Part 54 (1/2)
Julia and the cook helping at loose ends and dinner late!
What did it all mean?
”It means,” said the Doctor, ”that you are going to be married, my dear, at ten o'clock in the morning.”
”But why, Daddy--” fear showed in her eyes--
”Ask Emily.”
”Is he--going away,--Emily?”
”Yes, dear.”
”But he mustn't. Derry, do you hear? He is going to France--and he mustn't--”
Derry took her trembling hands in his firm clasp. ”He must go, you know that, dearest.” His touch steadied her.
He leaned down to her and sang:--
”Jeanne D'Arc, Jeanne D'Arc-- Jeanne D'Arc, la victoire est pour vous.”
Her head went up. The color came back to her cheeks.
”Of course,” she said, and put away childish things that she might measure up to the stature of her lover's faith in her.
And it was Jean, the Woman, who talked long that night with her father before he went to France.
CHAPTER XXI
DERRY'S WIFE
It snowed hard the next morning. The General, waking, found the day nurse in charge. Bronson came in to get him ready for his breakfast.
There was about the old man an air of suppressed excitement. He hurried a little in his preparations for the General's bath. But everything was done with exactness, and it was not until the General was shaved and sitting up in his gorgeous mandarin robe that Bronson said, ”I'd like to go out for an hour or two this morning, if you can spare me, sir--”
”In this snow? I thought you hated snow. You've always been a perfect p.u.s.s.y cat about the cold, Bronson.”
”Yes, sir, but this is very important, sir.”
The General ran his eye over the spruce figure.
”And you are all dressed up. I hope you are not going to be married, Bronson.”
It was an old joke between them. Bronson was a pre-destined bachelor, and the General knew it.
But he liked to tease him.
”No, sir. I'll be back in time to look after your lunch, sir.”