They gave themselves and took each other; and both wept with relief when completion came. They lay together, still for a while, marveling. After resting, their bodies touched and joined more wisely and confidently than they had done before. It was late afternoon when they reminded themselves and each other that they must go back to the house. After cooling the heat of their faces in the brook, they walked for a little time without touching. Finally, they looked each other over critically to make certain neither showed signs of the momentous occurrence of the afternoon. It was the first unselfish gesture they had together made toward society. Happy and sure of themselves, they did not want to disturb the equanimity of those they loved. When each was satisfied with the other’s appearance, they left the glade.

“I shall always remember,” Rachel said. “I am so glad this place belongs to Oaks. It will be ours forever.”

He said, “Do you suppose nobody found it before us? I swear no one can have!”

“Oh,” she said with easy arrogance, “who do we know who could have wanted so private a place as we do?”

9

“Dear darling Sarah!”

Wheeling around in surprise from the mantelpiece, having just given the clock its weekly winding, Sarah saw Lauretta. Without thinking, she slapped her as hard as she could, and they both burst into tears.

Clarice, who had quietly let Lauretta into Sarah’s room after Lauretta’s requesting that she not knock on the door, fled.

Catching her sister by the arms Sarah said, “Oh, how you frightened me!”

“I only meant to surprise you!” Lauretta cried.

“And so you did! I don’t believe I have ever had a pleasant surprise in my life!”

“What a welcome!”

“Well, my dear, you come without ceremony—even as you left us. Did you not meet Leon on the porch? And Bruce, James?”

“There was no one. I came from Savannah on the train and hired a man at the livery stable to bring me on here. My trunks are still at the depot.”

“But—why are you here? I mean to say, where do you come from, and where is Mr.—Robb Quale Tilly? Do I have it right?”

“You have it right, and where he is may be the concern of the Devil, but it is not mine!”

“Whatever can you mean?”

Lauretta shook her head firmly. “That can wait.”

Not yet over her shock, Sarah babbled. “I cannot believe no one was on the porch. Why, someone is always there. And we are having a spend-the-day. The Davises are here. Edna and Bruce—Doreen and Adam and James.”

“The Davis children? I remember. They’re doubtless off playing somewhere, you know.”

“‘The children’ you remember are quite grown up. In fact, one of them is to marry—” She stopped herself, but Lauretta did not note her sudden caution.

Lauretta said, “People marry too young nowadays, without knowing each other well enough.”