And now about you."
"Me?" said Joy in surprise. She had not supposed there was any
question about her.
"You," answered Phyllis decisively. "Here is where I am given a
chance of escape from making a lifelong enemy of your future
mother-in-law." She crossed to the telephone as she spoke, and got
Mrs. Hewitt's number. "This is Phyllis Harrington," Joy heard her
say. "I called up to say that I am yielding in our struggle for
Joy's person. Allan and I have to go away this afternoon. We should
love to have her stay here and chaperone Philip and Angela, but it
seems a waste. Would you like to have her?"
Sounds of fervent acceptance were evidently pouring over the wire,
for Phyllis smiled as she listened.
"She not only wants you," she transmitted to Joy, "but she says that
she'll take no chances on our changing our minds, and is coming for
you in an hour, whether we go or not. She says to tell you that she's
taking you shopping first.... You know, we're to have her back when
we return," she continued firmly to the telephone. "We saw her first."
She hung up the receiver and swept Joy off upstairs with her while
she packed.
"You know, we may never get you again," she warned. "I'm taking a
fearful chance in letting you escape this way. You have to come
back, remember, my child."
"Indeed I will come back," Joy promised fervently.
It seemed so strange that all these people should so completely have
made her one of themselves, even to the point of wanting to keep her
in their homes.
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