“Are you going to scold me?” he asked.
“I am,” she said. “I am going
to take you out and push you into the deepest part
of the lake. I’m so disappointed.
Why, John, for the first time in my life I’ve
selected a girl for you, the very most suitable girl
I ever saw, and I hoped and hoped for three days that
when you came you’d like her. Of course
I wasn’t so rash as to say a word to her!
But I’ve thought myself into a state where
I’m going to be sick with disappointment.”
“But wait, Mother, wait until I can manage to
meet the girl I’ve seen. Wait until I
have a chance to show her to you!” he begged.
“I suppose I shall be forced,” she said.
“I’ve always dreaded it, now here it
comes. Oh, why couldn’t it have been Kate?
Why did she go to that silly concert? If only
I’d kept her here, and we’d walked down
to the station. I’d half a mind to!”
Then the door opened, and Kate stepped into the room.
She stood still, looking at them. John Jardine
stood up, looking at her. His mother sat staring
at them in turn. Kate recovered first.
“Please excuse me,” she said.
She laid the letters on a small table and turned to
go. John caught his mother’s hand closer,
when he found himself holding it.
“If you know the young lady, Mother,”
he said, “why don’t you introduce us?”
“Oh, I was so bewildered by your coming,”
she said. “Kate, dear, let me present
my son.”
Kate crossed the room, and looking straight into each
other’s eyes they shook hands and found chairs.
“How was your concert, my dear?” asked
Mrs. Jardine.
“I don’t think it was very good,”
said Kate. “Not at all up to my expectations.
How did you like it, Mr. Jardine?”
“Was that a concert?” he asked.
“It was supposed to be,” said Kate.
“Thank you for the information,” he said.
“I didn’t see it, I didn’t hear
it, I don’t know where I was.”
“This is most astonishing,” said Kate.
Mrs. Jardine looked at her son, her eyes two big imperative
question marks. He nodded slightly.
“My soul!” she cried, then lay back in
her chair half-laughing, half-crying, until Kate feared
she might have another attack of heart trouble.
The following morning they breakfasted together
under the branches of the big maple tree in a beautiful
world. Mrs. Jardine was so happy she could only
taste a bite now and then, when urged to. Kate
was trying to keep her head level, and be natural.
John Jardine wanted to think of everything, and succeeded
fairly well. It seemed to Kate that he could
invent more ways to spend money, and spend it with
freer hand, than any man she ever had heard of, but
she had to confess that the men she had heard about
were concerned with keeping their money, not scattering
it.
