“They say she does not like her son’s occupation,” Sophie said. “Not that she is unwilling to have people arrested, but she wants some one to do it besides her son. No one knows why he took it up. There was no need of it, as they have money enough, I am told, outside their losses.”
Somehow I did not like to hear Sophie talk of Michel or his family, and was glad when she changed the conversation by saying, as we approached a large building:
“This was once our house, where we lived until father was sent away and grandfather died. We were very happy there.”
At her command the coachman was driving slowly, that we might have a better look at her old home. It was larger and more pretentious than the Seguins’, and I could understand what Sophie’s feeling were as she looked at it and knew it had gone from her forever. Withdrawing her hand from her muff I saw Katy put it into Sophie’s, and knew the two hands had met in a warm clasp of sympathy.
After a moment she added with a laugh:
“I believe you Americans have a saying, ‘It is of no use to cry over spilled milk,’ and I don’t cry now, though I did at first till I was nearly blind. Mother never cried; she couldn’t, and that made it harder for her. By the way, I had nearly forgotten my message from her. She sends her compliments to you and hopes you will waive the ceremony of her calling, as she seldom goes out, but she will be very glad if you will take supper with us to-morrow night at six o’clock. We have given up ceremonious dinners since we lived in apartments, and have, instead, the old-fashioned supper, with one servant to wait upon us. You will come?”
“Of course we will!” Jack spoke up, promptly, while I hesitated a little, not knowing whether to accept or not.
“Yes, we’ll go,” Katy said, nestling closer to Sophie, between whom and herself a warm friendship had risen.
Sophie’s magnetism had conquered Katy’s shyness, and they were fast friends, and when she said “We’ll go,” I assented, after asking if we were to meet any strangers.
“You will meet no one but my mother, who is very anxious to see you,” Sophie replied, and, with that, we bade her good-by at the door of the hotel.