Edith, having dispatched the box with a charming note to Lucy Logan, had a feeling of ecstatic freedom. All the hurt and humiliation of the bridal episode had departed. She didn’t care what the world thought of her. Her desertion by Del had been material for a day’s gossip--then other things had filled the papers, had been headlined and emphasized. And what difference did it all make?
The things that mattered were those of which she had talked to Lucy. An old house--mutual interests, all the rest of it. “I would tramp the road with him,” little Lucy had said. That was love--to count nothing hard but the lack of it.
She was called to the telephone, and found Eloise Harper at the other end. “Delafield is coming back,” she said. “Benny has had a letter.”
“Darling town-crier,” said Edith, “you are late with your news.”
“Oh, do you?” dubiously. “Well, anyhow, Delafield is on his way back, and he is going to be married as soon as he gets here.”
Eloise gasped. “Edith, do you know who she is?”
“My dear, I can’t. The whole world would know it.”
“Don’t swear, Eloise. You might perjure yourself,” and Edith hung up the receiver.
“Baldy, darling: The operation is over, and the doctor gives us hope. That is the best I can tell you. I haven’t been allowed to see Judy, though they have let Bob have a peep at her, and she smiled.
“You can imagine that we have had little heart for good times. But the babies had a beautiful Christmas Day, with a tree--and stockings hung above the gas logs. How I longed for our own little wood fire, but the blessed darlings didn’t know the difference. We couldn’t spend much money, which was fortunate. The things that came from the east were so perfect. Yours, honey-boy, only you shouldn’t have made the check so large. I shan’t spend it unless it is very necessary. Mr. Towne sent flowers, loads of them--and perfectly marvellous chocolates in a box of gold lacquer--and Edith sent a string of carved ivory beads, and there was a blue Keats from Evans, and a ducky orange scarf from Mrs. Follette.
“I wish you could have seen the babies. Julia staggered around the tree on her uncertain little feet as if she were drunk, and then settled down to an adorable stuffed bunny, and Junior had eyes for nothing but the red automobile that the Townes ordered for him. I think it was dear of Edith and her uncle. Junior is such a charming chap, with beautiful manners like his dad, but with a will of his own at times.