"Tom," said Eve, patting his arm, her eyes shining again, "I think it's splendid. I could kiss you for it."
"Wait, Eve, until Cecily's not around," Tom whispered; "and perhaps Adam could be spared. Then, if you like—"
"I'm going to Newport to-morrow," Cecily broke in decidedly. "I'm going to live there."
"Oh, I say!" said Tom. And Old Goodwin offered to take them both over next day in his new car, and let Tom drive. And he offered further to ferry Cecily back and forth as often as she liked, and to lend them a car if they wished.
So everybody was happy,—excepting perhaps Tom and Cecily,—and the Arcadia was just rounding to her anchorage, and we watched while the shining mahogany launch put off. But, before coming in, the launch went slowly along the whole length of Old Goodwin's ocean steamer. I could see Captain Fergus looking at the work as though he were inspecting it, and once he boomed forth a question, which was answered as if he had a right to ask it, and then the launch made for the landing.
I wondered at it, but I wondered more at Eve. For Eve has pacifist leanings, as I have reason to know and as I have said before; and here she was with all the signs of approval for Tom's action, and ready to kiss him for it. It might be that Eve was entirely willing that the war should be fought vicariously, and that she would sacrifice all her friends in the cause—but not her family. That was not like Eve. I refused to believe it of her. And I turned away and was musing upon this matter when there came down the path Captain Fergus and Mrs. Fergus, and Jimmy Wales and Bobby and Ogilvie; and, some distance behind them, Elizabeth and Olivia. And that was strange, too, that those two girls should be coming by themselves when Bobby and Jack Ogilvie were just ahead; but I could not be bothering myself about all the queer things that people did—or did not do. They did not concern me. There were enough things that did concern me to bother about.
All the company were there. I drew near to Eve.
"If Alice Carbonnel were here now," I said, "and Harrison, we should be complete."