She was leaning on the steering wheel, tired with nerve strain, when she heard Katy calling her, and realized that she was needed in the kitchen. As a matter of economy Eileen, after her parents’ passing, had dismissed the housemaid, and when there were guests before whom she wished to make a nice appearance Linda had been impressed either to wait on the table or to help in the kitchen in order that Katy might attend the dining room, so Linda understood what was wanted when Katy called her. She ran her fingers over the steering wheel, worn bright by the touch of her father’s and her own hands, and with the buoyancy of youth, found comfort. Once more she mechanically went through the motions of starting the car, then she stepped down, closed the door, and stood an instant thinking.
“You’re four years behind the times,” she said slowly. “No doubt there’s a newer and a better model; I suspect the tires are rotten, but the last day I drove you for Daddy you purred like a kitten, and ran like a clock, and if you were cleaned and oiled and put in proper shape, there’s no reason in the world why I should not drive you again, as I have driven you hundreds of miles when Daddy was tired or when he wanted to teach me the rules of good motoring, and the laws of the road. I can do it all right. I have got to do it, but it will be some time before I’ll care to tackle the mountains.”
Leaving the cover on the floor, she locked the door and returned to the kitchen.
“All right, Katy, what is the programme?” she inquired as lightly as she could.
Katy had been cook in the Strong family ever since they had moved to Lilac Valley. She had obeyed Mrs. Strong and Eileen. She had worshiped the Doctor and Linda. It always had been patent to her eyes that Mrs. Strong was extremely partial to Eileen, so Katy had joined forces with the Doctor in surreptitiously doing everything her warm Irish heart prompted to prevent Linda from feeling neglected. Her quick eyes saw the traces of tears on Linda’s face, and she instantly knew that the trip the girl had made to the garage was in some way connected with some belongings of her father’s, so she said: “I am serving to-night but I want you to keep things smoking hot and to have them dished up ready for me so that everything will go smoothly.”
“What would happen,” inquired Linda, “if everything did not go smoothly? Katy, do you think the roof would blow straight up if I had my way about something, just for a change?”
“No, I think the roof would stay right where it belongs,” said Katy with a chuckle, “but I do think its staying there would not be because Miss Eileen wanted it to.”
“Well,” said Linda, deliberately, “we won’t waste any time on thinking We are going to have some positive knowledge on the subject pretty immediately. I don’t feel equal to starting any domestic santana to-day, but the forces are gathering and the blow is coming soon. To that I have firmly made up my mind.”
“It’s not the least mite I’m blaming you, honey,” said Katy.
“Ye’ve got to be such a big girl that it’s only fair things in this house should go a good deal different.”