From the far end of the table, Grandfather Gordon chuckled at his wife’s discomfiture.
“You may as well fess up,” he teased her. “Tell ’em the truth about why you don’t like the Stone family.”
“Oh, dear!” Grandmother Gordon sank back in her chair. She did not enjoy being cornered. “I suppose I must, or I’ll never hear the last of it!”
“Tell the girls about the necklace,” urged Grandfather Gordon.
“Necklace?” Sunny repeated in astonishment. She could not imagine what a necklace might have to do with the Stone children.
“It wasn’t a necklace, but a gold locket,” corrected Grandmother Gordon. She sighed and added: “My dislike of the Stones simmers down to this—I’m not convinced they’re honest.”
“The children steal?” gasped Connie.
“Oh, no!” hastily corrected Grandmother Gordon. “I’ll start at the beginning—then you’ll understand. Three years ago, Mrs. Stone worked for me at threshing time. She helped out in the kitchen and with the housework for nearly a month.”
“Mrs. Stone works by the day,” explained Miss Gordon. “Her husband has a job in the village, but is ill much of the time.”
“I always liked Mrs. Stone, and I’ll give her credit for being a good worker,” Grandmother Gordon continued. “The poor woman probably was tempted. Otherwise, I’m sure she wouldn’t have taken anything.”