“He wanted us to have dinner out there but I told him nothing doing. I’d promised to play with my family and besides I can’t let him think I’m forgiving him too easy.”
IV
On Christmas morning as Grace was helping in the kitchen John Moore called her on the telephone. He had moved to town the day before and thought it would be fine if they could ride to the end of one of the trolley lines that afternoon and take a tramp. Grace excused herself with the plea that she already had an engagement to go to a matinee.
She sang about her work, watching the clock to mark the approach of the hour of Trenton’s arrival. His coming would bring a crisis in her life. The exchange of gifts in the household, the cheer all the members of the family were trying to bring to the day and the train of associations the festival inevitably awakened touched her; but not as in other years. There was a difference now. She stood free, self-assured, confidently seeing in life a great adventure.
As quickly as possible after dinner she flew to her room to dress, and at half-past two reached Minnie Lawton’s, where she found Irene waiting.
“Tommy took Ward to The Shack from the train. They had dinner out there. Tommy’s car’s waiting, so we’ll prance right along.”
Grace was disappointed at not seeing Trenton at Minnie’s and on the drive to The Shack talked little.
“You either don’t want to see him at all, or you’re consumed with anxiety,” commented Irene.
Kemp had given her a thousand dollar bond for a Christmas present. Her acceptance of the gift she mentioned without apology. She was going to save her money, she said in her spacious manner; a girl who didn’t put away something for a rainy day was a fool.
The car was stopped suddenly just inside the entrance to Kemp’s farm and Trenton smilingly opened the door.