"Gone over to play golf, like as usual, Miss—'cep'n Mr. Eduard," added Molly, (the pantry having eyes of its own). "He took the first train to town—no'm, I guess it was the second train. Anyway it was real early for Mr. Eduard to be up."
"Oh," said Joan, blankly.
Then it occurred to her why he might have felt the sudden need of running into town. Bracelets are all very well in their way, but they are, after all, noncommittal. She glanced down at her ringless hands, and laughed.
The maid smiled, too, as if in sympathy. "That's an awful pretty bracelet you got on, miss," she was emboldened to say.
"I like it myself, Molly," she confessed, holding it off at arm's length the better to admire it.
She wondered how long it took to get into Philadelphia and back, if one were in a hurry....
Presently some of the golfers came in, ravenous for luncheon. In a sudden accession of shyness, Joan hid her bracelet in her pocket. She surprised them by offering to go back with them later to the golf-links.
"Perhaps I'll catch a golf-germ," she explained.
"What, no engagement for this afternoon? Where's our Eduard?" murmured Mrs. Rossiter, who was one of the party.
But Joan had learned long since to meet impertinence with a noncommittal smile.