She said with a laugh that she was having a second
youth.
May asked me if her mother couldnt come to see
memarried?
Itwas so enchanting to be shut away from the storm
with Hilary . She spent more evenings at the Long House thatwinter than ever before.
In one of thim wonderful new houses yell be building, said Judyslyly.
Ill likely have a little weep, said Pat frankly.
There isnta stone out of place after all these years. Well always have our lovely
memorieseven in our late Decembers. May the years be kind to ye all, speaking
poetically, he said.
Judy carried itostentatiously out to the kitchen.
Shall we have our walk back to Happiness now, Hilary?
Something in his tone toldher that the pain and
disillusionment of that memory was stillkeen.
Ive stayed longer here than anyplace Ive been in.
Anyway, weve got Silver Bush and you left, she whispered. Nothing in earth or heaven
Comes as it came before.
She moved restlessly about the room, changing
things aimlessly,then changing them back again. The last big wedding at Silver Bush,
said Pat. Pat had one ofher dismal moments of feeling that she would never laugh
again. And so they came to Happinessand the Haunted Spring again.
Yet she could stilltell a story and she could still
produce a gorgeous liddle bite.
Do you remember, said Hilary slowly, the day . It
meant a marriage at threedays notice, but what of that? It was her theology we went
to the mat aboutfinally.
Could the gulf of years be bridged so easily? I
suppose hell be married as soon as he gets back to Vancouver,she said. Im just going
to sit here and hate her hard.
She muttered under her breath as she went into the
pantry, Spakenot in the ears av a fool.
They went into the kitchen for a parting hour
before Hilary mustleave for the boat train. Through years of boarding houses Hilary
had always rememberedJudys liddle bites. Judys clump of bleeding-heartwas in
bloom.
John did be wanting tomake all the arrangements for
the funeral himself before he died.
Judy, will you leave me that picture of the white
kittens when. He wouldnever have thought of going if that horrid woman hadnt come
hereand given him away.
I aintdenying we had a few surface quarrels but no
more than enough tospice life up a bit.
Its iridescence was over everything theylooked
at.
Even mother had stayed up late to say good-bye.