Free The Flower Brides by Grace Livingston Hill Page A

must be a lot to do to get ready for a grand party like this, and she would need his help.”
    Marigold laughed a sharp little gurgle of amusement with a tang of bitterness mingled with the mirth. “Oh, Mother mine! Do I hear you taking up for Laurie? Making excuses for him? That is too good. The idea that he would be helping his mother is also good. I don’t believe it ever entered his handsome head to do that.”
    “Why, my dear! How could you seem to be so anxious to go around with him if you think so poorly of him as that?”
    “I don’t think poorly of him, Mother. I just know it wouldn’t be like Laurie to help his mother. It isn’t his way. They don’t do that! They have a lot of servants.”
    “But—there would be things that her own son could help in, I should think, that nobody else could do. Oh, my dear! I feel so troubled! I cannot have you give up this party that I know you counted so much on, and I know you have done it just for me.”
    “Now, look here, Mother! If I want to do it for you, haven’t I a right? You who did so much for me? And if it gives me more pleasure to get you some new dresses than to buy—well, anything that amount of money could have bought, aren’t you willing I should be pleased? And it
does
please me, truly! Besides, Mother, I thought it was best not to go. I really did. Now please don’t ask any more questions. Not now, anyhow. Sometime I’ll tell you all about it. I’m testing something out, and I don’t want to talk about it.”
    The mother gave her a quick uneasy look, her eyes lingering, troubled, half relieved yet not wholly satisfied.
    “Can’t you trust me—a few days at least?” said Marigold wistfully.
    “Yes, I can trust you—but—?”
    “No
buts
, please. We haven’t time. I’m sending a telegram to Aunt Marian this morning on my way to school telling her that we will be there tomorrow night on the train that reaches Washington about ten o’clock, and we’ll take a taxi right up to the house. Now, will you be good and do what I want? Will you meet me at the shop? Bring the dress along that needed the hem taken up. She’ll pin it for us. She offered to. Will it bother you to carry it? Perhaps I’d better take it myself. I haven’t many books this morning.”
    “No, you run along. It’s getting late. I’ll bring it.”
    “And you will put away all your little worries and get ready to have a good time? Have a good time getting ready, I mean?”
    “Yes, I will,” said the mother, smiling. “You dear child! I do hope this is not going to bring sorrow and disappointment to you.”
    “No!” said Marigold, her firm little lips shutting tight in resolve. “It won’t. I’m going to have a grand time going on a spree with you. It’s a long time since we’ve gone on a trip together. I don’t seem to remember any since you took me last to the zoo, and how long ago was that?”
    “Child!”
    “It’s a fact, I don’t. So much has happened since—school and college and then work! Now, Mother, you won’t be late coming, will you? They positively told me at the library you could go exactly when you pleased. And I’ve put some money in your purse. You’re to use it
all
, and
not to touch
your own! Positively! I won’t go on any other condition! And why don’t you pay the rent now and have it out of the way? Then you won’t have that to look forward to when you get home, and we can have a real relaxed time with no worries.”
    “All right!” The mother smiled. She was beginning to catch the spirit of holiday, too.
    Well, it looked as if Mother was going to be all right. If she only didn’t get balky about the dresses down at the shop. It was going to be fun after all, going off this way with Mother, giving her a real vacation. If she just could keep herself busy enough and interested enough, perhaps she wouldn’t feel that sick thud at the bottom of her stomach whenever she remembered the party that she wasn’t going to attend. Maybe