Part 42 (1/2)
”He said he was glad, very glad. He has been willing, for a long time, that I should take a child--when I saw one I wanted. He naturally connects Ann with the Saxe Home; her being with you has strengthened this belief. I shall let it go at that--for a time, Betty.”
”Yes. It is better so. After he learns to know and love the child,”
Betty mused, ”the way will be opened. And oh! Lyn, Ann is so wonderful.
She has the most remarkable character--so deep and tenderly true for such a mite.”
”Suppose, Betty--suppose Con notices the likeness!”
At this Betty smiled rea.s.suringly.
”He won't. Men are so stupidly humble. A pretty little girl would escape them every time.”
”But her Southern accent, Betty. It is so p.r.o.nounced.”
”My dear Lyn, it is! She sometimes talks like a little darkey; but to my certain knowledge there are ten small Southerners at the Saxe, of a.s.sorted ages and s.e.xes, waiting for adoption.”
”And she may speak out, Betty. Her silence as to the past will disappear when she has got over her fear and longing.”
Betty looked more serious. ”I doubt it. Not a word has pa.s.sed her lips here--of her mother or home. It has amazed me. She's the most unusual, the most fascinating creature I ever saw, for her age. Brace is wild about her--he wants me to keep her. But, Lyn, if she does break her strange silence, it will be your big hour! Whatever Con is or isn't--and sometimes I feel like hugging him, and again, like shaking him--he's the tenderest man with women--not even excepting Brace--that I have ever seen. It never has occurred to him to reason out how much you love him--he's too busy loving you. But when he finds this out! Well, Lyn, it makes me bow my head and speak low.”
”Don't, Betty! Don't suggest pedestals again,” Lynda pleaded.
”No pedestal, Lyn; no pedestal--but the real, splendid _you_ revealed at last! And now--forget it, dear. Here comes lil' Ann.”
The child tiptoed in with outstretched arms.
”The nest is made right soft,” she whispered, ”and now let me carry Bobilink to--to the sleepy dreams.”
”Where did you learn to carry babies?” Betty hazarded, testing the silence. The small, dark face clouded; the fear-look crept to the large eyes.
”I--I don't know,” was the only reply, and Ann turned away--this time toward Lynda!
”And suppose he never knows?” Lynda spoke with her lips pressed to Ann's soft hair--the child was in her arms.
”Then you and Con will have something to begin heaven with.” Betty's eyes were wet. ”We all have something we don't talk about much on earth--we do not dare. Brace and I have our--baby!”
Two days later Lynda took Ann home. They went shopping first and the child was dazzlingly excited. She forgot her restraint and shyness in the fascinating delirium of telling what she wanted with a pretty sure belief that she would get it. No wonder that she was taken out of herself and broke upon Truedale's astonished gaze as quite a different child from the one Lynda had described.
The brilliant little thing came into the hall with Lynda, her arms filled with packages too precious to be consigned to other hands; her eyes were dancing and her voice thrilling with happiness.
”And now I'll call you muvver-Lyn 'cause you're mighty kind and this is your house! It's a right fine house.”
Truedale had well timed his return home. He was ready to greet the two in the library. The prattling voice charmed him with its delightful mellowness and he went forward gladly to meet Lynda and the new little child. Ann was ahead; Lynda fell back and, with fast-throbbing heart waited by the doorway.
Ann had had a week and more of Brace Kendall to wipe away the impression Burke Lawson had imprinted upon her mind. But she was shy of men and weighed them carefully before showing favours. She stood still when she saw Truedale; she dropped, unheeded, a package; she stared at him, while he waited with extended hands. Then slowly--as if drawn against her will--Ann advanced and laid her hands in his.
”So this is the little girl who has come to help us make Christmas?”
”Yes.” Still that fixed look. It seemed to Lynda the most unnatural thing she had ever seen. And oh! how alike the two were, now that they were together!