CHAPTER XXVI
MOLLY ASKS TO BE FORGIVEN
All the evening Molly waited in despair. She dared not appear atdinner and arose the next morning after a sleepless night. For two orthree hours she hovered about the telephone, hoping for word fromTheodore. He would certainly 'phone her. He would tell her he wassorry for the way he had left her, for the way he had spoken to her.Even his mother noticed her pale face and extreme nervousness.
"What is it, dear?" asked Mrs. King, solicitously.
"Nothing, nothing--much," answered Molly evasively.
Mrs. King hesitated before she ventured, "I thought I heard you andTheo talking excitedly last night. Molly, you musn't quarrel withhim.... You know the wish of my heart.... I need you, child, and sodoes he."
Miss Merriweather knelt beside the gentle woman.
"He doesn't care for me, dear!" she whispered.
For an instant she was impelled to speak of Jinnie, but realizing whata tremendous influence Theodore had over his mother, she dared not.Like her handsome son, Mrs. King worshipped genius, and Mollyreluctantly admitted to herself that the girl possessed it.
"He's young yet," sighed the mother, "and he's always so sweet to you,Molly. Some day he'll wake up.... There, there, dearie, don't cry!"
"I'm so unhappy," sobbed Molly.
Mrs. King smoothed the golden head tenderly.
"Why, child, he can't help but love you," she insisted. "He knows howmuch I depend on you.... I'd have had you with me long before if yourfather hadn't needed you.... Shall I speak to Theodore?"
"No, no----" gasped Molly, and she ran from the room.
Under the tall trees she paced for many minutes. How could she waituntil dinner--until he came home? She felt her pride ebbing away asshe watched the sun cross the sky. The minutes seemed hours long.Molly went swiftly into the house. First assuring herself no one waswithin hearing distance, she paused before the telephone, longing, yetscarcely daring to use it. Then she took off the receiver and calledTheodore's number. His voice, deep, low and thrilling, answered her.
"It's I, Theo," she said faintly.... "Molly."
"Yes," he answered, but that was all.
He gave her no encouragement, no opening, but in desperation sheuttered,
"Theodore, I'm sorry!... Oh, I'm so sorry!... Won't you forgive me?"
There was silence on the wire for an appreciable length of time.
"Theodore?" murmured Molly once more.
"Yes."
"I want you to forgive me.... I couldn't wait until you came home."
She heard a slight cough, then came the reply.
"I can't control your thoughts, Molly, but I dislike to have myfriends illy spoken of."
"I know! I know it, Theodore! But please forgive me, won't you?"
"Very well," answered Theodore, and he clicked off the 'phone.
Molly dropped her face into her hands.
"He hung the receiver up in my ear," she muttered. "How cruel, howterrible of him!"
It was a wan, beautiful face that turned up to Theodore King when hecame home to dinner. Too kindly by nature to hurt any one, he smiledat Molly. Then he stopped and held out his hand. The woman took it,saying earnestly:
"I'm sorry, Theo.... I'm very sorry. I think I'm a little cat, don'tyou?" and she laughed, the tension lifted from her by his cordiality.
There was a wholesomeness in her manner that made Theodore's heartglad.
"Of course not, Molly!... You couldn't be that!... And next week wewill have a lovely day in the country."
Molly turned away sadly. She had hoped he would do as she wanted himto in spite of his appointment with Jinnie Grandoken.
That evening Jinnie wore a beautiful new dress when she started forthe Kings. Of course she didn't know that Theodore had arranged withPeggy to purchase it, and when Mrs. Grandoken had told her to comealong and buy the gown, Jinnie's eyes sparkled, but she shook herhead.
"I'd rather you'd spend the money on Lafe and Bobbie," she said.
But Peggy replied, "No," and that's how it came that Jinnie steppedquite proudly from the motor car at the stone steps.
Molly Merriweather met her with a forced smile, and Jinnie feltstrained until Theodore King's genial greeting dissipated the affront.After the dinner, through which she sat very much embarrassed, sheplayed until, to the man watching her, it seemed as if the very roofwould lift from the house and sail off into the Heavens.
When Jinnie was ready to go home, standing blushing under the brightlight, she had never looked more lovely. Molly hoped Theo would sendthe girl alone in the car with Bennett, but as she saw him put on hishat, she said, with hesitancy:
"Mayn't I go along?"
She asked the question of Theodore, and realized instantly that he didnot want her.
Jinnie came forward impetuously.
"Oh, do come, Miss Merriweather! It'll be so nice."
And Molly hated the girl more cordially than ever.
On arriving home Jinnie beamed out her happiness to the cobbler andhis wife.
"And the fiddle, Peggy, they loved the fiddle," she told the woman.
"Did you make it, Jinnie?" asked Peggy gruffly.
"What, the fiddle?" demanded Jinnie.
Peggy nodded.
"No," faltered Jinnie in surprise.
"Then don't brag about it," warned Peggy. "If you'd a glued themboards together, it'd a been something, but as long as you didn't, itain't no credit to you."
Lafe laughed, and Jinnie, too, uttered a low, rueful sound. How funnyPeg was! And when Mrs. Grandoken had gone to prepare for the night,Lafe insisted that Jinnie tell him over and over all the happenings ofthe evening. For a long time afterwards she sat dreaming, reminiscingin sweet fancy every word and smile Theodore had given her.