The summer vacation had been spent by the Remington's and Maddy at the
seaside, the latter coming to the cottage for a week before returning
to her school in New York, and as the doctor was then absent from
home, she did not meet him at all. Consequently he had not seen her
since she left Aikenside for New York. But she was at home now for the
Christmas holidays--was down at the cottage, too; and unusually
nervous for him, the doctor stood before the little square glass in
his back office, trying to make himself look as well as possible, for
he was going that very afternoon to call upon Miss Clyde. He was glad
she was not at Aikenside; he would rather meet her where Guy was not,
and he hoped he might be fortunate enough to find her alone.
The doctor was seriously in love. He acknowledged that now to himself,
confessing, too, that with his love was mingled a spice of jealousy,
lest Guy Remington should be expending more thought on Maddy Clyde
than was consistent with the promised husband of Lucy Atherstone. He
wished so much to talk with Guy about her, and yet he dreaded it; for
if the talk should confirm his suspicious there would be no hope for
him. No girl in her right mind would prefer him to Guy Remington, and
with a little sigh the doctor was turning away from the glass, when,
as if to verify a familiar proverb, Guy himself drove up in a most
dashing equipage, the silver-tipped harness of his high-mettled steed
flashing in the wintry sunlight, and the bright-hued lining of his
fanciful robes presenting a very gay appearance.
Guy was in the best of spirits. For an entire half day he had tried to
devise some means to getting Maddy up to Aikenside. It was quite too
bad for her to spend the whole vacation at the cottage, as she seemed
likely to do. He knew she was lonely there; that the bare floor and
low, dark walls affected her unpleasantly. He had seen that in her
face when he bade her good-by, for he had carried her down to the
cottage himself, and now he was going after her. There was to be a
party at Aikenside; the very first since Guy was its master. The
neighbors had said he was too proud to invite them, but they should
say so no more. The house was to be thrown open in honor of Guy's
twenty-sixth birthday, and all who were at all desirable as guests
were to be bidden to the festival. First on the list was the doctor,
who, remembering how averse Guy was to large parties, wondered at the
proceedings. But Guy was all engaged in the matter, and after telling
who were to be invited, added rather indifferently: "I'm going now
down to Honedale after Maddy. It's better for her to be with us a day
or two beforehand. You've seen her, of course."