Patty's Friends Part 12

beneath this roof. Now, I simply refuse to let you be absent from this dinner. It will be both a pleasure and an education to you to see this especial kind of a formal function, and probably you'll not often have a chance. They've sent a man and a wagon over to the next station, several miles away for your boxes; that's the way they do things here. But he can't get back until long after the dinner hour. So listen, to my command, dictum, fiat--call it what you please, but this is what you're to do."

"I'll do anything you say, Kitty Lady, if it's to go to bed at once, and sleep soundly till morning."

"Nothing of the sort. You must and shall attend this dinner. And--you're going to wear one of my gowns!"

"Yours?"

"Yes. We're so nearly the same size that it will fit you quite well enough. I've picked out the simplest one, a white Irish point. It's cut princess, but all my gowns are. I'm sure Marie can make it fit you perfectly, with a few pins or a st.i.tch here and there."

"Oh, it will fit well enough, but, Kitty, won't I be the grown-up! I've never worn a real train in my life!"

"Of course it's a lot too old for you, and truly, I hate to have you appear in a gown like that. But what else can we do? I won't let you miss the dinner--and after all, it doesn't matter so much. After this visit I doubt if you'll ever see these people again, and let them think you're five or six years older than you are. Who cares?"

"I don't," said Patty, gleefully. "I think it will be fun. I'll have my hair piled high on my head. Can you do it for me, Sarah?"

"Oh, yes, Miss. I'm a hair-dresser and I'm that glad you're going to dinner."

CHAPTER VII

FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

Sarah was indeed an expert hair-dresser, and she piled up Patty's hair in soft coils, and twisted the curly tendrils into fluffy puffs, and though the result was beautiful, it made Patty look like her own older sister. A jewelled ornament of Lady Hamilton's crowned the coiffure, and this gave an added effect of dignity. The lace gown was easily made to fit its new wearer. Marie pinned it, and sewed it, and patted it into place, till n.o.body would suspect it had not been made for Patty. But the long lines of the Princess pattern took away all of Patty's usual simple girlish appearance, and transformed her at once into a beautiful, queenly young woman. The decolletee corsage, and the sleeves, which were merely frills of lace, were very becoming; and the long train, which billowed into a frou-frou of chiffon ruffles took away the last semblance of a girl of eighteen. Notwithstanding her softly-curved cheeks and throat, and her exquisite, fresh complexion, Patty looked quite the young woman of society and could easily have been adjudged about twenty-four years old.

Her eyes danced, as she walked sedately through the open door and into Lady Hamilton's room.

"My word, Patty!" exclaimed that lady, "you're simply stunning in that gown! You look as if you'd been 'out' for two or three seasons. Your people would never forgive me if they knew how I've dressed you up."

"It was the only thing to do," said Patty, airily, as she began to draw on her arms a pair of Lady Hamilton's long white gloves. "The wonder is that you had plenty of all sorts of things to fit me out, and also that they do fit so well. These gloves are just right, though I confess the slippers pinch me just a speck."

"'Pretty never hurts,' you know," said Lady Hamilton, laughing. "Marie, isn't Miss Fairfield a picture?"

"_Mais oui!_ She is _charmante_. It is amazing how the gown suits her.

She is _tres-belle!_"

With the grown-up clothes, Patty had quite unconsciously a.s.sumed a grown-up air. She nonchalantly flung aside her train with just the same gesture Lady Hamilton was wont to use, and she carried herself with a dignity and graciousness of manner which would have been absurd when wearing her own simple frocks.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Marie pinned it and sewed it"]

"Gracious, goodness, child!" cried Lady Hamilton. "Come down off that pedestal! You walk like a d.u.c.h.ess. It won't do, you know, really."

"I don't mean to," said Patty; "you know I'm a sort of chameleon. This gown makes me feel as if I belonged in an opera-box, or had an audience with the Queen."

"Oh, you goose! Stop your nonsense, and we'll go down to dinner. Mind, now, none of those airs, or I'll send you back to your room."

Patty honestly tried to be her own simple-minded self, and would have succeeded all right, if Herenden Hall had not been so lavishly provided with mirrors. On the grand staircase she came face to face with a radiant creature, and was about to step aside when she discovered it was herself!

Involuntarily she gazed at the reflection of the white-gowned lady, and unconsciously an air of serenity, almost hauteur, replaced her usual merry smile, and with a gracious mien she pa.s.sed on down the stairs.

Lady Herenden awaited them in the drawing-room.

A brilliant a.s.semblage was already there, for Patty's unusual costuming had caused her some delay. After the first few introductions, Lady Hamilton and Patty became separated, and the guests stood about conversing in small groups.

Patty chanced to fall in with some very entertaining people, among whom was the Earl of Ruthven.

The Earl was a handsome man, tall, and of an imposing presence.

When presented to Patty, he gazed at her with frank, though quite deferential admiration. "So pleased to meet you, Miss Fairfield," he said; "I adore American ladies."

Patty really felt a little in awe of an Earl, as she had never met one before, and was about to make a shy response, when a slight movement of her head showed her her own reflection in a nearby mirror.

Realising afresh that she was masquerading as a society lady, a spirit of mischief suddenly took possession of her, and she determined to throw herself into the role. So, with a pretty little toss of her head, and a charming smile, she said:

"Thank you, Lord Ruthven; I adore Englishmen, too, but I know so few of them."

"You've not been here long, then?"

"No, only a few weeks. And there's so much I want to learn."

"Let me teach you," said his Lords.h.i.+p, eagerly. "I do not think you would prove a dull pupil."

Patty's eyes smiled. "No Americans are dull," she said.

"That's true; my experience has already proved it. I've met six, I think, including yourself. But what sort of things do you want to learn?"

"The language, princ.i.p.ally. I just want to learn to say 'only fancy'

occasionally, and 'd'y' see?' in the middle of every sentence."

"It's not easy," said Lord Ruthven, thoughtfully, "but I think I can teach you in, say, about ten lessons. When shall we begin the course?"

Patty looked at him reproachfully. "If you knew the American nature at all," she said, "you'd know that we always begin things the moment the plan occurs to us."

"Good! there's no time like the present."

But just then their conversation was interrupted by the announcement of dinner.

Patty hoped she would sit at table next the Earl, but it was not so. The n.o.bleman was accorded the seat of honour at the right of his hostess, while Patty, as a minor guest, was far away across the table. But she found herself between two affable and pleasant-mannered young Englishmen, and instantly forgot all about her t.i.tled friend.

Indeed, the bewildering beauty of the scene claimed her attention, and she fairly held her breath as she looked about her. The great oval room was lighted only by wax candles in crystal chandeliers and candelabra.

This made a soft, mellow radiance quite different from gas or electricity. On one side of the room long French windows opened on to the terrace, through which came the scent of roses and the sound of plas.h.i.+ng fountains. On the other side, only slender pillars and arches divided the dining-room from a conservatory, and a riotous tangle of blossoms and foliage fairly spilled into the room, forming almost a cascade of flowers.

The great round table was a bewildering array of gold plate, gilded gla.s.s, and exquisite china, while on the delicate lace of the tablecloth lay rare blossoms that seemed to have drifted from the circular mound of flowers which formed the low centrepiece.

Twenty-four guests sat round the board, in chairs of gilded wicker, and as the silent, black-garbed waiters served the viands, the scene became as animated as it was beautiful.

Patty forgot all else in her absolute enjoyment of the fairy-like spectacle, and was only brought back to a sense of reality by the sound of a voice at her side. Mr. Merivale was speaking--the young man who had escorted her out to dinner, and who now sat at her right hand.