Whatever were John Pendleton’s preparations for departure – and they were both varied and hurried – they were done in the open, with two exceptions. The exceptions were two letters, one addressed to Pollyanna, and one to Mrs Polly Chilton. These letters, together with careful and minute instructions, were given into the hands of Susan, his housekeeper, to be delivered after they should be gone. But of all this Jimmy knew nothing.
The travelers were nearing Boston when John Pendleton said to Jimmy:
“My boy, I’ve got one favor to ask – or rather, two. The first is that we say nothing to Mrs Carew until tomorrow afternoon; the other is that you allow me to go first and be your – er – ambassador, you yourself not appearing on the scene until perhaps, say – four o’clock. Are you willing?”
“Indeed I am,” replied Jimmy, promptly; “not only willing, but delighted. I’d been wondering how I was going to break the ice, and I’m glad to have somebody else do it.”
“Good! Then I’ll try to get – your aunt on the telephone tomorrow morning and make my appointment.”
True to his promise, Jimmy did not appear at the Carew mansion until four o’clock the next afternoon. Even then he felt suddenly so embarrassed that he walked twice by the house before he summoned sufficient courage to go up the steps and ring the bell. Once in Mrs Carew’s presence, however, he was soon his natural self, so quickly did she set him at his ease, and so tactfully did she handle the situation. To be sure, at the very first, there were a few tears, and a few incoherent exclamations. Even John Pendleton had to reach a hasty hand for his handkerchief. But before very long a semblance of normal tranquillity was restored, and only the tender glow in Mrs Carew’s eyes, and the ecstatic happiness in Jimmy’s and John Pendleton’s was left to mark the occasion as something out of the ordinary.
“And I think it’s so fine of you – about Jamie!” exclaimed Mrs Carew after a little. “Indeed, Jimmy – (I shall still call you Jimmy, for obvious reasons; besides, I like it better, for you) – indeed I think you’re just right, if you’re willing to do it. And I’m making some sacrifice myself, too,” she went on tearfully, “for I should be so proud to introduce you to the world as my nephew.”
“And, indeed, Aunt Ruth, I – ” At a half-stifled exclamation from John Pendleton, Jimmy stopped short. He saw then that Jamie and Sadie Dean stood just inside the door. Jamie’s face was very white.