“Mrs. Hartwell-Jones said that we had done so much to brighten her life,” grandmother told grandfather, when they were talking it all over on the veranda that afternoon. “But it seems to be the other way on. It is she who has done us all good. We shall all miss her and Letty, each for different reasons. I enjoyed my talks with Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and the children were perfectly happy with Letty.”
“We shall all of us miss Letty,” agreed grandfather.
“Yes, Jane is disconsolate and Huldah declares that her cake will never be so good again.”
It really was wonderful how quickly Letty had filled a place in the simple home life, and how happy she had been. No word or look had ever reminded her that she was a poor little outcast; every one had welcomed her with loving kindness.
“Grandmother,” Jane had said one evening when she was saying her prayers, very soon after Letty’s arrival, “I think Letty must be ‘our sister in heaven.’ You know the Bible says that everybody is brother and sister in heaven and that is what Letty must be to us.” And as such Jane had taken her into her loving child’s heart.
Letty was sorry to leave Sunnycrest; it was so lovely, so quiet and peaceful. But she loved and admired Mrs. Hartwell-Jones so extremely that she would have been glad to go anywhere with her. There were lessons to be studied every day, to prepare for the glorious prospect of school in the autumn, and little drives to take about the countryside. Then it was understood, before Mrs. Hartwell-Jones left Sunnycrest, that the twins were to come into the village nearly every afternoon for a tea-party, and grandmother was to come with them as often as she could.
And the very next day after Mrs. Hartwell-Jones’s departure, Jane proposed a visit. Grandmother thought it too soon, but Jane and Christopher were urgent.
“I think we ought to go, to see if Mrs. Hartwell-Jones got home all right and how her lame foot is,” remarked Jane in a grown-up tone. “Don’t you think it would be polite, grandmother?”
“And maybe she’ll have some jolly little apple turnovers, like she gave us once,” added Christopher.
So grandmother gave her consent; Joshua brought round the comfortable big carryall and grandmother and the twins got in, Jane carrying Sally, dressed in her best. Christopher got on the front seat with Joshua, to discuss the prospect of Jo Perkins being allowed enough time off to join the baseball nine. Christopher had counted on seeing Billy Carpenter in the village. Billy lived next door to Mr. Parsons, but he was nowhere to be seen, nor answered Christopher’s shrill whistle.