But as Mrs. Dixon glanced at her hostess, and pictured her own carefully repressed figure in that coat and skirt, she did feel that what you have to throw away in climbing is almost as painful as what you have to take on.
The relief therefore was rather great when Mrs. Stamford remarked casually—
“I am not going to the Attertons’ this afternoon; my husband is so seedy I do not care to leave him.”
As the big motor ran silently up the drive of Millsby Hall the four young people inside caught sight of light dresses and gay flowery hats against the green lawns and the clear blue of the summer sky. Life seemed to them all—even to Dick, fighting the hidden enemy—even to Andy, hasting to a Tantalus feast—to be a sunny, flowery time of youth and pleasure. Then a gust of wind brought the sound of a band in the distance playing an inspiriting march.
“Go on—you’re sure to win—Life was made for such as you!”
That was what the sunshine and the music and the swift, exhilarating movement of the car cried out to Andy, almost in words. And he looked so noticeably young and full of eager hope in spite of, or perhaps because of, the signs of strain round his mouth and eyes, that Mrs. Atterton was moved to remark—
“It is a glorious day, isn’t it?”
She did not mean only that, of course; what her mind said to Andy’s was, “I see you are finding life glorious. How very nice!” But no pleasant, normal person spoils such things by putting them into words. And Andy understood, though he did not know he did, any more than she knew that her mind had spoken to his mind through the gay bustle and the sunshine of that greeting. He would learn to see later, would Andy, the fun and beauty to be found in unspoken conversations—so far he only felt it.
“I am obliged to receive my guests seated,” apologised Mrs. Atterton, shaking hands with Mrs. Dixon and the girls. “My back—” she smiled the smile she always wore when referring to that part of her person, cheerful and yet obviously brave.
“How sad! I know a lady who never put her foot to the ground for three years from the same cause,” said Mrs. Dixon.