Page:The Country-House Party.djvu/18

10 so good. She could imagine another son, a brave, headstrong fellow, coming with his scrapes as a little child to be kissed and pardoned, coming as a boy to confide in her and pray for her forgiveness for a sin, coming as a man to bid her bless some madcap girl and help him tame her. She could feel that woman's arms about her neck even now. She would pretend to chide her, but love all the time her wild fun. 'Give me a girl who can laugh, not one that titters,' she said aloud; she was thinking of James. James had brought a tradesman's daughter to see her yesterday. She was pale and sandy-haired. She had kissed Mrs. Drummond on the cheek, and tittered. It was an ominous titter, the titter of the middle-class woman who is embarrassed, of the woman who cannot laugh, who titters when she is shy, and giggles when amused. It was a sound that told Mrs. Drummond as plain as words that James had proposed, that James had been accepted; but the fact was not yet to be made public property. She kissed the tradesman's daughter a little more warmly, because she understood James would not tell her anything until all was arranged. It was his way, and James was always sure to be right. As a child he had