Then She Fled Me Read Free Page A

will be on your side, ” she said gently. “ But it ’ s old Uncle B. I ’ m putting my money on. Didn ’ t he tell me only last week that we couldn ’ t last at Dun R u ry for another year? Now I have a fine business proposition for him, and he ’ ll have to stop his croaking. Golly, I ’ m starved! Is there some Paddy ’ s Hat left in the kitchen, No n ie? ”
    “ There is that, and there ’ s milk, too, which you ’ ll get down you, me fine lady. You ’ re thin as a sally wand . Such talk! Such talk, indade! ”
    Grumbling, Nonie went back to the kitchen, and Sarah, feeling suddenly tired, followed her.
    Every so often the Kavanaghs came over to supper. Brian Kavanagh had been a lifelong friend of Denis Riordan ’ s, besides being his man of affairs. They had both been left widowers at much the same time, and Joe, though older, than any of the young Riordans, had known them m ost of their lives. He never remembered when he had first fallen in love with Kathy, perhaps when she first came home from that smart school in Dublin, perhaps long before, when a serious child in pigtails, she h ad carried him off to the hay loft to read him Tennyson.
    Aunt Em was thinking vaguely of these things as she waited for the Kavanaghs to arrive for supper. She must certainly speak to Brian about this unsuitable id e a of, Sarah ’ s to fill the house with paying guests. He could not possibly approve of such a course. It was one thing, for Sarah to tend the animals and lend a hand with the work on the farm, but quite another to wait on strangers in her own house; and that Kathy should be expected to make a bed other than her own was unthinkable. Aunt Em shared very strongly old Nonie ’ s conception of what was due to the quality.
    But when Brian Kavanagh, having done full justice to an excellent rabbit stew and relaxed now by a glowing turf fire with the whisky decanter at his elbow, was told of the proposition, he did not immediately frown upon it.
    “ Well now, Sarah, that ’ s a more sensible notion than you ’ ve had for some time, ” he said.
    “ But Uncle B. —” Kathy ’ s cheeks were flushed. “ You sound as though you ’ re agreeing! ”
    He glanced at her kindly. She looked very lovely with her big dismayed eyes and ruffled hair. Beside her Sarah seemed almost plain.
    “ Well now, I think I am, ” he replied slowly. “ It will all have to be worked out properly, of course, but—yes, I think I ’ m in favor. You can ’ t stop on at Dun Rury much longer without enlarging your income, you know. ”
    Tears sprang to Kathy ’ s eyes, and she turned quickly to Joe, quietly sucking his pipe and watching her through the haze of tobacco smoke.
    “ Joe! You ’ ve never said a word, ” she cried. “ Surely you don ’ t agree with Sarah and Uncle B.? ”
    He smiled across at her, and said in his soft voice which was as gentle as hers:
    “ I see n o harm in the notion, but it need not trouble you, Kathy. ”
    She loo k ed hurt and a little puzzled, but Brian ’ s lips twitched. His son was being subtle for once. His meaning, to the older man at least, was perfectly clear. If Kathy disliked the proposed alteration in her life sufficiently, it might hasten her decision to marry him. Well, thought Joe ’ s father indulgently, and not a bad thing either. She w as twenty. It was time she made up her mind.
    “ Well, now, Emma, let ’ s have your objections, ” he said, pouring himself another tot of whisky. “ You have experience of living in boarding houses, so your views should be valuable. ”
    Aunt Em touched her fringe nervously.
    “ The places I lived in were scarcely very homelike, ” she began. “ Little economies, you know, that made things uncomfortable. Bad food, penny-in-the-slot gas meters and landladies who were so very genteel. ”
    Sarah gave her a sudden hug .
    “ Poor Aunt Em, I can imagine, ” she said. “ But Du n Rury wouldn ’ t be like that. We ’ d feed them well a n d ...