that it is a thing of the past and not to be brought into our conversation again. And now, Louella, what plans have you made? Are you to be in this region long, or do you have to go right back? And where is your luggage? I ought to have asked you if you didn’t want to go upstairs and freshen up. Did you come right here from the train?”
“No,” said Cousin Louella coldly, “I went to the inn first and left my things and then took a taxi over here. You see, I had no idea of course if you would be home or gone perhaps to Florida.”
Louella finished her coffee hurriedly and rose. “Thanks for the coffee. It just touched the spot. And now if you don’t mind, I’ll run on. I’ve a room at the inn, and there are people I want to see who may be waiting for me, so I better go at once. As for the business, it can wait, or I may find a lawyer who can help me. No, don’t call a taxi, I’ll phone the inn to send their cab for me, and don’t disturb yourself for me. I’ll be seeing you again before I leave, that is, if I get time. Good night!” And Louella walked angrily to the telephone in the hall and sent for her cab. It was not long before she was gone and the family was rejoicing in her departure. Then Mother Graeme gathered her children around her and beamed on them, and Father Graeme poked the fire into brilliancy again, drew down the shades as for a blackout, turned out the lights in the hall, locked and chained the front door, and in every way made sure that no more callers would seek welcome that night in the Graeme home.
“Maybe it’s selfish,” he said as he came smiling back to the library again, “but I declare if we can’t have one evening with our children to ourselves after all these long months of anxiety and waiting, I’ll do something desperate!”
And the children lifted proud, happy eyes.
“Thanks, Dad. That’s what we wanted!” said Jeremy.
“Here, too!” said Rodney.
“And Mom, if anybody else tries to break into the family sanctum, let’s make them have an examination on what topics of conversation they are going to select to talk about before we pass them in,” said Kathie.
“That’s all right by me,” said the smiling lips of the mother in her best imitation of the present-day slang. And then they all burst into a joyful round of laughter, and the mother had to wipe some happy tears away before she could hold hands with her two boys, seated on the floor one on each side of her.
And then began the happy converse that they had been anticipating all the way across the sea.
CHAPTER IV
If the Graemes had been able to look in on their last caller in her comfortable apartment at the inn and seen the luxurious appointments, the elaborate little evening repast that was being set out for her expected guest, they would no longer have been under the impression that she was hard up financially. She had spared nothing to give the right touch of festivity to her setting, including candles on the little table, set in readiness.
She hurriedly changed into a charming outfit, gave just the right touch to her hair with an artificial rose that dropped attractively to one side. Then she took up her position in a comfortable chair with one of the latest bestsellers, the kind of book that was the rage in the fashionable world. A glance at the clock and she settled herself for at least five minutes of pleasant relaxation.
But