Part 16 (1/2)
”A lifetime,” he replied gravely.
”You are still living! Will you walk into my parlour?”
”Will you meet me at the door?”
It was so pleasant to seem gay, to say nothing, be nothing! She came quietly over to the fence and gave him her hand with a little laugh.”
”You have holiday of Sat.u.r.days. I have not, you see. But I can take a recess: come in. You are looking well! Wounds agree with you.”
He went trembling round to the gate, pa.s.sed in, and they sat down on the bench.
”How things grow in this soil,” she said pointing to the garden. ”It has only been five or six weeks since you were here. Do you remember? I was planting the seed: now look at the plants!”
”I, too, was sowing that afternoon,” he replied musingly. ”But my harvest ripened before yours; I have already reaped it.”
”What's that you are saying about me?” called out a hard, smooth voice from over the fence at their back. ”I don't like to miss anything!”
Amy had a piece of sewing, which she proceeded to spread upon the fence.
”Will you show me about this, Aunt Jessica?”
She greeted John without embarra.s.sment or discernible remembrance of their last meeting. Her fine blond hair was frowsy and a b.u.t.ton was missing at the throat of her dress. (Some women begin to let themselves go after marriage; some after the promise of marriage.) There were cake-crumbs also in one corner of her mouth.
”These are some of my wedding clothes,” she said to him prettily. ”Aren't they fine?”
Mrs. Falconer drew her attention for a moment and they began to measure the cloth over the back of her finger, counting the lengths under her breath.
Amy took a pin from the bosom of her dress and picked between her pearly teeth daintily.
”Aunt Jessica,” she suddenly inquired with mischievous look at John, ”before you were engaged to uncle, was there any one else you liked better?”
With a terrible inward start, he shot a covert glance at her and dropped his eyes. Mrs. Falconer's answer was playful and serene.
”It has been a long time; it's hard to remember. But I've heard of such cases.”
There was something in the reply that surprised Amy and she peeped under Mrs. Falconer's bonnet to see what was going on. She had learned that a great deal went on under that bonnet.
”Well, after you were engaged to him, was there anybody else?”
”I don't think I remember. But I've known of such cases.”
Amy peeped again, and the better to see for herself hereafter, coolly lifted the bonnet off. ”Well, after you were married to him,” she said, ”was there anybody else? I've known of such cases,” she added, with a dry imitation of the phrase.
”You have made me forget my lengths,” said Mrs. Falconer with unruffled innocence. ”I'll have to measure again.”
Amy turned to John with sparkling eyes.
”Did you ever know a man who was in love with a married woman?”
”Yes,” said John, secretly writhing, but too truthful to say ”no.”
”What did he do about it?” asked Amy.
”I don't know,” replied John, shortly.