"I'll speak to Grace," he said.That night the storm broke.
During supper Grace was very quiet.Maggie, watching her, knew that Paul had spoken to her.Afterwards in the study the atmosphere was electric.Grace read The Church Times, Paul the Standard, Maggie Longfellow's Golden Legend, which she thought foolish.
Grace looked up."So I understand, Maggie, that you don't want me to come with you and Paul this summer?"Maggie, her heart, in spite of herself, thumping in her breast, faced a Grace transfigured by emotion.That countenance, heavily, flabbily good-natured, the eyes if stupid, also kind, was now marked and riven with a flaming anger.
But Maggie was no coward.With her old gesture of self-command she stilled her heart."I'm very sorry, Grace," she said."But it's only for a month.I want to be alone with Paul."Grace, her hands fumbling on the arms of her chair as though she were blind, rose.