“When are you coming home, Bob?” was her first question. “For months I’ve been planning what we’ll do when you and Lucy come to Long Island. Father will let me do anything in the world to welcome you home. Do make it soon!”
“Ask President Wilson,” said Bob, smiling. “When will peace be signed?”
“I wish Lucy’s friend Michelle could come, too,” Marian added softly. “I like her, Bob! And really I don’t know why I do, for she makes me feel a silly, worthless good-for-nothing.”
“Better get over that, Marian,” said Bob laughing. “Never knew you to be so humble before.”
“I mean it,” said Marian, still serious. “The war’s done one good thing for me, anyway. I don’t think I could ever be conceited now.”
Marian had looked at Michelle as she spoke, and, meeting her eyes, smiled at her. Michelle had lost her shyness almost at once, for it could not linger in such a friendly company. Those who were strangers to her, at first welcoming the little foreigner for kindness’ sake and because she was Lucy’s friend, within an hour had begun to like Michelle for herself. Her lovely face, lighted by the deep blue eyes which still held something in their depths of suffering bravely borne, won instant sympathy. And there was a kind of joyous abandon in her gayety, of simple sweetness in her words. She thought nothing of herself, lost in delight at watching and listening to everything around her.
“Isn’t she top-hole?” Alan whispered to Lucy. Unbounded in his likes as in his dislikes, he was overflowing with pleasure at Lucy’s and Michelle’s arrival. “She’s such a pal, you know, your little Frenchie. There’s something no end nice and natural about her.”
“You don’t half know her—she’s nicer all the time,” declared Lucy, proud that her friend was so warmly welcomed in the Leslie family—as a rule not too easy to please. “She’s seen nothing but awful things since the war began. She needs to have a good time.”
“Let’s see what we can do,” said Alan.
Larry sat on Lucy’s other side. Munching a muffin he looked up into the sunset clouds with peaceful content. A grasshopper lighted on his khaki sleeve. He flicked it off gently.