No letter had come from Glory Goldie to either her father or
mother. But it mattered very little now that Jan knew she was
silent simply because she wished her parents to be all the more
surprised and happy when the time came for her to proclaim the good
tidings.
But, in any case, it was a good thing for him that he had peeped
into her cards. Otherwise he might easily have been made a fool of
by persons who thought they knew more about Glory's doings than he
did. For instance, there was Katrina's experience at church the
first Sunday in Advent. Katrina had been to service, and upon her
return Jan had noticed that she was both alarmed and depressed.
She had seen a couple of youths who were just back from Stockholm
standing on the church knoll talking with a group of young boys and
girls. Thinking they might be able to give her some news of Glory
Goldie, she had gone up to them to make inquiries.
The youths were evidently telling of some of their escapades, for
all the men, at least, laughed uproariously. Katrina thought their
behaviour very unseemly, considering they were on church ground.
The men must have realized this themselves, for when she came up
they nudged one another and hushed. She had caught only a few
words, spoken by a youth whose back was turned to her, and who had
not seen her.
"And to think that she was clothed in satin!" he said.
Instantly a young girl gave him a push that silenced him, then,
glancing round, he saw Katrina just behind him and his face went
red as blood; but immediately after he tossed his head, and said in
a loud voice:
"What's the matter with you? Why can't I be allowed to say that the
queen was arrayed in satin?"
When he said that the young people laughed louder than ever. Then
Katrina went her way, unable to bring herself to question them. And
when she came home she was so unhappy that Jan was almost tempted
to come out with the truth about Glory Goldie; but on second
thought, he asked her to tell him again what had been said about
the queen.
Katrina did so, but added: "You understand of course that that was
only said to sweeten the pill for me."
Jan meanwhile kept mum. But he could not help smiling to himself.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Katrina. "You have such a
queer look on your face these days. You don't know what they meant,
do you?"
"I certainly don't," answered Jan. "But we ought to have enough
confidence in the little girl to think all is as it should be."
"But I'm getting so anxious--"
"The time to speak," Jan struck in, "has not come, either for them
or me. Glory Goldie herself has probably requested them not to say
anything to us. So we must rest easy, Katrina, indeed we must."