Molly Browns Orchard Home | Page 5

it beyond anything, and that liking it so much would
keep us from being harmed by it," Molly had answered, a little
chagrined at what Richard Blount had had to say about Professor Green
and Melissa, but determined not to show it to that young man or to let
herself think there was anything in it.
Miss Grace Green and dear, good Mary Stewart had been on the
steamer waiting when Molly and her mother came aboard. Their
devotion to Molly was so apparent that they won Mrs. Brown's heart at
once, and that charming lady with her cordial manner and gracious
bearing as usual made Molly's friends hers.

Miss Green had had a little private talk with Molly, giving her
messages from her younger brother, Dodo, and telling her what she
knew of Professor Edwin's disappointment in having to go on with his
duties for the time being at least. Molly had not had a chance to open
and read the steamer letter he had written her, but was forced to
postpone it until the vessel sailed and she could compose herself after
the flurry of good-bys and the bustle of the departure.
There were many letters waiting in the cabin, but the harbor was so
fascinating to these two women who had done so little traveling, that
they could not tear themselves from the deck until they were out of
sight of land.
"Mother, isn't it too lovely and aren't we going to be the happiest pair
on earth? I am glad we are seeing the ocean for the first time together,
because you know exactly how I feel and I know how you feel. The
idea of our being seasick! Richard Blount sent some remedy to the
steamer for us, just in case we were seasick. It was very kind of him but
absolutely unnecessary, I am sure. I never felt better in my life and look,
there is quite a little swell."
"Seasick indeed! I have no more feeling of sickness than I have on the
Ohio River at home," said Mrs. Brown, taking deep breaths of the
bracing salt air. "I suspect it is incumbent upon us to go read our letters
now, but I must say I do not want to miss one moment on deck during
our entire voyage. I feel as though twenty years had dropped off me."
And indeed she looked it, too, with a pretty pink in her cheeks and her
wavy hair blown about her face.
Molly rather wanted to read Professor Green's letter first, but she put it
aside and opened those from Nance Oldham and several other college
mates. Then she discovered a thoroughly characteristic note from Aunt
Clay, dry and dictatorial but enclosing a check for ten dollars on
Monroe & Co., the Paris bankers. "For you and your extravagant
mother to spend on foolishness," wrote that stern lady.
"Oh, Mother! Isn't she hateful? How easy it would have been to send a
pleasant message with the check! Now all the fun of having it is gone

and I have a great mind to send it back!"
"No, my dear, don't do that. Your Aunt Clay does not mean to be as
unkind as she seems. I know she intended this check as a kind of peace
offering to me, and we must take it as she meant it and pay no attention
to her words."
"Mother, you are an angel and I have to hug you right here in the cabin,
even if that black-eyed man over there with the pile of telegrams in
front of him is looking a hole through us."
She suited the action to the word and Mrs. Brown, emerging from the
bear hug that Molly was prone to give, surprised a smile on the dark
face of their fellow traveler. He was seated across from them at the
same table behind a pile of telegrams a foot high, and was very busy
opening the messages, making notes on them as he read. He was an
interesting looking man with dark, fathomless eyes, swarthy
complexion and iron gray hair, but he bore a youthful look that made
one feel he had not the right of years to the gray hair. His expression
was gloomy and not altogether pleasant, but when he smiled he
displayed a row of dazzling white teeth and his eyes lost the sad look
and held the smile long after his mouth had closed with a determined
click.
"'Duty before pleasure,' as King Richard said when he killed the old
king before a-smothering of the babies," said Molly as she finished
Aunt Clay's letter and opened Edwin Green's. What a nice letter it was
to be sure! She laughed aloud over his wanting to throw Rosetti at the
girl and