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them ride off together. Only when they had disappeared around the bend in the drive did she go in, and then she was so abstracted that she did not even notice her mother’s sharp look as she ran up the stairs to change.

Six
    On Sunday, Joanna apologized to Selina, and all was well between the two girls again. Selina came home with the Rowntrees to spend the afternoon and to hear the story of Joanna’s ride. She found it very exciting. “And so they both went over the hedge together?” she asked more than once. “How thrilling it must have been. Oh, Joanna, you are so lucky.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWell, simply to have been there.” Selina leaned back in the arbor where they were again sitting, and sighed. Her freckled face creased. “Oh, if such a thing would only happen to me!”
    A silence fell while Selina contemplated this glorious prospect and Joanna looked out over the garden. Gradually, Selina came back to earth. She blinked, then said suddenly, “Oh, Joanna, I meant to tell you first thing. Have you heard what she has done now?”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œShe. Peter’s wife.”
    â€œNo, what?” asked Joanna with more interest.
    Selina’s eyes widened and she leaned forward. “She went to Reverend Williston and positively insisted on becoming head of the relief committee. She told him that she wanted to take her place as the ‘chief lady of the neighborhood’ and do her part in helping others. Can you credit it? Chief indeed. I wonder what Mrs. Townsend and your mother will have to say to that?”
    Though shocked, Joanna tried to be fair. “Well, it is true that Peter’s house is the largest in the neighborhood, except the Abbey, of course, though that hardly counts now. And was not Peter’s mother the head of the committee?”
    â€œOh, I daresay. She may well have the right, Joanna. But to go to the rector and say so! I think she is quite vulgar. What can one expect, after all, from the daughter of a merchant?”
    Joanna began to giggle. “Highty-tighty,” she said.
    Selina looked indignant, then she too laughed. “Well, I still think it was horrid. And of course, Reverend Williston is so persuadable that he agreed at once. Mrs. Williston is to give way.”
    Joanna shook her head. “Where do you hear these things, Selina? I declare, you always know everything that happens.”
    Selina flushed a little. “Our housekeeper…” she began.
    â€œIs a friend of the Williston’s housekeeper,” finished Joanna laughingly. “How lucky that Mrs. Jenkins is such a friendly soul.”
    A little resentful, the other girl said, “You are very merry today, Joanna. What has become of your broken heart?”
    Joanna sat up straight and frowned. “There is no need to fly into a pelter. I was only bamming you.” She considered for a moment, then added, “You know, I begin to wonder if my heart is broken.”
    â€œJoanna!” gasped her friend.
    â€œWell, I do. I cannot believe that it is, for I no longer feel that my life is over, or that I shall never be happy again, or any of those things. Sometimes I feel quite happy. And I often forget about Peter for hours at a time.”
    Selina clasped her hands. “Can it be that you mistook your heart?”
    â€œPerhaps. When I saw his wife, do you know, I felt only a kind of pity for Peter. I didn’t like her, of course, but I didn’t hate her either. Do you suppose my mother was right and I shall recover now that he is married?”
    Selina frowned. “It seems so, so…”
    Joanna nodded, and both girls contemplated the garden. They had not yet solved the problem when they were joined by Joanna’s mother, who came out of the French doors from the morning room with a sheet of paper in her hand and walked toward them. She was also frowning.
    â€œJoanna,” she said when she reached the arbor,