California -- Fiction; Domestic fiction; Sisters -- Fiction
"Do you realize," he asked, "that you are the most delicious child that
ever lived?"
"No, I don't know that," she said, drooping her head, suddenly
self-conscious.
"Do you realize that by this time tomorrow we shall be out at sea," he
added, "leaning on the rail--watching the Pacific race by--and
belonging to each other forever and ever?"
The picture flooded her face with happy colour. "It's tomorrow at
last!" she said, wonderingly, as they walked slowly toward the house.
"I thought it would never be. It's only a few hours more now."
"How will you feel when it's TO-DAY?" he asked.
"Oh, Peter, I shall be so glad when it's all over, and when the letters
are written, and when we've been together for a year," she answered,
fervently. "I know it will be all as we have planned, but--but if it
were over!"
They had reached the side door now, and were mounting the three steps
together.
"Be patient until tomorrow," he whispered.
"Oh," she said softly, "I shan't breathe until tomorrow."
Leaning across her to push back the light screen door, he found himself
face to face with Alix. In the dark entryway Peter and Cherry had not
seen her, had not heard her move. Peter cursed his carelessness; he
could not remember, in the utter confusion of the moment, just what he
and Cherry had said, but if it was of a betraying nature, they had
betrayed themselves. One chance in a hundred that she had not heard!
Yet, if she was acting, she was acting superbly. Cherry had turned
scarlet and had given him an open glance of consternation, but Alix did
not seem to see it. She addressed Peter, but when he found himself
physically unable to answer, she continued the conversation with no
apparent consciousness of his stumbling effort to appear natural.
"There you are! Are we going to have any tennis? It's after two o'clock
now."
"Two seventeen," Martin said, following her out of the house and
slipping his big watch back into his pocket. They all gathered in one
of the reclaimed garden paths, assuming a deep interest in the time.
"I had no idea it was so late," Peter said.
"I knew it was getting on," Cherry added, utterly at random.
"Go in and tell the boy we won't be back until tomorrow," Martin
suggested to his wife. "Unless you told him, Alix?" he added, turning
toward her.
"I beg your pardon?" Her face was very pale, and she started as if from
deep thought as she spoke.
"You could all come down here to sleep," Cherry said, "and have
breakfast here!"
"I have to go into town rather early tomorrow," Peter remarked.
"Porter's giving a breakfast at the Bohemian Club."
"Why not walk up to the cabin?" Cherry suggested in a shaking voice.
"I have to take the car up. You three walk! Come on, anybody who wants
to ride!" Alix said.
"They can walk," Martin said, getting into the front seat. "Me for the
little old bus!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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