“Yes—and no,” said Mother. “I want you to be happy about it and be nice to Flip. You see——”
Martha Mary’s lips began to tremble. She came to Mother and hid her face in her lap so that the boys could not see her eyes. Mother Dear smoothed the long curls that fell over Martha Mary’s shoulders and patted her cheeks, just as you would a baby’s. The boys did not know what to think.
Finally Martha Mary looked up and smiled the most unhappy little smile imaginable, because it was hard to make-believe.
“I know,” she said. “I just knew it had to happen.”
“What, Dear?” asked Mother.
“He is going away; I am sure he is.”
Mother Dear’s eyes were all watery. “Yes,” she said, “but you must not be selfish. Flip is going to be very, very happy.”
“I suppose it is the Jane-person,” grunted John.
Mother Dear frowned a little and then smiled a perfectly good smile.
“It is the Jane-person,” she said, “and I am happy as happy can be. You see, Flip has received a great deal of money for his book and so the publisher wants him to come to New York to discuss the work he is to do from now on. And so Flip is going—going in a few weeks, but first he is going to the City and he and Jane are to be married, and John and Martha Mary are going with Father and myself to the wedding. So, you see, it is to be nice, after all.”