And how simple, thought Sondra in browsing around for a suitable vehicle by which to introduce Clyde, if some one other than herself who belonged could be induced to get up something and then at her suggestion invite Clyde.
How easy, say, for Jill Trumbull to give a dinner and dance to the “Now and Thens,” to which Clyde might be invited.
And by this ruse she would thus be able to see him again and find out just how much he did interest her and what he was like.
Accordingly a small dinner for this club and its friends was announced for the first Thursday in December, Jill Trumbull to be the hostess.
To it were to be invited Sondra and her brother, Stuart, Tracy and Gertrude Trumbull, Arabella Stark, Bertine and her brother, and some others from Utica and Gloversville as well. And Clyde.
But in order to safeguard Clyde against any chance of failure or even invidious comment of any kind, not only she but Bertine and Jill and Gertrude were to be attentive to and considerate of him.
They were to see that his dance program was complete and that neither at dinner nor on the dance floor was he to be left to himself, but was to be passed on most artfully from one to the other until evening should be over.
For, by reason of that, others might come to be interested in him, which would not only take the thorn from the thought that Sondra alone, of all the better people of Lycurgus, had been friendly to him, but would sharpen the point of this development for Gilbert, if not for Bella and the other members of the Griffiths family.
And in accordance with this plan, so it was done.
And so it was that Clyde, returning from the factory one early December evening about two weeks after his encounter with Sondra, was surprised by the sight of a cream-colored note leaning against the mirror of his dresser.
It was addressed in a large, scrawly and unfamiliar hand.
He picked it up and turned it over without being able in any way to fix upon the source.
On the back were the initials B. T. or J. T., he could not decide which, so elaborately intertwined was the engraved penmanship.
He tore it open and drew out a card which read:
The Now and Then Club Will Hold Its First Winter Dinner Dance At the Home of Douglas Trumbull 135 Wykeagy Ave On Thursday, December 4 You Are Cordially Invited Will You Kindly Reply to Miss Jill Trumbull?
On the back of this, though, in the same scrawly hand that graced the envelope was written:
“Dear Mr. Griffiths: Thought you might like to come.
It will be quite informal. And I’m sure you’ll like it.
If so, will you let Jill Trumbull know?
Sondra Finchley.”
Quite amazed and thrilled, Clyde stood and stared.
For ever since that second contact with her, he had been more definitely fascinated than at any time before by the dream that somehow, in some way, he was to be lifted from the lowly state in which he now dwelt.
He was, as he now saw it, really too good for the Commonplace world by which he was environed.
And now here was this — a social invitation issued by the “Now and Then Club,” of which, even though he had never heard of it, must be something since it was sponsored by such exceptional people.
And on the back of it, was there not the writing of Sondra herself?
How marvelous, really!
So astonished was he that he could scarcely contain himself for joy, but now on the instant must walk to and fro, looking at himself in the mirror, washing his hands and face, then deciding that his tie was not just right, perhaps, and changing to another — thinking forward to what he should wear and back upon how Sondra had looked at him on that last occasion.
And how she had smiled.
At the same time he could not help wondering even at this moment of what Roberta would think, if now, by some extra optical power of observation she could note his present joy in connection with this note.
For plainly, and because he was no longer governed by the conventional notions of his parents, he had been allowing himself to drift into a position in regard to her which would certainly spell torture to her in case she should discover the nature of his present mood, a thought which puzzled him not a little, but did not serve to modify his thoughts in regard to Sondra in the least.
That wonderful girl!
That beauty!
That world of wealth and social position she lived in!
At the same time so innately pagan and unconventional were his thoughts in regard to all this that he could now ask himself, and that seriously enough, why should he not be allowed to direct his thoughts toward her and away from Roberta, since at the moment Sondra supplied the keener thought of delight.
Roberta could not know about this.
She could not see into his mind, could she — become aware of any such extra experience as this unless he told her. And most assuredly he did not intend to tell her.
And what harm, he now asked himself, was there in a poor youth like himself aspiring to such heights?
Other youths as poor as himself had married girls as rich as Sondra.
For in spite of all that had occurred between him and Roberta he had not, as he now clearly recalled, given her his word that he would marry her except under one condition.
And such a condition, especially with the knowledge that he had all too clearly acquired in Kansas City, was not likely to happen as he thought.
And Sondra, now that she had thus suddenly burst upon him again in this way was the same as a fever to his fancy.
This goddess in her shrine of gilt and tinsel so utterly enticing to him, had deigned to remember him in this open and direct way and to suggest that he be invited.
And no doubt she, herself, was going to be there, a thought which thrilled him beyond measure.
And what would not Gilbert and the Griffiths think if they were to hear of his going to this affair now, as they surely would? Or meet him later at some other party to which Sondra might invite him?
Think of that!
Would it irritate or please them?
Make them think less or more of him?
For, after all, this certainly was not of his doing.
Was he not properly invited by people of their own station here in Lycurgus whom most certainly they were compelled to respect?
And by no device of his, either — sheer accident — the facts concerning which would most certainly not reflect on him as pushing.