"I am sorry I have kept you so long, but there will be less dust
than if we had gone sooner. The other carriages will have had time
to get out of our way," she said, pleasantly. "Winston," coming up
to her brother, and speaking in an undertone, "will it be quite
convenient for you to send for Aunt Rachel on next Friday?"
"Entirely! The carriage shall be at your service at any hour or day
you wish," with more cordiality than was common with him.
However treacherous others might be in their reserve and
half-confessions, here was one who had never deceived him or
knowingly misled him to believe her better, or otherwise, than she
was. Honesty and truth were stamped upon her face by a life-long
practice of these homely virtues--not by meretricious arts. It was
tardy justice, but he rendered it without grudging, if not heartily.
A few words passed as to the hour at which the carriage was to call
for Mrs. Sutton, and Mabel kissed her "Good-by," the others shaking
hands with her, and with three or four of the Tazewell kinsmen who
officiated as masters of ceremonies, and Mrs. Aylett made an
impatient movement toward the front steps. Directly in her route,
leaning against a pillar of the old-fashioned porch, was Frederic
Chilton, no longer dreamy and perplexed, but on the alert with eye
and ear--not losing one sound of her voice, or trick of feature. She
inclined her head slightly and courteously, the notice due a friend
of the house she, as guest, was about to leave. He did not bow, nor
relax the rigor of his watch. Only, when she was seated in the
carriage, he bent respectfully and mutely before Mabel, who followed
her hostess, and paying as little attention to the two gentlemen as
they did to him walked up to Mrs. Sutton, and said something
inaudible to the bystanders. As they drove out of the yard, the
Ridgeley quartette saw the pair saunter, side by side, to the
extreme end of the portico, apparently to be out of hearing of the
rest, but no one remarked aloud upon the renewed intimacy and then
confidential attitude.
"If it is anything very startling, the old gossip will never keep it
to herself," Mr. Aylett congratulated himself, while his wife's
complexion paled gradually to bloodlessness, and Herbert sat back in
his corner, sulky and dumb. "And she is coming to us on Friday!"