“I never thought of it, for you wrote that you would not come. I, too, thought that for such a short time it would scarcely pay you, and you wanted to get ahead on your work, you said.”
“You never can tell about girls, though, Mother! But it has turned out all right. Are you going to stay over Sunday and all?”
“Yes. We’ll have one good visit; and when you have to work on your lessons, I will keep as still as a mouse.” Mrs. Sterling dropped her voice to a stage whisper and opened wide eyes, as if awed at the vision of Ann’s lessons.
Ann gave her mother another hug and laughingly reminded her that there were many years of training by the same Mrs. Sterling, when Ann studied many an hour in her mother’s presence. “There isn’t anything so very important, anyhow, Mother, only my lessons for next week as usual. I was planning more, because I could keep from being lonesome that way. But I’d waste a lot of time with the other girls, you know, ‘gossiping’ or playing popular songs for them, or doing this or that. How is Grandmother, by the way?”
“She is herself again, sorry not to see you this time, but she approved of my coming and said that she would spare me this long, since it would be an opportunity for us to have a quiet visit together.”
“It will be wonderful. We’ll have the suite all to ourselves, for Marta has gone to New York with Ethel and Lucile. Why, we’ll be just like two girls. You look like one yourself.”
“Scarcely,” said Mrs. Sterling. “But that reminds me. I must get dressed for dinner. I did not like to start my toilet for fear that you would come before I finished. I thought, by the way, that you would never come. When I saw you strolling along toward this building, I tried to concentrate and will you to hurry, but it did not work! You were going up the steps of the administration building when my taxi rolled in, too far away for me to call, and then I thought that it would be fun to surprise you. You used to like surprises.”
“I do, and I have had a lot of nice ones, too. The last one at home was my cabin in the mountains. But this is a fine one. It’s funny. I took my time to things. You must have been waiting quite a while.”
“I have; but Aline Robson was with me. What were you doing?”
“I was lonesome and went over to see if there were a letter from you or Father. I was disappointed, but had a long letter from Marj. I’ll let you read it. She says that Dad looks fine.”