Jimmie Atwood’s appearance had lessened the tension for Grace and quite composedly she found herself confronting a tall slender woman who stepped forward to meet the newcomers.
“Mrs. Trenton, Miss Durland—and Mr. Atwood.”
Mrs. Trenton gave each a quick little nod, murmuring:
“I’m very glad, indeed.”
The Ridgelys at this moment arrived followed by two unattached men. Townsend, a young physician who was looked upon as a coming man, and Professor Grayling, whose courses in sociology Grace had taken at the University. He was, she learned, a remote connection of Miss Reynolds’s and had been summoned from Bloomington to add to the representative character of the company.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me you knew Miss Reynolds?” Grayling demanded, as he and Grace were left to themselves for a moment during the progress of further introductions.
“Oh, I didn’t meet her till after I left college. I know why you’re invited; you’re here to do the heavy high-brow work! I remember that you once expressed views on the writings of the guest of honor.”
“Did I? If I become quarrelsome tonight throw a plate or something at me.” Grace had always admired Grayling; he was saying now that she had been his star student and that he missed her from his classes.
“I’d really counted on making you an instructor in my department but you left without saying good-bye; and here I find you launched upon a high social career—it’s a distinct loss to social science!”
“If you knew just where and how I met Miss Reynolds you wouldn’t think me in danger of becoming a social butterfly!” laughed Grace, her assurance mounting. Grayling was smiling quizzically into her eyes; he would never know how grateful she was for these few minutes with him. The rest of the company were grouped about Mrs. Trenton, who had lately been in Washington and was expressing her opinions, which were not apparently complimentary, of the public men she had met there.