miss billie married-第51章

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and　the　boys　went　back　to　their　Western　home；

leaving　Mrs。　Hartwell　and　her　daughter　to　make

a　round　of　visits　to　friends　in　the　East。　　For

almost　a　week　after　Christmas　they　remained　at

the　Strata；　and　it　was　on　the　last　day　of　their

stay　that　little　Kate　asked　the　question　that

proved　so　momentous　in　results。



Billy；　almost　unconsciously；　had　avoided　tte…

…ttes　with　her　small　guest。　　But　to…day　they

were　alone　together。



‘‘Aunt　Billy；''　began　the　little　girl；　after　a

meditative　gaze　into　the　other's　face；　‘‘you　_are_

married　to　Uncle　Bertram；　aren't　you？''



‘‘I　certainly　am；　my　dear；''　smiled　Billy；

trying　to　speak　unconcernedly。



‘‘Well；　then；　what　makes　you　forget　it？''



‘‘What　makes　me　forget　　Why；　child；　what

a　question！　　What　do　you　mean？　　I　don't　forget

it！''　exclaimed　Billy；　indignantly。



‘‘Then　what　_did_　mother　mean？　　I　heard　her

tell　Uncle　William　myselfshe　didn't　know　I

heard；　thoughthat　she　did　wish　you'd　remember

you　were　Uncle　Bertram's　wife　as　well　as

Cousin　Bertram's　mother。''



Billy　flushed　scarlet；　then　grew　very　white。　

At　that　moment　Mrs。　Hartwell　came　into　the

room。　　Little　Kate　turned　triumphantly。



‘‘There；　she　hasn't　forgotten；　and　I　knew　she

hadn't；　mother！　　I　asked　her　just　now；　and　she

said　she　hadn't。''



‘‘Hadn't　what？''　questioned　Mrs。　Hartwell；

looking　a　little　apprehensively　at　her　sister…in…

law's　white　face　and　angry　eyes。



‘‘Hadn't　forgotten　that　she　was　Uncle　Bertram's

wife。''



‘‘Kate；''　interposed　Billy；　steadily　meeting

her　sister…in…law's　gaze；　‘‘will　you　be　good　enough

to　tell　me　what　this　child　is　talking　about？''



Mrs。　Hartwell　sighed；　and　gave　an　impatient

gesture。



‘‘Kate；　I've　a　mind　to　take　you　home　on　the

next　train；''　she　said　to　her　daughter。　　‘‘Run

away；　now；　down…stairs。　　Your　Aunt　Billy　and　I

want　to　talk。　　Come；　come；　hurry！　　I　mean　what

I　say；''　she　added　warningly；　as　she　saw　unmistakable

signs　of　rebellion　on　the　small　young

face。



‘‘I　wish；''　pouted　little　Kate；　rising　reluctantly；

and　moving　toward　the　door；　‘‘that　you

didn't　always　send　me　away　just　when　I　wanted

most　to　stay！''



‘‘Well；　Kate？''　prompted　Billy；　as　the　door

closed　behind　the　little　girl。



‘‘Yes；　I　suppose　I'll　have　to　say　it　now；　as

long　as　that　child　has　put　her　finger　in　the　pie。　

But　I　hadn't　intended　to　speak；　no　matter　what

I　saw。　　I　promised　myself　I　wouldn't；　before　I

came。　　I　know；　of　course；　how　Bertram　and　Cyril；

and　William；　too；　say　that　I'm　always　interfering

in　affairs　that　don't　concern　methough；

for　that　matter；　if　my　own　brother's　affairs　don't

concern　me；　I　don't　know　whose　should！



‘‘But；　as　I　said；　I　wasn't　going　to　speak　this

time；　no　matter　what　I　saw。　　And　I　haven't

except　to　William；　and　Cyril；　and　Aunt　Hannah；

but　I　suppose　somewhere　little　Kate　got

hold　of　it。　　It's　simply　this；　Billy。　　It　seems

to　me　it's　high　time　you　began　to　realize　that

you're　Bertram's　wife　as　well　as　the　baby's

mother。''



‘‘That；　I　am　　I　don't　think　I　quite　understand；''

said　Billy；　unsteadily。



‘‘No；　I　suppose　you　don't；''　sighed　Kate；

‘‘though　where　your　eyes　are；　I　don't　seeor；

rather；　I　do　see：　they're　on　the　baby；　_always_。　

It's　all　very　well　and　lovely；　Billy；　to　be　a　devoted

mother；　and　you　certainly　are　that。　　I'll

say　that　much　for　you；　and　I'll　admit　I　never

thought　you　would　be。　　But　_can't_　you　see　what

you're　doing　to　Bertram？''



‘‘_Doing　to　Bertram！_by　being　a　devoted

mother　to　his　son！''



‘‘Yes；　doing　to　Bertram。　　Can't　you　see　what

a　change　there　is　in　the　boy？　　He　doesn't　act

like　himself　at　all。　　He's　restless　and　gloomy　and

entirely　out　of　sorts。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know；　but　that's　his　arm；''　pleaded

Billy。　　‘‘Poor　boyhe's　so　tired　of　it！''



Kate　shook　her　head　decisively。



‘‘It's　more　than　his　arm；　Billy。　　You'd　see

it　yourself　if　you　weren't　blinded　by　your

absorption　in　that　baby。　　Where　is　Bertram　every

evening？　　Where　is　he　daytimes？　　Do　you　realize

that　he's　been　at　home　scarcely　one　evening

since　I　came？　　And　as　for　the　dayshe's　almost

never　here。''



‘‘But；　Kate；　he　can't　paint　now；　you　know；

so　of　course　he　doesn't　need　to　stay　so　closely

at　home；''　defended　Billy。　　‘‘He　goes　out　to　find

distraction　from　himself。''



‘‘Yes；　‘distraction；'　indeed；''　sniffed　Kate。　

‘‘And　where　do　you　suppose　he　finds　it？　　Do

you　_know_　where　he　finds　it？　　I　tell　you；　Billy；

Bertram　Henshaw　is　not　the　sort　of　man　that

should　find　too　much　‘distraction'　outside　his

home。　　His　tastes　and　his　temperament　are

altogether　too　Bohemian；　and''



Billy　interrupted　with　a　peremptorily　upraised

hand。



‘‘Please　remember；　Kate；　you　are　speaking

of　my　husband　to　his　wife；　and　his　wife　has　perfect

confidence　in　him；　and　is　just　a　little　particular

as　to　what　you　say。''



‘‘Yes；　well；　I'm　speaking　of　my　brother；　too；

whom　I　know　very　well；''　shrugged　Kate。　　‘‘All

is；　you　may　remember　sometime　that　I　warned

youthat's　all。　　This　trusting　business　is　all

very　pretty；　but　I　think　'twould　be　a　lot　prettier；

and　a　vast　deal　more　sensible；　if　you'd　give　him

a　little　attention　as　well　as　trust；　and　see　if　you

can't　keep　him　at　home　a　bit　more。　　At　least

you'll　know　whom　he's　with；　then。　　Cyril　says

he　saw　him　last　week　with　Bob　Seaver。''



‘‘WithBobSeaver？''　faltered　Billy；

changing　color。



‘‘Yes。　　I　see　you　remember　him；''　smiled

Kate；　not　quite　agreeably。　　‘‘Perhaps　now

you'll　take　some　stock　in　what　I've　said；　and

remember　it。''



‘‘I'll　remember　it；　certainly；''　returned　Billy；

a　little　proudly。　　‘‘You've　said　a　good　many

things　to　me；　in　the　past；　Mrs。　Hartwell；　and

I've　remembered　them　allevery　one。''



It　was　Kate's　turn　to　flush；　and　she　did　it。



‘‘Yes；　I　know。　　And　I　presume　very　likely

sometimes　there　_hasn't_　been　much　foundation

for　what　I've　said。　　I　think　this　time；　however；

you'll　find　there　is；''　she　finished；　with　an　air　of

hurt　dignity。



Billy　made　no　reply；　perhaps　because　Delia；

at　that　moment；　brought　in　the　baby。



Mrs。　Hartwell　and　little　Kate　left　the　Strata

the　next　morning。　　Until　then　Billy　contrived

to　keep；　before　them；　a　countenance　serene；　and

a　manner　free　from　unrest。　　Even　when；　after

dinner　that　evening；　Bertram　put　on　his　hat　and

coat　and　went　out；　Billy　refused　to　meet　her　sister…

in…law's　meaning　gaze。　　But　in　the　morning；

after　they　had　left　the　house；　Billy　did　not

attempt　to　deceive　herself。　　Determinedly；　then；

she　set　herself　to　going　over　in　her　mind　the　past

months　since　the　baby　came；　and　she　was　appalled

at　what　she　found。　　Ever　in　her　ears；　too；

was　that　feared　name；　‘‘Bob　Seaver''；　and　ever

before　her　eyes　was　that　night　years　ago　when；

as　an　eighteen…year…old　girl；　she　had　followed

Bertram　and　Bob　Seaver　into　a　glittering　caf

and　demand　that　Seaver　let　her　husband　come

home！　　But　she　could　keep　him　at　home；　perhaps。　

（Billy　quite　brightened　at　this　thought。）　　Kate

had　said　that　she　was　so　absorbed　in　Baby　that

her　husband　received　no　attention　at　all。　　Billy

did　not　believe　this　was　true；　but　if　it　were　true；

she　could　at　least　rectify　that　mistake。　　If　it　we