The absence of all formality was not the least pleasing feature. The naturalness of every movement and action was refreshing in the extreme to Alice, whom the wealth of her husband had led, during the years of her married life, into those circles of society where empty phrases and society small talk are paramount, but which must be delivered in a stiff, formal, cut and dried manner. To talk, to act, to laugh, to eat, to drink, to sleep, to rule—that is society life; anything but to be natural. O, how homelike the little circle was! The evening passed by and the time came for parting. Margaret reminded Imelda of her promise of yesternight, and tendered the same invitation to Alice, but the latter did not accept.
“No! no! I would only be intruding. It is enough that I am about to separate these precious friends without intruding upon the last days and hours they can have together. With many thanks for the pleasant evening I have spent I will bid you good night. Tomorrow is another day when I shall see you again.” Leaning back in the cushions of her carriage she was rapidly driven to her hotel. Wilbur kissed both fair girls and for a moment his arms wound about Imelda’s form. She could feel the beating of his heart and heard his rapid breathing. She smiled into his face, wound her arms about his neck, laid her cheek against his, for an instant touched her lips to his whispered “Good night,” and the next instant had slipped from his embrace, and from the room.
Margaret was standing at the window gazing at the starry heavens when she heard the door close after Imelda’s retreating form. Turning she saw that they two were alone. Again she turned to the window giving him time to recover himself, and when a few minutes later she crossed the room to his side Wilbur had regained his composure. She laid both hands upon his shoulder and looked into the dark eyes.
“Wilbur,” she whispered. Only that one word, the mention of his name, but O, it spoke volumes. The next moment he had caught her to his breast and covered the fair face with kisses.
“My darling! my darling!” he said. “You love me, you trust me?” There was a suspicious moisture in the dark blue eyes as she crept closer into his arms.
“You know I do.” The girl’s heart was passing through a fiery ordeal. Would she prove pure gold? Long were they locked in each other’s embrace, not a word was spoken, but the lips were sealed each with the vibrating glowing lips of the other. Holding her thus close he drew her to his knee as he sank into the swelling cushions of an arm chair, and Imelda’s dark head had for several hours pressed the snowy pillow ere Margaret sought her side. She leaned over and kissed her on the forehead when the white lids opened and the soft arms closed about the neck of her friend. Thus the two clasped in each other’s arms a dark head and a fair one pressing the same pillow, their breath mingling, they fell asleep, and not until Mrs. Leland gently shook them and laughingly called them the seven sleepers, did they awake.
“I am afraid you would be ‘my ladies’ of the first water could you live according to your inclination. I believe girls are naturally lazy.” Thus teasing and laughing she moved about opening the shutters and letting in the bright sunshine.
“Only see how you have let the golden hours of the morning fly away lazily hugging your bed.” But the smiling faces on the pillow did not look as though this moralizing had anything to do with them. Margaret saucily told her mother that she (her mother) was only sorry that she could not lie there at that hour and enjoy a lazy nap, but if she would be kind enough to cease moving about and give them a little chance they would think the matter over, and in a little while come downstairs and have some breakfast.
“Which means, you saucebox, that I am to leave the room and go to prepare your breakfast. Very well, Miss Indolence, but I hope you will condescend to make your appearance when it is prepared.” Thus bright and cheerful the new day began, and in a little while fresh and rosy, attired in white muslin dresses they made their appearance. Margaret had insisted that Imelda should wear one of her own snowy robes for the morning.
“I am tired of seeing you in this everlasting black.” So the somber gown had been laid aside and when later in the day Alice came to carry Imelda off she clapped her little hands in delight at the sight of the spotless robes. She wanted her to retain the pretty dress for the day, but to this Imelda would not consent, so she had her way. Then Alice asked Margaret to join them for the day. “I shall need your advice and help.” Both girls looked up with a questioning glance, but Alice shook her head and said: