The Twenty-Fourth of June: Midsummer's DayRichmond, Grace S. (Grace Smith)
General
The Twenty-Fourth of June: Midsummer's Day
Richmond, Grace S. (Grace Smith)
Children of the rich -- Fiction; Love stories; Young women -- Fiction
Did he see her? Evidently as far away as half a block, for at that
distance his motor-cap was suddenly pulled off, and it was with bared
head that he passed her. At the moment the car was certainly not running
as fast as it had been doing twenty rods back; it went by at a pace
moderate enough to show the pair to each other with distinctness.
Roberta saw clearly Richard Kendrick's intent eyes upon her, saw the
flash of his smile and the grace of his bow, and saw--as if written upon
the blue spring sky--the word he had left with her, "Midsummer." If he
had shouted it at her as he passed, it could not have challenged her
more definitely.
He was obeying her literally--more literally than she could have
demanded. Not to slow down, come to a standstill beside her, exchange at
least a few words of greeting--this was indeed a strict interpretation
of her edict. Evidently he meant to play the game rigorously. Still, he
had been a compellingly attractive figure as he passed; that instant's
glimpse of him was likely to remain with her quite as long as a more
protracted interview. Did he guess that?
"I wonder how I looked?" was her first thought as she walked on--a
purely feminine one, it must be admitted. When she reached home she
glanced at herself in the hall mirror on her way upstairs--a thing she
seldom took the trouble to do.
A figure got hastily to its feet and came out into the hall to meet her
as she passed the door of the reception-room. "Miss Roberta!" said an
eager voice.
"Why, Mr. Westcott! I didn't know you were in town!"
"I didn't intend to be until next month, as you knew. But this wonderful
weather was too much for me."
He held her hand and looked down into her face from his tall height. He
told her what he thought of her appearance--in detail with his eyes, in
modified form with his lips.
"In my old school clothes?" laughed Roberta. "How draggy winter things
seem the first warm days. This velvet hat weighs like lead on my head
to-day." She took it off. "I'll run up and make myself presentable,"
said she.
"Please don't. You're exactly right as you are. And--I want you to go
for a walk if you're not too tired. The road that leads out by the West
Wood marshes--it will be sheer spring out there to-day. I want to share
it with you."
So Roberta put on her hat again and went to walk with Forbes Westcott
out the road that led by the West Wood marshes. There was not a more
romantic road to be found in a long way.
When they were well out into the country he began to press a question
which she had heard before, and to which he had had as yet no answer.
"Still undecided?" said he, with a very sober face. "You can't make up
your mind as to my qualifications?"
"Your qualifications are undoubted," said she, with a face as sober as
his. "They are more than any girl could ask. But I--how can I know? I
care so much for you--as a friend. Why can't we keep on being just good
friends and let things develop naturally?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account