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was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was very serious. “Lynn, you think your father was unfair about forbidding you to be one of the debutantes. Perhaps he was. I doubt whether Nancy Dunlapp’s father will forbid Nancy, or Mr. Taylor prevent Holly from joining. But your father is a little different from their fathers, dear, because of his profession. He doesn’t just go to business conferences all day and then come to the Hill
at night. He sees people, all kinds of people, people like the Turners, and he gets to know them because he takes care of them. He has a chance to see how many good, fine, interesting people there are who don’t live exactly the way we do. Ronnie Turner for instance. He would never be invited to one of the debutante dances, but I imagine he is a lot finer person than many of the boys Dodie is beginning to date.”
    She hesitated, trying to see what impression she was making on her daughter. Finally, when Lynn remained silent she continued, “What Daddy wants, dear, is for you not to separate yourself so entirely from everybody who isn’t exactly like you. You need to know and like all kinds of people, if you aren’t going to grow up into a—a—” She repressed a smile. “Dodie would love this—into a Mrs. Peterson.”
    Lynn nodded. “I know; I can see that It’s just—oh, Mother, it will be so hard! I’ll be shut out of everything!”
    â€œNo,” her mother said softly. “It may seem that way at first, but you will find, I think, that when some doors are closed to you, others will open.... Lynn, when I was a young girl, living in Atlanta, I was one of the charmed so-called ‘social set.’ I was the most popular debutante of the season, and, if you knew Atlanta society, you would know what that meant. When I met your father, he was an intern at a local hospital. He had worked his way through medical school and was living on nothing but ham sandwiches. My parents could never see how fine and brilliant and ambitious he was. All they could see was that he was not a member of Atlanta ‘society.’ We eloped, and they never forgave us. They died, still feeling that way.”
    Lynn’s eyes grew larger. “So that’s why Daddy feels so strongly about this?”

    â€œYes,” her mother said softly, “that’s one of the reasons.” Lynn lay awake a long time after she went to bed. It was almost midnight when the door to her room opened softly and she saw her father standing in the doorway. She could not see his face, but by the hall light shining behind him, she could see he was stooped a little, the way he always stood when he was weary.
    He whispered, “Are you awake?”
    Lynn raised her head. “Yes, Daddy. How is the Turner child?”
    â€œShe’s going to be all right.” Her father did not come into the room. He merely stood there, looking at her. He did not say things easily. Finally he said, “About our conversation tonight; I’ve been thinking it over. If it means so much to you, Lynn—well—”
    â€œThat’s all right,” Lynn assured him. She heard her voice saying it, as though it were someone else’s voice. “That’s all right Mother and I talked about it. I—I can see that you’re right.”
    â€œNo hard feelings?”
    â€œNo hard feelings.”
    He looked so tired, standing there in the doorway, his shoulders sloped forward, his head bent a little.
    Lynn relaxed on her pillow and said something she had not said for a long long time.
    â€œI love you, Daddy.”
    Dr. Chambers did not answer at once. When he did he said only, “And I you, Daughter.” Then he closed the door.

3
    Lynn got up the next morning feeling as dedicated, strong and purposeful as a Christian martyr going forth to face the lions. However, by the time she had washed her face, brushed her teeth,