But Sausalito was
at its loveliest, and Julia felt almost oppressed by the exquisite
promise of summer that came with the sudden sound of laughter and voices
in lanes that had long been silent, and with the odour of dying grass
and drooping buttercups beside the road. The Toland garden was full of
roses, bright in level sunshine, windows and doors were all wide open,
and the odours from bowls of flowers drifted about the house. Barbara,
lovely in white, came to meet them.
"Come in, you poor things, you must be roasted! Jim, you're as red as a
beet; go take a bath!" said Barbara. "And Julia, Aunt Sanna is here, and
she says that you're to lie down for not less than an hour. And there
are some packages for you, so come up and lie down on my bed, and we'll
open them!"
"Barbara, I am so happy I think my heart will burst!" said Julia, ten
minutes later, from Barbara's pillows.
"Well, you ought to be, my good woman! Jim Studdiford--when he's
sober--is as good a husband as you're likely to get!" said Barbara,
laughing. "Now, look, Julia, here's a jam pot from the Fowlers--Frederic
Fowlers--I call that decent of them! Janey, come in here and put this
jam pot down on Julia's list! And this heavy thing from the Penroses.
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