Malcolm received a warm welcome from his mother and Anna the next
evening. He found them sitting by one of the open windows in the
large drawing-room. Mrs. Herrick was working, and Anna was reading
to her. The sun-blinds had just been raised, and the fresh evening
air blew refreshingly through the wide room. The tall green palms
behind them made a pleasant background to Anna's white dress. It
struck Malcolm that she looked paler and more tired, and her eyes
had a heavy, languid look. To his surprise Mrs. Herrick spoke of it
at once.
"Anna is not looking her best this evening, Malcolm," she said as he
sat down between them; "this great heat tries her. Dr. Armstrong
thinks we ought to leave town as soon as possible, so we are going
to Whitby a week earlier."
"Mother has cancelled a lot of her engagements," observed Anna,
looking at her affectionately. "I am so sorry to give her all this
trouble." But Mrs. Herrick would not allow her to finish.
"Mothers are only too glad to take trouble for their children," she
said kindly. "Anna has been behaving badly, Malcolm; she fainted at
church on Sunday, and had one of her worst sick headaches
afterwards.
Pages:
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285