“I suppose they consider me the poor relation,” she was thinking now, while preparing before the homemade dresser for her day at Sandford Central School.
This thought spoiled the ripple that was trying hard to hold its place in her glossy hair, for a vicious twitch of the comb and a stab with a small side comb made a jagged part at the wrong place, and dragged the pretty wave down disconsolately too far over the sides of her head.
She aired her bed, opened her window and slammed the closet door. This last shook the bottle on her bureau, and if it hadn’t been Mildred’s parting gift, her “toilet water for boarding school use,” Gloria felt she would love to have seen it smash.
She just wanted to smash something. That house was so quiet and so overly well cared for. Even Tobias, the cat, couldn’t seem to have any fun in it.
“But it can’t last forever,” Gloria tried to assure herself, “and I ought soon to be getting mail from dad.”
One Saturday evening some weeks later, Gloria’s Uncle Charley came home. The sight of him filled her with sudden joy—he was just a little like her dad, and he was the good-natured, thoughtful uncle, who was ever willing to talk of the things she would care to talk of, and always kind enough to “stir up a jolly atmosphere.” It was a relief to see him, and the prospects of having the weight of gloom lifted by his presence, gave Gloria a quick reaction to her old time happy self.
She saw him coming and ran off to meet him. When he kissed her he gave her hand a significant squeeze and bade her a hearty welcome. But when they got back to the porch, where her aunt was waiting, a hint of the strained relations existing between them was too evident to overlook.
Mrs. Towers was eager to be very friendly and rather overdid the attempt. Mr. Towers was quiet, smiled like a stranger, and acted almost like a formal caller.
This astounded Gloria. That her own aunt and uncle should act like that! After a few minutes of vainly trying to lend warmth to the situation, she was glad to escape with an excuse to do something within the house.
From the dining room she could hear the even drone of their voices. Now and then her aunt’s would rise insistently and the escaping words were always in defense.