“It seems strange to hear read a letter from one great man of long ago to another. Lafayette seems longer ago in time than he really was. My uncle has a letter which was written by George Washington. It describes a horse Washington offered a certain man for sale. The horse’s name was Magnolia. My uncle bought the letter from a dealer in rare books and letters. I’ll write him and ask him to send me a typed copy of it,” Robin volunteered.
“Do; then I shall believe that Washington was no fairy tale. When I was a little girl didn’t I believe that he belonged in an American fairy tale? It was my old nurse who told me that he was an American king who had cut down one hundred cherry trees at a stroke and who went to war in an invisible coat of mail so that he was never hurt. She had ideas of her own about him.” Leila gave an enjoying chuckle.
It was the signal for more chuckles from her companions. It was difficult to say which was more diverting, Leila’s droll remarks, or her inimitable manner of making them.
A brief lull in the conversation followed laughter. Marjorie broke it. She said with sudden irrelevance: “I’m not curious to know Miss Susanna’s grievance against the Board. I only wish it could be adjusted. It doesn’t seem right that Mr. Brooke Hamilton, who gave his time and heart and soul and spirit to such a noble enterprise, should remain a mystery. Miss Susanna feels so about it at times. She has said so to me. But there are more times when she doesn’t; when she thinks only of her own grievance,” Marjorie ended ruefully.
“That’s the most I ever heard you say on such a ticklish subject, Beauty.” Seated beside her in the tonneau, Leila laid a light hand over one of Marjorie’s.
“I don’t know whether it is the most I’ll ever say, or not,” Marjorie responded. “I’d rather not say it to Miss Susanna, but I would if I felt that I should,” she continued with honest conviction.
Kathie, occupying one of the small seats of the tonneau, now leaned forward. “Professor Wenderblatt told me the other day that there had been several changes made in Board members since Miss Susanna’s disagreement with them. I wonder if she knows it?” she said speculatively. “If she doesn’t, and were to be told of it, perhaps it might make a difference in her attitude.”