Geraldine lifted her eyes to his--the eyes with the drooping, pensive corners deepened by dark lashes which Miss Upton had tried to describe.
"I think I'm not feeling very strong, Mr. Carder," she said listlessly. "Long drives tire me."
"Long walks will tire you more," he answered, instantly suspicious.
"Yes, I don't feel equal to them now," she answered, her grave glance dropping again to her plate.
"That hammock chair and a hammock will be out to-day," he said. "I'll put 'em under the elm you're so stuck on, and I guess we can scare up some books for you to read."
Geraldine's heart began to quicken and she put a guard upon her manner lest eagerness should crop out in spite of her.
"It is early for shade," she replied. "The sun is pleasant. Everything is so bare about here," she added wearily. "I wish I could find some flowers."
Then it was that Mrs. Carder, poor dumb automaton, volunteered a remark; and the most silver-tongued orator could not have better pleased Geraldine with eloquence.
"Used to be quite a lot grow down in the medder," she said.
Geraldine's heart beat like a little triphammer, but she did not look up from her plate, nor change her listless expression.
"I'd like to go and see if there are any," she said. "I love them. Where is the meadow?"
"Oh, it's just that swale to the right of the driveway," said Rufus. "It's low ground, and I s'pose the wild flowers do like it. I hope the cows haven't taken them all. You needn't be afraid o' the cows."
"No, I'm not," replied Geraldine. "Perhaps I'll go some time."
"Go to-day, go while the goin's good," urged Rufus. "Never can tell when the rain will keep you in. You shall have a flower garden, Geraldine. You tell me where you'd like it and I'll have the ground got ready right off."
"Thank you," she answered, "but I like the wild flowers best."
As soon as the dishes were dried, Geraldine went up to her room and delved into her little trunk. She brought out a white cotton dress. It had not been worn since the summer before, and though clean it was badly wrinkled. She took it down to the kitchen and ironed it.
"Goin' to put on a white dress?" asked Mrs. Carder. "Kind o' cool for that, ain't it?"
"I don't think so. I have very few dresses, and I get tired of wearing the same one."
