How do you feel," she added shrewdly,
"toward quacks and healers who, without study or training, call
themselves doctors? Do you say, 'Let us display an open mind'?"
"Time!" said Benis, who enjoyed his relative hugely--when she was
disciplining someone else. "Here comes Desire with the tea."
"What I really came out to say, Benis," resumed Aunt Caroline, "is
that I have just had a long distance call--Desire, my dear, cream or
lemon?--a long distance call from Toronto where, I fear, such things
are allowed on Sunday--Doctor, you like lemon, I think?--a call in
fact from Mary Davis. You remember her, Benis? Such a sweet girl.
She is feeling a little tired and would like to run down here for a
rest. Desire, my dear, have you any plans with which this would
interfere? I said that I would consult you and let her know. You are
very careless with your plate, Benis. That Spode can never be
replaced."
Fortunately her anxiety for the family heirloom absorbed Aunt
Caroline's whole attention. If she noticed her nephew's look of
anguished guilt and his friend's politely raised brows she ascribed
it to his carelessness in balancing china. Desire's downcast eyes
and stiffened manner she did not notice at all.
"Well, my dear, what do you say? Shall we invite Mary?"
"It depends on Benis, of course," said Desire quietly.
"Benis? What has Benis to do with it? Not but that he enjoyed having
her here last time well enough. It is the privilege of the mistress
of the house to choose her guests.
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