FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232  
233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   >>   >|  
ay it is born." Anne was beaming. "And on that same day, mother dear, I will replace the amount that you turn over to--" "You will do nothing of the kind," said Mrs. Tresslyn sharply. "I am not doing this thing because I am kind-hearted, affectionate, or even remorseful. I shall do it because it pleases me, and not for the sake of pleasing any one else. Now we'll drop the subject. I do hope, however, that if George doesn't take the trouble to telephone me within a reasonable time after his child comes into the world--say within a day or two--I hope you will do so." "Really, mother, you are a very wonderful person," said Anne, rather wide- eyed. "No more wonderful, my dear, than Lutie Carnahan, if you will pause for a moment to think of what _she_ did." "She is very proud, and very happy," said Anne dubiously. "She and George may refuse to accept this--" "My dear Anne," interrupted her mother calmly, "pray let me remind you that Lutie is no fool. And now, tell me something about your plans. Where are you going for the summer?" "That depends entirely on where my nephew wants to spend the heated term," said Anne brightly. "I shall take him and Lutie into the country with me." Mrs. Tresslyn winced. "It doesn't sound quite so terrible as grandson, at any rate," she remarked, considering the first sentence only. "I do hope it will be a boy," mused Anne. "I believe I could love her if she gave us a boy," said the other. "I am beginning to feel that we need more men in the family." One of the last to drop in during the afternoon to welcome Anne back to the fold was the imposing and more or less redoubtable Mrs. Wintermill, head of the exclusive family to which Percy belonged. Percy's father was still alive but he was a business man, and as such he met his family as he would any other liability: when necessary. Mrs. Wintermill's first remark after saying that she was glad to see Anne looking so well was obviously the result of a quick and searching glance around the room. "Isn't Percy here?" she inquired. Anne had just had an uncomfortable half minute on the telephone with Percy. "Not unless he is hiding behind that couch over there, Mrs. Wintermill," she said airily. "He is coming up later, I believe." "I was to meet him here," said Mrs. Wintermill, above flippancy. "Is it five o'clock?" "No," said Anne. Mrs. Wintermill smiled again. She was puzzled a little by the somewhat convulsive gurgle
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232  
233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Wintermill

 

family

 

mother

 
wonderful
 
telephone
 

George

 
Tresslyn
 

liability

 

business

 

father


belonged
 

beginning

 

redoubtable

 

exclusive

 

imposing

 
afternoon
 

flippancy

 

coming

 

airily

 
convulsive

gurgle

 
puzzled
 

smiled

 

hiding

 

result

 

searching

 

remark

 
glance
 

minute

 

uncomfortable


inquired

 

subject

 

trouble

 

reasonable

 

Really

 

person

 

moment

 

Carnahan

 

sharply

 

amount


replace

 

beaming

 

pleasing

 

pleases

 

remorseful

 

hearted

 
affectionate
 

brightly

 

country

 

winced