Girl to Come Home To by Grace Livingston Hill

She’s too snooty for words, Alida. I’m glad she didn’t see us. I would have frozen her with one of her own cold looks if she had tried to speak to
me
. Of course I used to be a poor girl when she knew me, but now I’m even above her class financially, I suspect, so what does it matter?”
    “Well, I wonder if that’s what Rodney has on his mind now.”
    “Oh no, lambkin,” said Jessica, “guess again.
She
belongs to little brother Jeremy. I used to watch them in school. He was just nuts about her.”
    “But they never went together at all in high school.”
    “Oh no, Mama wouldn’t have approved, you know. She’s a very carefully brought up girl.”
    “But who was the other girl in the car?”
    “Why, that was Kathleen Graeme, the boys’ sister. She certainly has grown up fast.
    The girls passed on to other topics, now and again recurring to the Graeme family, in one way or another, and finally ended up at the hotel where Cousin Chatterton was temporarily abiding, because there was almost always some interesting information to be got out of Cousin Louella, after any brief absence. If she didn’t really have further information, she could always invent some, which was almost as interesting.
    And this time it was interesting, if not exactly accurate.
    “Yes, girls, I really have some news for you. I went over to see dear Margaret Graeme this afternoon and uncovered a bit of information sort of unawares. That is, I walked in on it when there was a private conversation between two members of the family going on. They didn’t know I had come in. I found out that the Graeme boys are likely to stay in this country permanently, or at least for a time. There is some notable position being suggested for them. I didn’t discover just exactly what it is, but I think—now you mustn’t say anything about this of course outside, for it is a family affair, and of course I always try to be loyal to my family. But you, Jessica, were at one time almost family, so I know you won’t say anything, but I think—mind you, I don’t
know
for sure, I only sort of
think
whatever this job is, it may have something to do with Naval Intelligence. I’m not sure that I know exactly what that is, so I may be incorrect in my judgment, but I just thought it had to do with spotting spies in this country, or else teaching young navy men just before they go over what will be expected of them in going among the enemy. But anyhow it sounded interesting, and if I work judiciously I can find out a great deal that you might like to know. Of course I know I can trust you girls that you won’t betray me. I would never be forgiven by the Graemes if they dreamed I was reporting things I’d overheard. But you know those Graemes are so terribly shy and retiring, afraid of publicity, that is, that often I’m quite ashamed of them. Everybody knows that I am related to them, and of course I’m expected to be kept informed of their moves, and it’s so embarrassing to have to say, ‘I’m sorry, I haven’t heard yet what the decision is,’ or something like that. So I’m simply forced to obtain my information by backhanded means. And I don’t like it at all. I’d much rather be treated like one of the inner circle and be told frankly everything and not made to appear as one who is not honored with the confidence of those near and dear to me.”
    “Of course,” said Alida in a pitying tone.
    “But I imagine you with your cleverness,” put in Jessica, “can really obtain a wider scope of information than even if you were wholly in their confidence. Sometimes these underhanded ways are more productive than a closer relationship. Oh, you are clever, Louella, and no mistake. Do you know what I would do if I were you? I’d get a connection with some rather outspoken daring magazine or newspaper and then write some spicy little articles anonymously that would set people wondering and get them all agog. You could really sway governments that