"h.e.l.lo, people!" said Guy. "Where"s everybody that belongs to this chateau? We"ve come through myriads of empty rooms, but at last we find the gems of the collection."
"Why, Miss Dow," exclaimed Lora, looking at Daisy"s gown, "is this a DINNER party?"
Daisy laughed, and explained, rather pleased than otherwise to be the sole narrator of the interesting tale. Needless to say, she and Bill Farnsworth figured as the princ.i.p.al actors in her dramatic version of the motor adventure, and, naturally, Bill could not contradict her.
"I congratulate you, Miss Dow," said Guy, "on looking so fit after such a trying ordeal. Patty is all right, isn"t she?"
"Oh, yes; she"s all right, but you know, she can"t stand much fatigue.
And the whole performance unnerved her, and gave her a chance to insist on having a beauty sleep."
"Which she doesn"t need for THAT purpose," laughed Lora, good-naturedly. "But I fear we are keeping you, Miss Dow. Don"t you want to get into a morning frock? Wouldn"t you feel more comfortable?"
"No, it doesn"t matter," and Daisy"s manner gave the effect of sacrificing her comfort to the guests, though really she was of no mind to run away and lose this call.
"We came to talk about the Pageant," began Guy. "We want to get the various parts settled."
"Well, of course we can"t answer for the others," said Daisy, "but let"s discuss it,--it"s such fun, and among us, we may think up some good ideas. I"ve had lots of experience with this sort of thing out West."
"Oh, have you?" said Guy, eagerly. "Then DO help me out. I have to get up such a lot of characters,--all representative of the sea, you know.
I want Mr. Farnsworth here for Father Neptune, that"s certain."
"I"m quite willing," said Bill, good-naturedly. "Do I wear a bathing suit?"
"No, indeed," replied Lora. "You wear a gorgeous robe, all dark green muslin, in billowy waves, and cotton wool on it for sea foam. Then you"ll have a stunning crown and a trident and a lot of paraphernalia."
"Lovely," said Bill. "I do think I"ll look just sweet! Who is with me in this misery?"
"Well, the Spirit of the Sea is the next most important figure on this float. I wanted to be it, but mother thinks I"m not strong enough to stand it. She refuses to let me try. So I suppose it will be Patty."
"Patty Fairfield!" exclaimed Daisy. "She"s not strong enough, either.
Suppose I take that part. I"m used to posing, and I can stand in one position without getting tired. I"ll do it, if you want me to."
"But we"ve really asked Patty," demurred Guy, "and she hasn"t decided yet."
"Well, leave it to me," said Daisy. "I"ll ask her, and if she wants the part, all right, and if not, I"ll take it."
This seemed satisfactory, and the matter was dropped while they discussed other details of the float.
Laurence Cromer came down while they were talking, and they all adjourned to the veranda, while the artist gave them the benefit of his advice as to decorations and scenic effects.
Then the bathers came back from the beach, and all went to work heartily to make and carry out plans for the Pageant.
Patty had luncheon sent to her room, for she was more affected by the exposure to the storm and the nerve exhaustion of the adventure than the others were. However, as Mona and Mrs. Kenerley and Baby May spent much of the time with her, she did not have a dull day. In the afternoon Daisy came in. Patty, in a blue silk negligee, sat at her desk writing letters.
"How sweet you look!" said Daisy, sitting beside her. "When are you coming downstairs? The boys are moping all over the place. I believe you"re staying up here for coquetry."
The tone was light, but Patty could see that Daisy"s words were at least partly in earnest. But they were untrue, and Patty said, "Oh, I"m going down for tea. I"m just writing to my father. Then I"ll dress and go downstairs. I"m all right, you know."
"Yes, you look so," said Daisy, glancing at the bright eyes and roseleaf complexion. "You don"t look a bit tired."
"I"m not now; but I was when I reached home this morning. Weren"t you?"
"Not very. I"m stronger than you are. Guy Martin and Lora Sayre were here to talk about the Pageant."
"Were they? Is Lora going to be Spirit of the Sea?"
"No; her mother won"t let her. They asked me to take the part, but I don"t want to."
"Why not?" said Patty, looking at her curiously.
"Oh, I think they"d better have a Spring Beach girl. You, for instance."
"They asked me before, but if you"ll do it, I"ll take something else.
Who"s going to be Neptune?"
"Bill. That"s another reason why you"d better be the Sea Spirit."
"Nonsense!" and Patty was angry at herself to feel the blush that rose to her cheek. But Daisy made no comment, and in a moment she said suddenly:
"Patty, write a note for me, will you? I"ve run a sliver into my forefinger and I can"t hold a pen."
"A sliver? Oh, Daisy, does it hurt?"
"No, not much now. I got it out. But the tip of my finger is painful if I write. You"ve your pen in your hand, so just scribble a line for me.
I can sign it."
"Of course I will. Dictate, please!"
Patty took a fresh sheet of paper, and tried to look like a professional amanuensis.
"I really would rather not be the Spirit of the Sea," dictated Daisy, and Patty wrote obediently. "Please try to get some one else for the part. But may I ask you as a personal favour not to speak of the matter to me at any time."
"Thank you," said Daisy, taking the paper from Patty and folding it. "I can sign it, even if I have to use my left hand. I"m going to give it to Mr. Martin for, somehow, I don"t want to talk about the matter to him."
"I don"t see why," said Patty, a little puzzled.
"Never mind, girlie. You know sometimes there are little foolish reasons we don"t like to tell of. Don"t say anything about all this to anybody, will you?"
"No, certainly not," said Patty, wonderingly.
"Don"t tell any one I asked you to write the note."
"No."
"You see, I hate to acknowledge a hurt finger. It sounds so silly."
The whole affair seemed silly to Patty, for she could see no reason why Daisy shouldn"t tell Guy that she didn"t want to be Spirit of the Sea.
But it was none of her affair, and as Daisy went away she put the whole matter out of her mind. After making a leisurely toilette, she went downstairs and found a group of young people having tea on the veranda.
Her appearance was hailed with shouts of joy. Seats were offered her in every choice position, but the pleading look in Farnsworth"s big blue eyes persuaded her to sit beside him in a broad, red-cushioned swing.