"I wondered. I didn't know. Something your mother said. I knew you needed some one for the children only if you were working."
"You must have misunderstood mother." The whirring deepened into fear, like wings, beating to escape the nets spread to catch her. They all expected her to abandon everything, to step back into the old harness. "Of course, I have made no plans, until Spencer was well. But next week"—she spoke out boldly, denying her own doubts—"next week I shall—" she did not finish that sentence. "At any rate, Miss Kelly, I should tell you in advance. I've just been admiring the way you are training the children. You are quite remarkable with them."
VIII
When Charles came in, Marian flew to meet him, flinging her arms about him as far as they would go, with little squeals of delight.
"Daddy, hello; we're going to have a party. Letty, too. Spencer can sit up at the table."
"I should say I could," broke in Spencer, indignantly.
He looks tired—Catherine smiled at him over Letty's yellow head. Sallow, discouraged. His glance withdrew quickly from hers, stopped at Spencer.
"How's the boy? Fine?"
"Daddy!" Marian pulled at his sleeve. "I thought of something. Let me whisper it."
And Catherine, while Letty slipped from her lap in an endeavor to learn what Marian was whispering, thought: it's a breaking off place, to-night. The interim is over.