The concert, for the benefit of the scholarship fund, the following
evening, was the social event of the season. Mrs. Trench was
disappointed in the dress Judith had bought for Eileen--a simple affair
of white chiffon, in long graceful lines, over a satin slip that showed
a tracery of silver threads--until she heard Mrs. Nims whisper to Mrs.
Henderson that it must have been a late Paris importation. After that
she caught the “style” her village eyes had not perceived. It was worth
the price, to have Mrs. Nims say that to Mrs. Henderson.
But Eileen’s appearance, as she emerged upon the chapel stage from
the sheltering screen of palms, was no disappointment to her mother.
As the burst of spontaneous applause died away--the violinist
bowing recognition, as graciously as if this were a matter of daily
occurrence--she heard Kitten exclaim to the girls near her:
“Gee, isn’t she stunning! If ten weeks in New York could do that for
Eileen Trench, ten days of it ought to make a howling beauty of me.”
Then she clapped her hand to her mouth, remembering Mrs. Trench’s
lynx-ears.
V
The visit was one continuous triumphal procession for the girl. There
was her mother’s reception, Friday afternoon, at which--according
to the formally engraved cards of invitation--the best people of
Springdale were requested to meet Mrs. Larimore Trench. But Eileen,
behind the coffee urn, was the real attraction. On Saturday Mrs.
Henderson and Mrs. Clarkson joined in a musical tea, and together they
prevailed on the girl to play Schubert’s Ave Maria at church, Sunday
morning.
When it was ended, and Sunday night saw her safely on the train, her
mother went home to a three days’ sick headache. If she could “put that
over” on the smartest people in Springdale, perhaps there was nothing
to fear. Larimore had some ridiculous story he used to quote ... about
a boy who held a fox under his cloak while it tore his vitals out. It
was a stolen fox, she reminded herself. After all, it didn’t matter
much what you did--so long as you had the grit to keep it under your
cloak.