“We shall spoil him, my dear,” said the monkey’s little grandmother. “We’re so proud of him.”
Louise replaced her cup on the table, got up from her chair, and implanted a playful but wholehearted kiss on the old lady’s forehead. “I’m dying to see the grandfather who was too big to be flung in Katie’s eyes,” she announced. “Shall we walk down to the lakeside and meet the boats? There’s an easy path.”
She led the way, with Lady Eveley. Two or three times as they descended the winding path the older woman patted Louise’s arm and smiled, apropos of nothing, reassuringly. In the end Louise laughed and said, trying to keep her frankness within gentle bounds, “You know, I’m quite floored by your friendliness. I’ve been racking my brains to think how I could put you at your ease, and now I find that everybody’s aim is to put me at mine. I wish you were going to stay longer. Four days is nothing.”
“We should love to, my dear, but you see the men have so many speeches to make, and they must be back on a certain date. It has been very exciting. All along the way there were deputations to meet the train. The mayors came and their wives—too amusing! And brought such pretty flowers. Alice doesn’t object to the cameras at all, though she says her nose is the only thing that comes out. Alice resents her nose. She says she wouldn’t mind its size if she didn’t keep seeing it, poor dear . . . And banquets without end. I don’t see how they find so many different things to say. My husband just stands up there——”
“And the words come to him,” interposed Louise “I know.”
“Isn’t it remarkable? When I can scarcely find enough words to fill up a letter! I’m terrified when they ask me to speak at the women’s clubs. Canadian women are so intelligent. And so tireless. Mrs. Windrom is much better at that kind of thing.”
“Mrs. Windrom is very clever.”
“Oh, very! She always remembers names. I don’t, and Alice nudges my elbow. She is such a good daughter. Never forgets.”
“Alice seems very alert.”
“Oh, very!” Lady Eveley had a soft little voice and a careful way of setting down her words, as though they might break. “Very! She takes after her father. Keble does too, though Keble likes quite a lot of things I like. Perhaps the baby will take after me. Though I really don’t see why any one should!”