"If I had my time over again," she said, looking the epitome of benevolence, "I would never spend spring in the city.""Wouldn't you, dear?" prompted Mrs.Harley, eager to make the conversation general and so give poor George a rest.
"No, my love.I would make my winter season begin in November and end in February--four good months for the Opera, the theatres, entertaining and so forth.Then on the first of March, the kind-hearted month that nurses April's violets, I would leave town for my country place and, as the poets have it watch the changing skies and the hazel blooms peep through the swelling buds and hear the trees begin to whisper and the throstles break into song.One loses these things by remaining among bricks and mortar till the end of April.
Joan, my dear, give this your consideration next year.If your good husband is anything like his father, whom we knew very slightly and admired, he is a lover of the country and should be considered.""Yes, Grandmamma," said Joan, wondering if Marty had come back and found her note on his dressing-table.
"Always supposing, of course, that next year finds you both as much in love as you are to-day,--the most devoted pair of turtle doves, as I am told." She laughed a little roguishly to disguise the sting.
"They will be," said Mrs.Harley quickly."There is no doubt about that.""None," said Joan, looking full at the old lady with a confident smile and a high chin.Would her grandmother never forget that escape from the window?
"Why suggest the possibility of a break?" asked Mr.Ludlow, with a touch of anger."Really, my dear.""A little joke, Cumberland, merely a little joke.Joan understands me, I know.""I think so," said Joan, smiling back.Not on her, whatever happened, would she see the white feather.Some one had told the tale of her kid's rush into the heart of things and her many evenings with Palgrave and the others, when "Who cares?" was her motto.
The old lady went on, with infinite artfulness."During the coming summer, my love, you should look out for a pleasant little house in some charming part of the country, furnish it, put men to work on the garden, and have it all ready for the following spring.""I know just the place," put in George."Near a fine golf course and country club with a view across the Hudson that takes your breath away.""That might necessitate the constant attendance of a doctor," said Mrs.Ludlow drily, "which would add considerably to the expenses.Iwould advise the Shinnecock Hills, for instance, which are swept by sea breezes and so reminiscent of Scotland.Martin would be within a stone's throw of his favorite course, there, wouldn't he, Joan?""Yes, Grandmamma," said Joan, still with a high head and a placid smile, although it came to her in a flash that her statement as to where Martin was had not been believed.What if Grandmother knew where Martin had gone? How absurd.How could she?
And then Mr.Ludlow broke in again, impatiently.The effect of the champagne was wearing off.He hated feminine conversation in drawing-rooms, anyhow."Why go searching about for a house for the child when she's got one already.""Why, so I have," cried Joan."Here.I'd forgotten all about it!"Nothing could have suited the old lady so well.Her husband could not have said anything more right if he had been prompted."Of course you have," she said, with a cackle of laughter."I had forgotten it too.Mr.Harley, can you believe our overlooking the fact that there is a most excellent house in the family a gunshot from where we are all sitting? It's natural enough for me, who have never met Joan's young husband.But for you, my love, who spent such a romantic night there! Where are your wits?"Joan's laugh rang out."Goodness knows, but I really had forgotten all about it.And although I've only been in it once I've known it by sight all my life.Martin's father had it built, Papa George, and it's awfully nice and sporting, with kennels, and tennis courts, and everything.""Yes, and beautifully furnished, I remember.I dined there several times, years ago before Mr.Gray had--" Mrs.Harley drew up short.
Mrs.Ludlow finished the sentence."A little quarrel with me," she said."I objected to his hounds scrambling over this property and wrote pithily to that effect.We never spoke again.My dear, while we are all together, why not personally conduct us over this country house of yours and give us an unaccustomed thrill of excitement.""Yes, do, darling," said Mrs.Harley."George would love to see it.""I will," said Joan."I'd adore to.I don't know a bit what it's like, except the hall and the library.It will come as a perfect surprise to me.""A very perfect surprise," said Mrs.Ludlow.
Joan sprang to her feet."Let's go now.No time like the present.""Well," said Mrs.Harley cautiously, though equally keen.
"No, no, not to-night.Bear with your aged grandparents.Besides, the housekeeper and the other servants will probably be in bed.To-morrow now, early--"
"All right," said Joan."To-morrow then, directly after breakfast.
Fancy forgetting that one possessed a country house.It's almost alarming." And she put her hands on her grandfather's shoulders.and bent down and kissed him.She was excited and thrilled.It was her house because it was Martin's, and soon she would be Martin's too.
And they would spend a real honeymoon in the place in which they had sat together in the dark and laid their whispered plans for the great adventure.How good that would be!
And when she went back to the piano and rattled off a fox trot, Grandmother Ludlow got up and hobbled out of the room, on her tapping stick, to hide her glee.
