Latter End Read Online Free PDF Page A

it now. Oh, Ronnie!” Because thirty years ago Minnie Mercer had been “pretty Minnie Mercer,” or, “That pretty daughter of Dr. Mercer’s.” The features were still there, only so pinched and lined. The fair hair was still there, quite a lot of it. It would have been pretty, still, if it had been properly set and done. It wasn’t grey even now, just limp and colourless. What neither the years nor anything else had taken or could take away was the sweetness of Minnie’s smile and the kindness in her eyes. They had once been forget-me-not blue, and that was gone. But the kindness would never go. It was there, very quick and sweet, as she said,
    “Ellie darling, how tired you look. Sit down and tell me about Ronnie. How did you find him?”
    Ellie let herself down into the easy chair.
    “He’s about the same. He won’t get any better there—Matron says so. I’m going to speak to Jimmy tomorrow.”
    “He is so kind,” said Minnie, but she looked away. “I wonder whether—you don’t mind my saying this, do you, dear—I just wonder whether it wouldn’t be better to speak to Mrs. Latter first.”
    Lois was “Mrs. Latter” to Minnie Mercer, but Lois called her “Minnie”—a small matter but significant, setting them in their places as Jimmy’s wife and Jimmy’s humble dependent. It was one of those things for which Julia hated Lois. It left Minnie untouched on her own secure ground of humility.
    Ellie wrinkled her brow. She was getting into the way of it. She was only twenty-four, but already a faint line marked the fair skin. She said,
    “What’s the use?”
    “It might be better.”
    There was a brief silence. Minnie turned back to the dressing-table and began to put things straight—the comb, the brush, the mirror, which had been presents from Mrs. Vane.
    From behind her, Ellie’s voice dragged wearily.
    “She’d only say no. But if I got at Jimmy first, he might— he might—” The words petered out. No one who knew Jimmy Latter could really believe that he would hold out against Lois. He would say yes and mean it—it was always much easier for Jimmy to say yes than no. But that cut both ways, and he would find it quite impossible not to say yes to Lois, who would certainly produce a dozen excellent reasons for not giving houseroom to Ronnie Street.
    Minnie turned back.
    “Don’t worry about it now, dear. There’s a little thing I wondered whether you would do for me—”
    “Of course. What is it?”
    Minnie was looking troubled.
    “Well, dear—it was so stupid of me—but I came over a little faint when I was at the Vicarage work-party this afternoon… Oh, it was nothing—nothing at all, but Mrs. Lethbridge—you know how kind she is—well, she did say something about ringing Mrs. Latter up, and of course, dear, it wouldn’t do at all. I did my very best, but you know how she is—so kind but not very tactful—and I’m really afraid— I wondered, dear, if you would ring her up and beg her not to. She was going over to see Miss Green, but she will be back by now. You could say I was quite myself again.”
    “Yes, I’ll do it at once. She mustn’t ring up—it would make the worst sort of fuss.”
    Ellie felt quite appalled at the prospect. She ran down the stairs, but as she approached the half-open study door she discovered with a sinking heart that she was already too late. Lois’ sweet, high voice was plainly audible.
    “She fainted right away? My dear Mrs. Lethbridge—how trying for you! I’m so sorry… Yes, I know—she will do too much, and then she gets these nervous turns. Nothing to worry about of course, but—it’s most kind of you to let me know… I’ll do what I can—she’s a very obstinate person, you know.” A light laugh to soften this. “I’m afraid you’ll have to let her off these work-parties. I shall have to be strict about that. As you say, good people are scarce—we must take care of her. Thank you so much for letting me know.”
    Ellie