Cecilia Adler walked back, crestfallen.
A few women were gathered at the neighbor's doorway, gossiping:
"Look, Cecilia's back. If she knew Vivian got a marriage proposal from someone who can't hold a candle to that boy from the Quillan family, she'd probably be overjoyed."
"Of course she would. It serves May Sutton right for being so awful and always bullying her. Now that Vivian's prospects are worse than hers, how could she not feel vindicated?"
"Cecilia's the lucky one. Before her husband came back, she didn't even have a single decent outfit. Now that he's back, she dresses even better than the girls from the city."
"..."
Cecilia Adler walked up and greeted her neighbors. "Hello, Aunties. Oh, is no one home at my place?"
"They're home. The door's just closed."
