"Nearly always, at night, I think," said she, her eyes resting upon her husband's face. Richard, observing, saw her smile, and guessed, without looking, that there had been an exchange of glances. He knew, because he had twice before noted the exchange, as if there existed a peculiarly strong sympathy between husband and wife. This inference, too, possessed a curious new interest for the young man--he had not been accustomed to see anything of that sort between married people of long standing--not in the world he knew so well. He seemed to be learning strange new possibilities of existence at every step, since he had discovered the Grays--he who at twenty-eight had not thought there was very much left in human experience to be discovered.
"Is it different in the morning?" Richard inquired.
"Quite different. They are rather apt to take things more seriously in the morning. The day's work is just before them and they are inclined to discuss grave questions and dispose of them. But at night, when the lights are burning and every one comes home with a sense of duty done, it is natural to throw off the weights and be merry over the same matters which, perhaps, it seemed must be argued over in the morning. We all look forward to the dinner-table."
"I should think you might," agreed Richard, looking about him once more at the faces which surrounded him. He caught Roberta's eye, as he did so--much to his satisfaction--and she gave him a straightforward, steady look, as if she were taking his measure for the first time. Then, quite suddenly, she smiled at him and turned away to speak to Ted, who sat by her side.
Richard continued to watch, and saw that immediately Ted looked his way and also smiled. He wanted so much to know what this meant, that, as soon as dinner was over and they were all leaving the room, he fell in with the boy and, putting his hand through Ted's arm, whispered with artful intent: "Was my tie under my left ear?"
Ted stared up at him. "Your tie's all right, Mr. Kendrick."
"Then it wasn't that. Perhaps my coat collar was turned up?"
"Why, no," the boy laughed. "You look as right as anything. What made you think--"
"I saw you and your sister laughing at me and it worried me. I thought I must be looking the guy some way."