She declared that she had had a perfectly beautiful time, and that there couldn't be anything in the world nicer than the trip she and Bertram had taken--just they two together.

In answer to Aunt Hannah's solicitous inquiries, she asserted that she was all well and rested now.

But there was a vaguely troubled questioning in her eyes that Aunt Hannah did not quite like.

Aunt Hannah, however, said nothing even to Billy herself about this.
One of the first friends Billy saw after her return was Hugh Calderwell.
As it happened Bertram was out when he came, so Billy had the first half-hour of the call to herself.

She was not sorry for this, as it gave her a chance to question Calderwell a little concerning Alice Greggory--something she had long ago determined to do at the first opportunity.
"Now tell me everything--everything about everybody," she began diplomatically, settling herself comfortably for a good visit.
"Thank you, I'm well, and have had a passably agreeable summer, barring the heat, sundry persistent mosquitoes, several grievous disappointments, and a felon on my thumb," he began, with shameless imperturbability.