"Peter's a lot with the dogs now?" asked Margery, and her daughter answered that he was.
"And the river's lovelier than ever this year," she ran on—"especially the little island we call 'Mother's Island,' where Avis found that white bluebell. And it came up again this year. And your own garden, mother, is a proper show of flowers. And the roots you planted in the fall have come up, all but one or two. And the red peony seemed to know you wasn't going to be there and he haven't took the trouble to flower at all this year."
She ran on and Margery listened, saying very little but smiling once or twice.
She asked a few questions about trifles that interested her and Auna answered or promised to learn the answers.
Then they joined Mr. Huxam in his parlour behind the shop and took tea together. Auna discussed Jeremy and Jane. She was very interested in their two infant boys and much cast down because the second proved to be delicate.
Margery remembered a book or two and Auna promised to bring them, but Barlow forbade it.
"Not at present," he said. "That would be to create a doubtful precedent. We'd better wait for anything like that, unless the book was yours before you married."
Her grandfather was acutely conscious of the difficulties attending the situation of Auna. Margery's other children continued to be entirely identified with her, and Judith felt satisfied that soon enough they would have broken with the evil influence that begot them; but Auna had developed a decision that remained to be dealt with. She came and went, and not seldom mentioned her father from force of habit, only to be corrected for so doing. Her grandmother already perceived a problem here, but trusted herself to solve it.
When Mr. Huxam had gone and they were alone again, the girl returned to her father.
"I know I mustn't name him to grandfather and grandmother, but just once more you'll let me, mother. Say just once."