The eyes that met hers had a deep twinkle in them. A suggestive twinkle that brought the same dipping sensation she had felt earlier, only this time the sensation was coupled with annoyance.

How dare he stand there appearing so cool and amused, one hand jabbed into his slack's pocket as though he were having a grand time making sport of their present situation? She turned her back on him just as Peter and James came in and offered to give her a tour of the house. Thankful for the interruption, she let James take her hand and lead her about.

Alex had been right. Though it was a large home, there was much work yet to be done. On the main floor there were walls to paint and rugs to put in. The kitchen, though spacious, had cupboards which were only partially completed. The downstairs consisted of one spacious family room quite unfurnished except for an old, player piano against one wall and a pool table in the center of the floor. Upstairs, where most of the bedrooms were located, the boys proudly lead her to the room they had claimed as their own. Walls in this room were also bare of paint or paper, but they both insisted that they had already planned out the color of paint and decorations they were going to buy.

The room Peggy and Debby were going to share was across the hall. As Alex opened the door for the girls to enter no one seemed to notice the bare walls and lack of rug, for gleaming pink and white on either side of the room were two canopy beds, one twin and one full.

"Oh, Uncle Alex,!" Debby cried, tiptoeing almost reverently toward the beds. Then upon reaching them she raced back and forth between them. "Look, Peggy!" she called to the girl who stood apparently nonchalant to one side. "Our beds got roofs!"

"I hope you don't mind sharing a room, Peggy," Alex said, "Perhaps later we can remodel so that you older children can have a room of your own."

"This is fine, Uncle Alex," the girl assured, and though her voice was suppressed Grace knew that the room would be luxury compared to what she had endured the past few years.

They looked in on two more bedrooms, the housekeeper's modest but comfortable room, and an adjoining room that baby Jenny was to sleep in.

"Now, for the piece de resistance!" Alex said as they approached the end of the hall.

"After you, Mrs. Edwards," he said, opening the large, impressive door which obviously lead into the master bedroom.

In this room, at least, Grace thought, the past owners had spared no expense. The floor was covered with a rich wine colored rug complementing the bone white vanity, dresser and desk which stood against soft ivory walls. But the biggest eye catcher was the bed. Never, except on the silver screen, had Grace seen anything like it. Large, round and covered with a thick pink spread it seemed the latest word in elegance.

"You said you liked pink, Aunt Grace!" At James' eager words Grace shot a quick glance at Alex. One look at his smug expression told her that he was responsible for furnishing this, the only completely finished room in the house.

"And the time I'm not devoting to you and the children, my dear," he said, ignoring her accusing eye as he placed an apparently fond arm about her shoulders and lead her across the room to an adjoining door. "I shall spend in lonely meditation here."

As he lead her through the door Grace noticed that the lock was on the bedroom side, but not on the other. Another of Alex's subtle reminders, Grace thought as she stepped into a small, but pleasant room.

The rug was a mixture of brown and gold, the furnishings a rich walnut. Books lined almost the entire side of one wall, while a large sliding door opened onto the balcony which stretched the length of both this room and the master bedroom. The only thing that seemed rather out of place was the sofa that rested at the back of the room.

Alex caught her eye and Grace knew without asking that that same sofa was a hide abed where Alex planned on spending his nights.

"What a lovely view," Grace said, moving toward the balcony window. "And so fortunate it faces east. It will be nice to watch the sunrise each morning."

"With you standing there, Grace, each morning's sunrise is going to be special," Alex said, his voice so warm and rich as he moved to slid an arm around her waist, that Grace almost forgot it was all an act for the children's benefit.

She remembered quickly enough, however, as the sound of scuffling caused Alex to drop his arm and turn to address its source. "James and Debby, this is not the place for rough housing," he said sharply. "I think it best if we have a look at the outside now and give you kids a chance to let off some of that steam. Coming Grace?"

From the doorway Grace took one last look back at the room Alex would be spending his nights in before thoughtfully pulling the door closed behind her.

They spent the rest of the day settling in. By the time enough clothes for that night and the following day had been unpacked, and the children confined to their beds for the night, Alex and Grace were, themselves, to tired to do much talking.

"Do you think I chose all right, Grace?" he asked as he escorted her through the bedroom doorway.

"Do you mean the house or the family?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Perhaps both." He smiled, closing the door behind them.

Shut in alone with him, Grace felt a moment of panic. One look at his tired, but relaxed face, however, was all she needed to reassure her.

"Everything will be fine, Alex," she assured. "Even Clare, who never pulls her punches, said that we're off to a fine start."

"Bringing that woman was a stroke of genius, Grace. I had my doubts at first, but she seems to be really fond of the kids, and she's always admired you. Well, good night, my dear. Pleasant dreams," he said before kissing her forehead in a brotherly way and leaving.

After a moments hesitation Grace followed him to the door and turned the lock. Then, after getting herself ready to turn in for the night, she climbed into the large, cozy bed. Such was her peace of mind and physical exhaustion that almost before her head settled into the pillow she was asleep.

His firm but soft knock at the door that separated their rooms awoke her next morning.

For a moment she lay in a sleepy daze, then as Alex knocked again, calling her name softly as he did so, she came to full awareness. Glancing at the lovely flowered clock that sat on her bed stand she noted with a start that it was almost seven o'clock.

"Just a moment, Alex!" she cried, slipping out of the warm bed into the cooler air and reaching for the new coral robe which matched her sleeveless nightgown.

Realizing that she didn't have time to do much with her hair, she smooth it down as best she could with her hand as she hastened toward the door and unlocked it.

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