The station was behind them, a little, neat stone station
like a toy dropped down on the old-fashioned New England
countryside. Joy caught her skirts clear of the car steps and
descended, John guarding her. She smiled down at him before she
sprang to the platform, and he smiled up at her. To any one not in
the secret they seemed like as real lovers as possible.
As Joy stood there, waiting a moment, she felt arms coming round her
from behind, and, turning, startled, she found herself in the
embrace of a tall, white-haired woman with John's kind steel-gray
eyes and an impulsiveness not at all like John's.
"This is the first chance I have ever had to kiss my daughter," said
a swift, soft-noted voice--not at all like an old lady's--"and I've
been wanting one for thirty-odd years. I'm John's mother, my dear,
and I forgive you both on the spot for keeping me in the dark. I
know just why John did it. He didn't want parties given over him, as
he's always saying. But I've foiled him completely... My dear, he's
picked me out exactly the sort of thing I wanted!"
Joy kissed Mrs. Hewitt back willingly. This was just the kind of
mother she had always wanted, too. She spoke out what she thought,
before she thought.
"Are you Grandmother's Grace Carpenter?" she asked. "Why, you're not
a bit old!"
Her mother-in-law laughed as she turned to greet her son, still
holding fast to one of Joy's hands.
"I know you don't like being kissed in public, Johnny, but you know
I always do it, anyhow.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98