The Four Graces Read Free Page A

three weeks. Why did she bring it, I wonder.”
    â€œI don’t think she ever goes anywhere without it,” replied Tilly seriously.
    Sal was silent. She talked less than the others and, perhaps, thought more. Tilly, looking at her as she lay back in the chair, thought how peaceful she was. Liz or Addie would have been full of questions—not so Sal. Sal would listen if you wanted to tell her something, but she never probed.
    â€œWas it a nice party?” asked Tilly, turning the toast. “Did you talk to anyone interesting? What did you think of her ?”
    â€œRather a dear,” replied Sal, answering the last question.
    She might have gone on to answer the others but she had no chance, for the door burst open and Liz appeared on the scene. Liz took off her hat and shook out her curls. “Oh, you’ve managed everything,” said Liz. “I rushed home to help you. Why didn’t you come? You’d have liked it. I looked for you everywhere. There was champagne cup and ices. Lovely party! Poor Addie had to leave early to catch her train, but one of the officers took her straight to the station in his jeep.”
    â€œWith a brown face?” inquired Tilly, remembering the one who had stared so hard in church.
    â€œNo, pink,” replied Liz. “Tall and pink with fair hair.”
    â€œJimmy Howe,” said Sal.
    â€œVery new,” added Liz. “And as a matter of fact, you needn’t try to scent a romance. It was me he liked in spite of the fact that I’m old enough to be his grandmother. I asked him to take Addie to the station…Oh, Tilly, not macaroni and cheese! Father had awful dreams last time.”
    â€œThere wasn’t anything else,” said Tilly. “And you needn’t worry because this is macaroni and cheese with a difference.”
    â€œI didn’t know there could be much difference. Hallo, where’s the umbrella come from?”
    â€œIt’s hers,” said Tilly, whisking around the kitchen and piling the dishes onto a tray. “I mean she showed me. She said it couldn’t give anyone awful dreams if you made it like this—beautifully creamy—”
    Sal laughed. “Did she stir it with her broomstick, Tilly? Is it fairy food?”
    â€œReal silk!” murmured Liz, fingering it reverently. “Somehow it seems— more than just an umbrella—”
    â€œOh, it is! ” cried Tilly.
    Mr. Grace was the last to arrive. He came in smiling; although he was always reluctant to attend social functions, he enjoyed them tremendously when he got there.
    â€œIt went off very well, I think,” said Mr. Grace. “In spite of the heat everyone seemed to be enjoying it, and the bride looked charming.”
    â€œIt always does, and she always does,” declared Liz. “I mean I’ve never heard of a wedding that didn’t go off well, have you, darling? Can you imagine anyone saying, ‘It didn’t go off very well, did it? And wasn’t the bride plain?’”
    Mr. Grace was so used to the imbecility of his oldest daughter that it did not worry him. “I’ll just go and wash,” he said.
    ***
    They had their supper in the kitchen because Joan had gone home and it was easier, and if anyone had seen the Graces sitting around the kitchen table, enjoying their evening meal, he would have seen a pleasant sight. The girls talked about the wedding, of course, but their conversation wandered about a good deal and veered to and fro in a manner a stranger would have found perfectly natural. Sometimes they disagreed with each other and said so, making no bones about it, but they were so much in tune and so fully in accord upon essentials that it did not matter how violently they disagreed upon nonessentials. In fact a good hearty disagreement was welcome, adding spice to their talk. Now and then Liz would emit her sudden explosive snort of laughter, and Sal would chuckle