“I believe everything will seem more all right, now that you two have come home,” he said. “It’s high time you did—we’re almost forgetting how to laugh.”
“Well, no one could forget how to laugh with Jean about——” said Jo.
“Or with Jo,” put in Jean.
“Because she’s such a perfect ass!” finished the twins, in complete unison.
CHAPTER VII
THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET
MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters. She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.
“Well, you dear things,” she said. “It’s good to get you home. And you’ve had such a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first. And here’s Sarah.”
Sarah had come out to the gate, contrary to her usual habit. Generally she prepared to be sought in her kitchen, a spotless place where she reigned supreme amid the glory of a shining stove, gleaming brass taps, and tables and dressers scrubbed to a whiteness that was almost past belief. But to-day she chose to come out; and there was something in the hard old face that made the twins suddenly rush at her and hug her almost as thoroughly as they had hugged their mother. Sarah had not any words for them. She held them tightly and looked over their heads at their mother and father with a half-defiant question in her eyes. Mrs. Weston could not meet her piteous look. She put her hand gently on her shoulder, going past her on her way to the house.
“Come on, children,” she called. “Tea is ready. Sarah made it as soon as we heard the buggy coming over the bridge. And I’m sure you are both ready for it.”
The twins rushed to the bathroom, to remove the more recent layers of journey grime, and in a few moments they were all in the big comfortable dining-room, where afternoon tea was on a scale calculated to soothe hungry travellers. So far there was no sign that they had come to a poverty-stricken home. The room was just as well-kept as ever, with big bowls of flowers here and there: the glass and silver were shining, the table-linen was as exquisite as they had always known it. Mother was just as dainty as ever, in the soft blue dress that was the colour of her eyes. Everything was simply home: home, as they had pictured it a thousand times, away at school.