GI Brides (30 page)

“Oh!” said Elaine. “So he’s coming back!”

“Yes, he’ll be back,” said Lexie joyously.

Elaine gave a sharp look, and then she said: “Whose ring is that you’re wearing? I never saw you have that on before. Is it a real diamond, or just paste?”

“Why, it’s my ring,” said Lexie, lifting her hand proudly. “It was his mother’s, and he’s worn it next to his heart all through his war experience. And, oh yes, the diamond is real. His father bought it at Tiffany’s in New York when he and Ben’s mother were engaged.”

“It’s not very large,” said Elaine sharply. “They can’t be very rich.”

“I don’t know,” said Lexie. “I never asked anything about that. I really didn’t care.”

“No, you
wouldn’t
!” said Elaine contemptuously. “Well, I hope you’re happy. I thought I was once, but it didn’t last.”

“But this will,” said Lexie with a grave, sweet smile, “because we both love the Lord Jesus, and whatever comes, we are both His.”

“Oh,
religious,
is he? Well, that
would
be the kind you’d pick. Well, I’m sure I wish you well.”

“Thank you, Elaine,” said Lexie brightly, and she went over and kissed her sister on the forehead, which was the only part of Elaine’s anatomy that she presented for the salute.

Then Lexie went in the house and out to the kitchen to find Cinda and show her her ring.

But Elaine sat still on the porch into the deep gloaming of the evening, and let the slow tears course down her cheeks unchecked.

The days that followed brought great joy to Lexie. Ben came back within the week to tell her that he had been put in charge of an important training camp for a while because they felt he must not go back to fighting until he was in better shape physically. And besides, they felt his experience would be more worthwhile in training others just how to fight as he had done than in going back again to fight. Incidentally he was wearing a decoration of honor for his valorous deeds under fire, and several times he was called to speak on the radio, giving a little sketch of the experiences of soldiers fighting fire. It was all very wonderful to Lexie, and she took great pride in him in her shy, sweet soul. Especially when she saw the honor Judge Foster and Mr. Gordon gave him and heard their words of commendation.

And all this had a great deal of influence with Elaine. She treated Ben with the utmost deference, and actually changed in her habitual manner toward her sister when he was present, until Lexie almost cried with joy at the sweet way she spoke to her.

It happened a few days after all this that a letter came to Elaine from the war department stating that her husband was still alive. It was found that he had been taken prisoner, placed in an internment camp by the enemy, and had been there so long that his health was greatly undermined. But he had at last managed to make an escape, and after various thrilling experiences in which he almost lost his life and, more than once, his freedom, he had managed to reach this country and get into contact with the proper authorities. They had placed him in a hospital in Washington, for he had not been fit to travel farther, and now he wanted his wife. Could she come to Washington at once to see him? He was in a very weak condition and his life was hanging by a thread. But the doctor thought that his wife’s presence might materially aid in a possible recovery. Could she come at once? Cinda sniffed when she heard this.

But it was a new Elaine that came in excitement to Lexie with her letter, and asked most humbly if there was any way she would lend her a little money to go. She was no longer weak and helpless. She was alert and eager, and ready to start at once without going to a beauty parlor or purchasing any new clothes.

“But, are you
able
to go?” asked Lexie, looking at her in surprise.

“Able!”
she said sharply. “Of
course
I’m able. Don’t you understand it is my
husband
who needs me, and he may be dying! It is my husband
whom I love
! The only man I ever really loved. I
must
go, and I must take the
first train.
Will you find out how I can quickest get there?”

“Of course!” said Lexie, and she went to work.

It was Lexie who arranged it all, who took her sister in a taxi to the station, asked her if she didn’t want her to go with her, gave her all the money she would need, told her to let her know if she needed more, and then promised to look after the children while she was gone. As they waited for the train to be open, Elaine suddenly spoke:

“Lexie, I’ve been a fool. I may as well tell you before I go because something might happen and then I never could. I knew better than to torment you the way I did. I practically knew I was chasing a fool’s hope when I tried to get money out of you. But I met that Thomas lawyer and he was telling how he found a fortune for one woman, and I began to tell him about my father and how he once said he wanted to leave a small fortune to each one of his girls. Then he got me all worked up to think that perhaps this was really so. He’s an old robber himself, for he got an awful lot of money out of me at one time or another while that was going on, and he promised me that it would be no trouble to make you and me both rich. But I was a fool to believe him. And I owe you a great apology. I hope you’ll forgive me!”

“Oh, that’s all right,” said Lexie with a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you know at last that I was telling the truth.”

“Oh, of
course
I knew you were telling the truth all the time, but he kept telling me if I worked it that way you would fall and I could get a part of some of my father’s old holdings out of people who owed him. But I was a fool.”

There were sounds about now that the train was ready to go, and Elaine picked up her suitcase, and then lingered an instant.

“And Lexie,” she said in a low, hurried tone, “I want you to know that I think you’re wonderful. If there ever was a Christian, you’re that! The way you’ve stood all I’ve put upon you was something great. If they gave decorations for things like that, I’d vote for one for you, and someday, maybe I can be your kind of a Christian, too. I never wanted to be one before until I watched you under fire.”

Then she gave Lexie a quick kiss and hurried onto the train, and Lexie went back home with happy tears in her eyes.

She went and told Cinda about what Elaine had said, and Cinda listened, and sniffed unbelievingly.

“Humph! Pretty Christian
she’d
make! Wull, I s’pose God
ken
do
any
thin’ He
loikes,
but I shouldn’t advoise His wasting His toime on such poor material. Well, it may be so, but I’ll believe it when I see it!”

But a few days later when Ben Barron came down to talk over plans for their wedding in the near future, she told him of Elaine’s words, and he listened gravely.

“The Lord knows how to work, doesn’t He, and bring glory out of shame. My dear, there are going to be many surprises in heaven when the decorations of honor are handed out to the quiet saints who have been under fire for years without complaint. I was reading in Timothy this morning: ‘Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he
may please him
who hath
chosen
him to be a soldier.’ I guess, my dear, we’re going to find that all the fires we have to go through are worthwhile when we come to stand before His Presence.”

D
ale Huntley finished labeling and tying the last of the packages. The expressman had promised to call for them before ten o’clock. Dale gave a quick glance at the clock, and finding it was only half past nine, she sat back with a sigh of relief and closed her eyes for just a second.

It had been a hard time, and she had not stopped for a moment to think of herself or her own feelings. But now, were all the little nagging duties accomplished that Grandmother had left for her to do before the relatives should arrive? With her eyes still closed, she went swiftly down the list that was sharp in her mind.

Put all personal gifts, jewelry, heirlooms, private letters in the safe-deposit box in the bank.
That had been done last week while Grandmother was still alive and alert to all that was going on around her, intent on leaving her world all in order for her going, interested in each item as if it were a game she was playing.

“You know,” she told Dale with one of her old-time twinkles that gave her such an endearing look, “those cousins of yours that have been anything but cousinly in their actions are liable to turn up as soon as they hear that I am gone, and they’ll do their best to search out anything that could possibly be interesting to them and make your life miserable if they think you want it, so it is best not to have anything around to make trouble for you.”

Grandmother was always so thoughtful for everybody.

But she must not think about that now. This was going to be a hard day, and she would not be able to get through it if she gave way to tears at this stage. At any moment those relatives might arrive—the telegram had said Tuesday—and she must not have traces of tears on her face. Oh, of course, tears were natural when one had lost a dear one, but she was in a position where she must be more than just another relative. She must carry out Grandmother’s plans. She must meet the cousins quietly and with some measure of poise. That would be the only way to offset any arrogance and desire to manage, on their part.

Dale had not seen these relatives for years. Not since she was a small child, too young to be noticed by them. Young enough to be calmly swept aside for the pretty, spoiled cousin, Corliss, who had to have everything her little heart desired, even if it upset everybody else in the house. Corliss had taken great delight in making Dale the butt of all her tantrums. It was natural, therefore, that Dale did not look forward to the reunion with pleasure. Still, she told herself, perhaps she was not being fair in feeling this way. After all, it was a good many years ago, and Corliss had been only a baby then, some months younger than herself. There was a good chance that through the years Corliss might have changed and would perhaps be a charming young woman by this time; it might even be quite possible that they could be friends. Though from Grandmother’s description of her when she last saw her, Dale did not think so. Grandmother had at times given little word-sketches of her grandniece, witty and sarcastic but altogether good-natured. However, those sketches were clearly given in the way of warning, so Dale would not be taken unawares and thereby lose out.

It was for that reason that Dale was dreading the arrival of these unknown relatives and had carried out the little details of Grandmother’s plans most meticulously, schooling herself to a calmness that she was far from feeling. Not until these relatives had come and gone could she relax and give attention to her own personal plans. By that time, perhaps, she would be used to the fact that the dear grandmother was gone and that from then on she was utterly on her own.

She was interrupted in her troubled thoughts by the sound of the doorbell.

Quickly assuming her habitual quiet demeanor, she hurried to the door, giving a worried glance toward the little stack of packages waiting for the expressman. Oh, if only it was him instead of the dreaded relatives. Then she opened the door and glimpsed with relief the express car parked by the curb.

“Oh, you’ve come, Mr. Martin! I’m so glad! I do want to get these packages off on the first train.”

The expressman grinned.

“I told ya I’d come, didn’t I? I always keep my word when I can. Especially in a case like this where there’s a funeral. I always like to help out. Especially when it’s an old friend like Grandma Huntley. I know she ain’t here, but somehow I think where she is she’ll know.”

Dale’s face lit tenderly. “Yes, I think she will,” she said softly.

The old expressman got out a grubby handkerchief and blew his nose violently, then turned on his grin again. “Okay!” he said, pulling himself together. “Where’s yer packages?”

“Oh yes. Right here by the dining room door. All of them.”

“And you want these here things all prepaid, you said, didn’t you? Okay. You can stop by the office and settle the bill when you come downtown again. I’ll have ’em weighed and be ready for you.”

Dale drew a breath of relief as she watched the truck drive away. Now, no matter when Aunt Blanche and Corliss came, there wouldn’t be anything for them to question about. Grandmother had made it quite plain that they would likely resent her giving anything away before they arrived, if there was any evidence around that it had been done.

So Dale was free now to go about the arrangements for the day and her undesired guests, realizing that she was going to need great patience and strength before this visit was over.

Hattie was in the kitchen, Dale knew. Dear old Hattie, who loved Grandmother so much and whose lifework from now on was merely to be transferred to the granddaughter whom Grandmother had loved so well.

Hattie had had experience in former years with the coming relatives and would know how to deal with them. Grandmother had talked it all over with Hattie and prepared her, made sure that she fully understood and could arrange an adjustable firmness, with courtesy, so that no clashing would be necessary. But when Dale came into the kitchen and found Hattie standing disconsolately looking out the window into the kitchen garden, the old woman said sorrowfully, “I dunno, I dunno, Miss Dale! Grandma said I was to be real sweet and polite and not stir up no strife. But if you had knowed them people the way I did, you’d know that wasn’t just physically possible. I’d like to carry out your grandma’s wishes, an’ I’m sure I’ll do my best, but I know I can’t really do it. I’ve tried before and it didn’t work, and I don’t seem to believe it’ll work this time, but I’ll do my best.”

“Why, of course you will, Hattie. You’ll be all right. And don’t you worry about it. If they say anything you don’t like, just put it aside and don’t think about it.”