Read Online The Strange Proposal by Grace Livingston Hill - Free Book Online
Authors: Grace Livingston Hill
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told me how much Jeff admired him.”
“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Robert Wainwright. “He was all right. He is very good-looking of course, and appeared quite impressive standing up there by Jeffrey. But I am annoyed at Betty Wainwright that she should have made herself so prominent in his company all the evening. It wasn’t required of her at all. She could have been polite without fairly falling into his arms. We certainly don’t want two of our family going into obscurity for life, do we? Really, I am worried about Betty. Her father lets her have her own way too much. Your brother Samuel always was too easy! You know I said that long ago.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call Mary Elizabeth ‘Betty!” said Uncle Robert in an irritated tone. “Betty!” he snorted. “It undignifies her good old-fashioned name. And as for the way she treated Saxon, I thought it was modesty itself!”
“Oh, yes, you always think everything that girl does is all right. You’re just like Samuel. You haven’t an idea how careful a girl has to be these days. It’s a good thing we didn’t have any daughters, for you would have spoiled them terribly. I shall have to speak to my niece, I’m afraid. She needs a woman’s advice.”
“You let Mary Elizabeth alone!” said her husband. “She’s nice and sweet and good, and she doesn’t need advice. She’s doing well enough bringing herself up. Now, are you ready at last? Where is Sam? Talk about spoiling, I don’t see why you can’t understand you are spoiling Sam, letting him sleep every morning as late as he pleases. He’ll never amount to shucks if he doesn’t learn to get up early in the morning. I’ve threatened him with cutting his allowance, but you always manage to excuse him somehow.”
So they went down to meet their niece, who arose with a smile to welcome them and did seem to justify all that her doting uncle had said of her.
Aunt Clarice gave her an indulgent kiss and surveyed her critically.
“You’re looking a little pale, Betty dear,” she said as they walked together to the dining room. “I do hope your duties last evening as maid of honor were not too strenuous. It was hardly fair of Camilla to ask you that way at the last minute, you having no chance to prepare a special dress or anything. You did very well, of course, but it must have been trying, dear.”
“Oh, not at all, Aunt Clarice,” twinkled Mary Elizabeth, slipping on the armor that she always used in conversation with this aunt. “I had the time of my life. I enjoyed every minute of the evening.”
“Well, that was good of you, but I think, if you ask me, that they might have raked up somebody from their own friends, if they had to have a maid of honor at all, since they didn’t ask you at first. They really should have asked you in the first place, you know, Betty Wainwright! It was quite the proper thing, since Camilla hadn’t seen her own friends in a long time. It is certainly a wonder it all went off as well as it did.”
“Oh, I thought it was beautiful!” said Mary Elizabeth. “And Camilla made such a precious bride. I’m just going to love her, Aunt Clarice!”
“Yes, she did very well,” admitted the bride’s new mother-in-law with a sigh. “It wasn’t what I’d planned for my son, but I think she’ll be all right. Of course, it’s a satisfaction that he’s settled down at last and didn’t do any worse. Jeff always was erratic, you know. But I’m very well satisfied.”
“I thought it was a perfect wedding, Aunt Clarice, with not a thing to be criticized. Those bridesmaids were sweet, and the ushers were all Jeff’s friends, and the best man was a peach! I’d never met him before, you know. How long has Jeff known him?”
“Only just this winter!” said Aunt Clarice with a resigned sigh. “And that was another regrettable thing, of course, though it went off quite smoothly, thanks to your kind offices. He’s only a passing acquaintance that Jeff took an
“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Robert Wainwright. “He was all right. He is very good-looking of course, and appeared quite impressive standing up there by Jeffrey. But I am annoyed at Betty Wainwright that she should have made herself so prominent in his company all the evening. It wasn’t required of her at all. She could have been polite without fairly falling into his arms. We certainly don’t want two of our family going into obscurity for life, do we? Really, I am worried about Betty. Her father lets her have her own way too much. Your brother Samuel always was too easy! You know I said that long ago.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call Mary Elizabeth ‘Betty!” said Uncle Robert in an irritated tone. “Betty!” he snorted. “It undignifies her good old-fashioned name. And as for the way she treated Saxon, I thought it was modesty itself!”
“Oh, yes, you always think everything that girl does is all right. You’re just like Samuel. You haven’t an idea how careful a girl has to be these days. It’s a good thing we didn’t have any daughters, for you would have spoiled them terribly. I shall have to speak to my niece, I’m afraid. She needs a woman’s advice.”
“You let Mary Elizabeth alone!” said her husband. “She’s nice and sweet and good, and she doesn’t need advice. She’s doing well enough bringing herself up. Now, are you ready at last? Where is Sam? Talk about spoiling, I don’t see why you can’t understand you are spoiling Sam, letting him sleep every morning as late as he pleases. He’ll never amount to shucks if he doesn’t learn to get up early in the morning. I’ve threatened him with cutting his allowance, but you always manage to excuse him somehow.”
So they went down to meet their niece, who arose with a smile to welcome them and did seem to justify all that her doting uncle had said of her.
Aunt Clarice gave her an indulgent kiss and surveyed her critically.
“You’re looking a little pale, Betty dear,” she said as they walked together to the dining room. “I do hope your duties last evening as maid of honor were not too strenuous. It was hardly fair of Camilla to ask you that way at the last minute, you having no chance to prepare a special dress or anything. You did very well, of course, but it must have been trying, dear.”
“Oh, not at all, Aunt Clarice,” twinkled Mary Elizabeth, slipping on the armor that she always used in conversation with this aunt. “I had the time of my life. I enjoyed every minute of the evening.”
“Well, that was good of you, but I think, if you ask me, that they might have raked up somebody from their own friends, if they had to have a maid of honor at all, since they didn’t ask you at first. They really should have asked you in the first place, you know, Betty Wainwright! It was quite the proper thing, since Camilla hadn’t seen her own friends in a long time. It is certainly a wonder it all went off as well as it did.”
“Oh, I thought it was beautiful!” said Mary Elizabeth. “And Camilla made such a precious bride. I’m just going to love her, Aunt Clarice!”
“Yes, she did very well,” admitted the bride’s new mother-in-law with a sigh. “It wasn’t what I’d planned for my son, but I think she’ll be all right. Of course, it’s a satisfaction that he’s settled down at last and didn’t do any worse. Jeff always was erratic, you know. But I’m very well satisfied.”
“I thought it was a perfect wedding, Aunt Clarice, with not a thing to be criticized. Those bridesmaids were sweet, and the ushers were all Jeff’s friends, and the best man was a peach! I’d never met him before, you know. How long has Jeff known him?”
“Only just this winter!” said Aunt Clarice with a resigned sigh. “And that was another regrettable thing, of course, though it went off quite smoothly, thanks to your kind offices. He’s only a passing acquaintance that Jeff took an
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