midday
A moment later she knocked at the library door , opened it in answer to his call , and went in , closing it behind her . There was trouble at Linda 's house ; trouble so terrible that Harriet 's unexpected arrival caused no comment , caused no more than a weary flicker of Linda 's heavy eyes . Pip , the adored first-born son , lay dangerously ill , and the whole household moved on tiptoe , heartsick with dread . Fred , a white and unshaven Fred , was home in the cold gray midday ; the telephone was muted , the hall door stood ajar , the maid was red-eyed . Harriet , entering with a cheerful call hushed suddenly on her lips , kissed her brother-in-law while her eyes anxiously questioned him , and put a heartening arm about Josephine , who came out in a kitchen apron , and wept pitifully on her aunt 's shoulder . It was diphtheria , very bad , Fred stated lifelessly . Linda hardly left the room ; they were afraid for her , too , `` if anything happened . ''