It willbe hard to get used to the idea of Tinas
marrying, she said gently.
Delia began; but her eyes fell, and shefelt a
tremor of weakness in her throat.
Delia sprang up in her turn, flushed and trembling.
The past was too overwhelminglyresuscitated in Charlottes words. No, dear; but that
you must not marry Joe.
If that were her object, her stepwould presently be
heard returning. At such moments he wasstill the sentimental boy whom she could
manage.
Their hands flowed together, she lifted her
flushing face to his. A faint sound through the silent house disturbed her
meditation.
We must goaway somewhere, and lead plain lives
among plain people. The vow was immediate and unflinching; and for nearly twenty
years shehad gone on observing it. Ah,how old she must have grown, that she should
feel the cold at such amoment! Icouldnt bear to hurt him as much as that. Hell see
you presently:hes dreadfully unhappy.
The little girl was called Tina Lovell: it was
vaguely supposedthat Charlotte had adopted her.
Once only had she been not a Ralston butherself;
once only had it seemed worth while. My dear, Delia murmured, you know how much
Tinas happiness concernsme.
I overheard what you were saying to Tina, Delia.
Delia pressed her forehead against the pane. Thenext carriage that rounded the
corner must therefore be the JohnJuniuses, bringing Tina.
Then you think Lannings excuses are a pretext?
Delia sat by the bed motionless, her eyes on her cousins closed face.
My dear, Delia murmured, you know how much Tinas
happiness concernsme.
Her tambour frame had fallento the floor; she
stooped heavily to pick it up. Shes lived too long among unrealities: andshes like
me.
The girlhad grown handsomer, shyer, more silent, at
times more irrelevantly gay.
But youll be so much less comfortable there,
Chatty.
Since Lanning Halsey has been cominghere so much.
Delia pressed her forehead against the pane. She stood up, trembling in every bone,
and feelingherself pale to the lips.
Then the twocousins lit their bedroom candles and
walked upstairs through thedarkened house. For a few moments she stood in the middle
of the floor, looking slowlyabout her.
She had meant to do it in pink and pale green,like
an opening flower.
I overheard what you were saying to Tina, Delia.
That evening, when they went up to bed, Delia called Tina into her room. Ralston
bent over a stitch in herdelicate white embroidery.
Butthe feeling was swept away by an immediate wave
of sympathy.
Only that I would make a home for your baby.