The older ones were grown up, the younger ones in
a fair way to be so; even Phil, who had been in white frocks with curls
falling over his shoulders at the time of her former visit to Burnet, was
now fifteen and as tall as his father. He was very slight in build, and
looked delicate, she thought; but Katy assured her that he was perfectly
well, and thin only because he had outgrown his strength.
It was one of the delightful results of Katy's "forehandedness" that she
could command time during those next two days to thoroughly enjoy Cousin
Helen. She sat beside her sofa for hours at a time, holding her hand and
talking with a freedom of confidence such as she could have shown to no
one else, except perhaps to Clover. She had the feeling that in so doing
she was rendering account to a sort of visible conscience of all the
events, the mistakes, the successes, the glad and the sorry of the long
interval that had passed since they met. It was a pleasure and relief to
her; and to Cousin Helen the recital was of equal interest, for though she
knew the main facts by letter, there was a satisfaction in collecting the
little details which seldom get fully put into letters.
One subject only Katy touched rather guardedly; and that was Ned. She was
so desirous that her cousin should approve of him, and so anxious not to
raise her expectations and have her disappointed, that she would not half
say how very nice she herself thought him to be.
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