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XXX. A Wedding at the Stone House
Paul’sonlymotivewastomakeajoyfulnoise;butastheclangordiedaway,frompointandcurveandhillacrosstherivercamethechimeof“fairyweddingbells,”ringingclearly,sweetly,faintlyandmorefaint,asifMissLavendar’sbelovedechoeswerebiddinghergreetingandfarewell.Andso,amidthisbenedictionofsweetsounds,MissLavendardroveawayfromtheoldlifeofdreamsandmake-believestoafullerlifeofrealitiesinthebusyworldbeyond.
TwohourslaterAnneandCharlottatheFourthcamedownthelaneagain.GilberthadgonetoWestGraftononanerrandandDianahadtokeepanengagementathome.AnneandCharlottahadcomebacktoputthingsinorderandlockupthelittlestonehouse.Thegardenwasapooloflategoldensunshine,withbutterflieshoveringandbeesbooming;butthelittlehousehadalreadythatindefinableairofdesolationwhichalwaysfollowsafestivity.
“Ohdearme,don’titlooklonesome?”sniffedCharlottatheFourth,whohadbeencryingallthewayhomefromthestation.“Aweddingain’tmuchcheerfullerthanafuneralafterall,whenit’sallover,MissShirley,ma’am.”
Abusyeveningfollowed.Thedecorationshadtoberemoved,thedisheswashed,theuneatendelicaciespackedintoabasketforthedelectationofCharlottatheFourth’syoungbrothersathome.Annewouldnotrestuntileverythingwasinapple-pieorder;afterCharlottahadgonehomewithherplunderAnnewentoverthestillrooms,feelinglikeonewhotrodalonesomebanquethalldeserted,andclosedtheblinds.
