All at once she did something she couldn’t account for. She pulled David’s diamond and sapphire ring off her finger and dropped it in a tray on her table. She felt a thrill of shame as she did it…but she had to do it. There was some inner compulsion that would not be disobeyed.

Rae came running up.

“Pat, he’s here…he’s getting out of a car in the yard.”

“I simply can’t go down to see him,” gasped Pat, going momentarily to pieces. “He’ll be so changed…”

“Nonsense. There is Judy letting him in. He’ll be in the Big Parlor…hurry.”

Pat ran blindly downstairs. She collided with somebody in the hall…she never knew who it was. She stood in the doorway for a moment. It was a very poignant moment. Afterwards Pat was sure she had never experienced anything like it. She always maintained she knew exactly what she would feel like on the resurrection morning.

“Jingle!” The old name came spontaneously to her lips. It was Jingle…Jingle and no stranger. How could she ever have feared he would be a stranger? He was holding her hands.

“Pat…Pat…I’ve years of things to say to you…but I’ll say them all in one sentence…you haven’t changed. Pat, I’ve been so terribly afraid you would have changed. But it was only yesterday we parted at the bridge over Jordan. But why aren’t you laughing, Pat? I’ve always seen you laughing.”

Pat couldn’t laugh just then. Next day…next hour she might laugh. But now at this longed-for meeting after so many years she must be quiet for a space.

Yet they had a wonderful evening…just she and Hilary and a rejuvenated Judy…and of course the cats…in the old kitchen. May was luckily away and Rae considerately effaced herself. Outside the whole world might be a welter of wind and flame and water but here was calm and beauty and old delight. It was so enchanting to be shut away from the storm with Hilary…just as of yore…to be drinking amber tea and eating Judy’s apple-cake with him and talking of old days and fun and dreams.

He had changed a little after all. His delicately cut face was more mature and had lost its boyish curves. His slim figure…so nicely lean…had an added distinction and poise. But his eyes still laughed wistfully and his thin, sensitive lips still parted in the old intriguing smile. She suddenly knew what it was she had always liked in David’s smile. It was a little like Hilary’s.