"That's an absurd idea."
"I know it; of course it can't be. I saw the room, and there isn't any china-closet there, and no gilt-edged china in the house, either."
And then she whispered, "But, Roger, you may hold my hand as you do now, if you will, when we go to look for the little room."
"And you won't mind Aunt Hannah's gray eyes?"
"I won't mind anything ."
It was dusk when Mr. and Mrs. Grant went into the gate under the two old Lombardy poplars and walked up the narrow path to the door, where they were met by the two aunts.
Hannah gave Mrs. Grant a frigid but not unfriendly kiss; and Maria seemed for a moment to tremble on the verge of an emotion, but she glanced at Hannah, and then gave her greeting in exactly the same repressed and non-committal way.
Supper was waiting for them
