The Four Graces Read Free

have met.”
    â€œExactly,” said Miss Marks, without batting an eyelid. She really was a very remarkable woman.
    â€œWell, I’m glad her nose wasn’t shorter. I hate parties, you know. One person is much more interesting than a lot of people…and it will be lovely for Liz and Sal to tell me about it when they come home. You saw them in church, didn’t you?”
    â€œVery good-looking young women,” said Miss Marks, nodding.
    â€œDarlings,” said Tilly, as she shook out a clean tablecloth and spread it on the table. “Liz and Sal are older than me and Addie is younger. She’s just here for forty-eight hours, and she has to go back to London tonight. Liz works on the farm at Chevis Place—Archie’s farm, you know—Sal and I keep house and help father. We arranged it like that,” said Tilly, as she gathered cups and saucers and plates and spoons from the cupboard and laid them on the table. “Because Sal isn’t terribly strong and I can play the organ…and of course Joan stays with her mother now and only comes to us for the day. She has a baby… I told you she was married, didn’t I?”
    Tilly paused, aware that she had been babbling, but her new friend was not only perfectly calm but appeared to be following with interest. “Mrs. Robinson,” said Miss Marks, nodding.
    â€œYou’re interested in people!” said Tilly, surprised at this feat of memory.
    â€œWhat could be more interesting?”
    â€œSome people like books better, or—or things .”
    â€œBooks are people,” smiled Miss Marks. “In every book worth reading, the author is there to meet you, to establish contact with you. He takes you into his confidence and reveals his thoughts to you.”
    Tilly nodded thoughtfully. “Are you Archie’s aunt?” she inquired.
    â€œI am no relation, but I have lived with young Mrs. Abbott for years. I was her governess at one time. Now I run the house and do the cooking. I like it,” she added defiantly.
    â€œYes—well—it’s useful,” said Tilly, a trifle taken aback.
    Tea was ready now so they sat down at the table, and Miss Marks took off her gloves.
    â€œI thought the bride looked nice,” said Tilly suddenly.
    â€œJane is a very pleasant young woman,” said Miss Marks, sipping her tea with great satisfaction. “She has been staying at Ganthorne Lodge for some months, so I can speak with authority. Jane has a sweet nature.”
    This encomium might have sounded halfhearted (as a matter of fact, Tilly was usually “put off” by the report that so-and-so had a sweet nature, for she had found that, more often than not, it meant that so-and-so was rather wet), but already she had weighed up Miss Marks and realized her habit of understatement.
    â€œI’m glad she’s nice,” said Tilly. “It’ll make a lot of difference to us—I mean, in the parish. People are so touchy in Chevis Green.”
    â€œNot only in Chevis Green—but you need have no fears on that score. Jane is essentially kind.”
    â€œOh, good!” said Tilly.

Chapter Two
    Miss Marks had gone and supper was almost ready when the merrymakers began to return. Sal was the first to reach home. She walked into the kitchen and smiled at Tilly. “Cinderella,” she said in a teasing voice.
    â€œNot really,” replied Tilly, shoving a tray of bread under the grill. “Cinderella wanted to go to the party, and I didn’t…but, anyhow, I’ve had a fairy godmother to keep me company.”
    â€œSo I see. She’s left her broomstick,” said Sal, pointing to the dresser upon which lay, forlorn and forgotten, Miss Marks’s umbrella.
    â€œOh!” cried Tilly in dismay.
    â€œWhy worry?” asked Sal, sinking into a comfortable chair. “It hasn’t rained for a fortnight and probably won’t rain for another