“I haven’t any words dear enough to tell you in how much I love you, and thank you,” she said. “I only know I do. It seems to me my life has been nothing but a succession of glorious surprises. I think I’ve been given so much more than my share of love and happiness.”
A chorus of fond dissent greeted her earnestly humble words.
“Sh-h. That’s only half of my speech.” She held up a playfully admonishing finger. “The other half is about Miss Susanna. It’s something I’ve been wishing to ask her a long time. Because she has loved me in the same way Captain and General have loved me I have the courage to ask this great favor. Captain and General know I am going to ask it. So does Hal. Please, Goldendede, dear Goldendede, may Hal and I be married at the Arms on Mr. Brooke’s birthday?”
“May you?” Miss Susanna got up from her chair and came straight to Marjorie. On her small, keen face shone the light of a great devotion. “May you?” she repeated. “How could you know, child, that this was what I wished for most. I never dared mention it to you. It seemed so selfish in me. You’ve given me the great and only birthday present.”
CHAPTER XIX.
LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE
“At last I’ve discovered what I’ve been dying to find out!” Julia Peyton burst into the room occupied by herself and Clara Carter, her black, moon-like eyes full of excitement.
“Have you?” Clara made an elaborate pretense of indifference. She kept her eyes fastened on the book before her on the study table. She was thoroughly peeved with Julia for having gone across the hall to see Mildred Ferguson at least an hour before.
Julia had returned to Hamilton on the previous afternoon. Clara had not returned, however, until that afternoon. She thought Julia might have shown more interest in seeing her. Instead, she had hurried to Mildred Ferguson’s room directly after dinner on the plea of consulting with Mildred about the Orchid Club’s next luncheon.
“Oh, drop your book, and listen to me.” Julia sat down on the edge of her couch bed with an impatient bounce.