Chapter Nine


At a quarter to four I received a note from Blakely saying it would
be impossible for him to come in to tea as he had planned. It was
the first time he had ever broken an engagement with me, and I was a
wee bit unhappy over it, though I knew, of course, there must be
some good reason why he couldn't come. Still, his absence rather put
me out of humor with tea, so I sent Valentine for a box of
chocolates. When she returned I sat down with them and a novel,
prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon alone.

The novel wasn't half as silly as some I've read--the hero reminded
me of Blakely--and the chocolates were unusually good; I was having
a much better time than I had expected. Then some one knocked at the
door.

"Bother!" I thought. "It can't be anybody I wish to see; I'll not
let them in."

The knock, was repeated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe
Blakely had changed his plans and had come for tea after all.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the threshold, was--
Had I gone quite mad? I rose from my chair and stared unbelievingly-
-at Blakely's mother.

"May I come in?" she asked in her even, well-bred voice.