CHAPTER VI

ntheboy.You’llhavetocomeagain,MissStirling.Ihopeit’snothingserious.” “Oh,no,nothingserious,”agreedValancy.Shefeltalittlelesshumiliated.ItwasnowonderpoorDr.Trenthadforgottenheratsuchamoment.Nevertheless,shefeltveryflatanddiscouragedasshewentdownthestreet. Valancywenthomebytheshort-cutofLover’sLane.ShedidnotoftengothroughLover’sLane—butitwasgettingnearsupper-timeanditwouldneverdotobelate.Lover’sLanewoundbackofthevillage,undergreatelmsandmaples,anddeserveditsname.Itwashardtogothereatanytimeandnotfindsomecanoodlingcouple—oryounggirlsinpairs,armsintertwined,earnestlytalkingovertheirlittlesecrets.Valancydidn’tknowwhichmadeherfeelmoreself-consciousanduncomfortable. Thiseveningsheencounteredboth.ShemetConnieHaleandKateBayley,innewpinkorgandydresseswithflowersstuckcoquettishlyintheirglossy,barehair.Valancyhadneverhadapinkdressorwornflowersinherhair.Thenshepassedayoungcoupleshedidn’tknow,danderingalong,oblivioustoeverythingbutthemselves.Theyoungman’sarmwasaroundthegirl’swaistquiteshamelessly.Valancyhadneverwalkedwithaman’sarmabouther.Shefeltthatsheoughttobeshocked—theymightleavethatsortofthingforthescreeningtwilight,atleast—butshewasn’tshocked.Inanotherflashofdesperate,starkhonestysheownedtoherselfthatshewasmerelyenvious.Whenshepassedthemshefeltquitesuretheywerelaughingather—pityingher—“there’sthatqueerlittleoldmaid,ValancyStirling.Theysaysheneverhadabeauinherwholelife”—ValancyfairlyrantogetoutofLover’sLane.Neverhadshefeltsoutterlycolourlessandskinnyandinsignificant. JustwhereLover’sLanedebouchedonthestreet,anoldcarwasparked.Valancyknewthatcarwell—bysound,atleast—andeverybodyinDeerwoodknewit.Thiswasbeforethephrase“tinLizzie”hadcomeintocirculation—inDeerwood,atleastbutifithadbeenknown,thiscarwasthetinniestofLizzies—thoughitwasnotaFordbutanoldGreySlosson.Nothingmorebatteredanddisreputablecouldbeimagined. ItwasBarneySnaith’scarandBarneyhimselfwasjustscramblingupfromunderit,inoverallsplasteredwithmud.Valancygavehimasw