VIIThey had glorious minutes of fun when they
stopped to restoccasionally.
That was when I was afraid it would take you away
from me. He was going to be home most of thesummer.
The clouds had cleared away and the world was dim
and unreal instarlight.
But Id like to know how I am to get through the
summer.
Emily found herselfthinking what a nice, pleasant,
friendly thing death would be.
Yes, as Ilse had said, it WAS a very devilish thing
to be a woman. VIOld Great-aunt Nancy of Priest Pond died that summer, verysuddenly.
In vain MissRoyal wrote pleading and scolding letters from New York.
She had put them on willingly,
evendesirously.
When Dean had limped out of sight Emily went home.
Emily stared at him, a hot flush suddenly staining the pallor ofher tortured little
face.
And yet it is terribly sweet to be free once more.
Sometimes that question forced itself on Emily, butshe would not answer
it.
Also one trimmed with moonlight and a scarf of
sunsetcloud.
Sometimes that question forced itself on Emily,
butshe would not answer it. It should have, but that evening Emily went out of the
house aftersunset. I dont think I should want to have an argument with
Elizabeth,reflected Emily.
When the fire had died down into white ashes Dean
got up. Emily found herselfthinking what a nice, pleasant, friendly thing death
would be. I have never answered the letter he wrote me after the sinking ofthe
Flavian.
Theres a story about almost everything Iveput in
this house. She had never cared to take up her pensince her illness.
And in two months time she was to be married to
Dean Priest.
But it was shocking to see all thehappiness wiped
out of a human face like that. You felt the coldness even amid thesunlight warmth.
He looked up at the little grey house behind her.
IIEmily went up the hill path to keep tryst with
Dean at theDisappointed House. And ithad been so long since she had heard it. One
catches a glimpse of all kinds of secrets now, said Dean. Daffy lay stretched out
attheir feet, his little striped flanks moving peacefully up anddown. A broken
engagement is a very slightthing nowadays.