One day, in her bureau drawer, she found the little card that had accompanied his first Christmas gift, nearly two years before. Why did a keen pain stir her heart, as she stood idly twisting it in her fingers? Had not the promise of that happy day been a thousand times fulfilled?
But the bright, enchanting hope that card had brought had been so sickeningly deferred! Two years!--she was twenty-three now.
Mrs. Lancaster, opening the bedroom door a few minutes later, found Susan in tears, kneeling by the bed.
"Why, lovey! lovey!" Her aunt patted the bowed head. "What is it, dear?"
"Nothing!" gulped Susan, sitting back on her heels, and drying her eyes.
"Not a quarrel with Peter?"
"Oh, auntie, no!"
"Well," her aunt sighed comfortably, "of course it's an emotional time, dear! Leaving the home nest--" Mrs. Lancaster eyed her keenly, but Susan did not speak. "Remember, Auntie is to know the first of all!" she said playfully. Adding, after a moment's somber thought, "If Georgie had told Mama, things would be very different now!"
"Poor Georgie!" Susan smiled, and still kneeling, leaned on her aunt's knees, as Mrs. Lancaster sat back in the rocking chair.
"Poor Georgie indeed!" said her mother vexedly. "It's more serious than you think, dear. Joe was here last night. It seems that he's going to that doctor's convention, at Del Monte a week from next Saturday, and he was talking to Georgie about her going, too."
Susan was thunderstruck.
"But, Auntie, aren't they going to be divorced?"
Mrs. Lancaster rubbed her nose violently.
"They are if I have anything to say!" she said, angrily. "But, of course, Georgie has gotten herself into this thing, and now Mama isn't going to get any help in trying to get her out! Joe was extremely rude and inconsiderate about it, and got the poor child crying--!"
"But, Auntie, she certainly doesn't want to go!"
"Certainly she doesn't. And to come home to that dreadful WOMAN, his mother? Use your senses, Susan!"
"Why don't you forbid Joe O'Connor the house, Auntie?"
"Because I don't want any little whipper-snapper of a medical graduate from the Mission to DARE to think he can come here, in my own home, and threaten me with a lawsuit, for alienating his wife's affections!" Mrs. Lancaster said forcibly. "I never in my life heard such impudence!"
"Is he mad!" exclaimed Susan, in a low, horrified tone.