Two Little Women on a Holiday Part 14

"I'd rather be innocent than ill-bred," Dolly flashed back.

"Well, wait till you go to boarding-school and you'll get some of those strait-laced notions knocked out of you."

"I don't ever expect to go. I wouldn't like to leave home. And that reminds me, girls, I must skip. I've got to write up my diary before I go to bed. You do my share of the clearing up, won't you, Dot?"

"'Course I will," and Dolly ran off to the other room while the three cleared away the party and set the tray out in the hall.

"Is Dolly always so goody-goody?" asked Alicia.

Dotty took the question seriously. "I shouldn't call her that," she said; "but she isn't very mischievous, and she's as honest as the day is long. She positively abhors deceit. And, somehow, Alicia, all the things that you think are fun, are the sort of things she doesn't stand for. That's all. Doll isn't a prig,--is she, Bernice?"

"No; she's as fond of fun as anybody. But Alicia rubs her the wrong way."

"I don't mean to. Only I don't see any harm in pranks that SHE thinks are fearful."

"Well, you ought to bless her for getting the Coriell matter fixed up.

I don't believe Mrs. Berry would have done it for any of us. But when Dolly asked her, I s'pose she made it seem all right."

"It IS all right," defended Alicia.

"Oh, I don't know," and Bernice looked doubtful, "I don't think the Fayres or Roses would like it much; I doubt if my dad would approve.

But what Mrs. Berry says, goes." "It does SO!" a.s.sented Alicia, and then they all said good-night.

Alicia's letter was mailed next morning and to her surprise a reply arrived about noon, brought by a messenger. It said:

My dear Miss Steele:

Your welcome invitation is here. I cannot accept for to-morrow as I have an important engagement then, but I will do myself the pleasure of calling upon you TO-DAY at four o'clock, and trust I may find you at home.

Sincerely yours, BAYNE CORIELL.

"Oh, isn't it wonderful!" sighed Alicia. "A letter from HIM! Oh, girls, I'm so happy! How CAN I wait for four o'clock!"

She ran away to tell Mrs. Berry of the letter.

"Very well," said the kind-hearted woman, "it's just as well to have him come to-day. Suppose we have tea in the small reception room, it's cosier than the drawing-room."

"All right," said Alicia. "Will Uncle Jeff come down, do you think?"

"I doubt it. However, I'll tell him you expect Mr. Coriell, and he can do as he likes." Mrs. Berry had a peculiar twinkle in her eye, and Alicia noted it, and wondered what it meant. The whole affair seemed mysterious, for she had not supposed Mrs. Berry would be so ready to receive this strange young man.

"You think it's all right for us to receive him, don't you, Mrs.

Berry?" she asked, for she began to fear lest she had been too unconventional.

"I daresay it's all right, my dear. Of course, such things weren't done in my day, but young folks are different now. And Mr. Forbes said you girls were to do pretty much as you like."

"Were you surprised at our asking for this?" Alicia persisted.

"Well, yes, since you ask me, I must say I was surprised. Especially when I found Dolly Fayre was the ringleader."

"Oh,--well,--she DID ask you, didn't she? Maybe Dolly isn't such a quiet little mouse as she seems."

"Dolly's all right," and Mrs. Berry spoke with some asperity. "Now, I'll send tea in at quarter past four, is that your idea?"

"Oh, Mrs. Berry, won't you be present?"

"No; I have my duties, and I observe them properly, but to preside at tea is not one of them. Your uncle expressly ordered that."

"Do you mean Uncle Jeff ordered that we should receive Mr. Coriell alone?"

"Well, he didn't direct that _I_ should be there. If he wants to come down, he will."

"Very well," and Alicia suddenly became dignified, "we can manage. I suppose it will be proper to dress up a good deal?"

Again that amused smile flitted over Mrs. Berry's face.

"As you like," she said, indifferently. "All your frocks are pretty."

Alicia returned to the others, and told them all the conversation.

"I hope Uncle Forbes does come down," said Dolly, "I think it would be nicer to have him there."

"Come, now, old mother Prim, don't throw cold water on our little party," said Alicia. "You know how the conversation would run, with uncle at the helm!"

"It wouldn't run at all," laughed Bernice, "it would stagnate!"

When the girls began to dress for the tea, there was a wide diversity of opinion as to appropriate costumes.

"Our very best," said Alicia decidedly. "Nothing's too good for Bayne!"

"You'd better be careful," warned Dotty, "you'll call him Bayne to his face! You use it so much!"

"Don't care if I do!" returned Alicia, pertly. "I say, Doll, is THAT your best frock?"

"Yes, except an evening one."

"Let's see your evening one. I'll bet it's just about right for this afternoon."

Dolly produced a pretty light blue affair of chiffon, and Alicia exclaimed, "Wear that, of course. It's really no evening dress at all, but it's a very nice afternoon thing."

Dolly looked dubious. "What are you going to wear, Dots?" she said.

"Oh, I s'pose we might as well wear our best ones. As Alicia says, they're all right for afternoon here, though they wouldn't be in Berwick."

"All right," and Dolly put on her pretty fluffy dress. Very lovely she looked, her golden curls twisted up high on her head, and held by a bandeau of blue ribbon.

Dotty's dress was yellow, and very becoming. She wore a black velvet headband, and Alicia cried out in approval when she saw the two D's ready for inspection.

"My!" she said, "you look better than I do! Now, I am mad!"