"How about you, Mother?" said Doctor Hugh mischievously.
"I? Oh, I have learned to love Rainbow Hill," was Mrs. Willis' response. "I could ask no more of any summer than these weeks have given me—love and happiness and health. And to-morrow we're going home!"
Rosemary smiled across the fire at her mother. She, too, liked to think of going home.
"I only hope the smell of the paint will be out of the house," remarked Winnie who could never, under any circumstances, be accused of being sentimentally inclined.
"And the gas stove," went on Winnie dreamily. "If that Greggs has been mixing messes on it and dropping his glue on the enamel, I'll give him a piece of my mind. I left that kitchen like wax and it's my hope to find it like that, but I have my doubts."
Doctor Hugh laughed and put back a brand that slipped from the glowing embers.
"Ah, Winnie, you know you can hardly wait to get to the straightening up part," he accused her. "You're already turning the rooms inside out in your mind's eye for a grand cleaning. I had thought of getting someone to come in and have it all in order for you and then I was afraid you might not like it so I changed my mind."
"Hughie, if a strange person lays hand on a thing in that house," began Winnie solemnly and then she stopped as she saw the smiling face.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself to be teasing me," she scolded.
"Shirley's asleep and so is Winnie," said Doctor Hugh suddenly.