"A boon so great that I fear to ask it! Won"t you promise it in advance?"
"What I promise in advance, I never fulfil."
"Don"t do it, then! I"ll ask you first. You see, it"s this way. My angelic and altogether delightful sister Lora lives in Eastchester with her stalwart husband and a blossom-bud of a kiddy. Now it seems that there"s a wonderful country-club ball up there, and she thinks it will be nice if you and I should attend that same."
"And what do YOU think about it?"
"Oh, I don"t have any thoughts concerning it, until I know what YOU think. And then, of course, that"s precisely what _I_ think."
"When is it?"
"To-morrow night."
"Mercy me! So soon! Well, I haven"t anything on for to-morrow night; but the next night Mr. Van Reypen is making a theatre party for me that I wouldn"t miss for anything."
"H"m! how LOVELY! Well, Princess, what say you to my humble plea?"
"What are your plans? How do I get there?"
"Why, thusly; my sister will invite you to her home, and incidentally to the ball. She will also ask my cousin Marie and Mr. Harper, who is not at all averse, it seems to me, to playing Marie"s little lamb!"
"Have you noticed that? So have I. Well, go on."
"Well, then, I thought it would be nice if we four should motor out to Eastchester to-morrow afternoon, go straight to sister"s, do up the ball business and motor back the next day. There"s the whole case in a nutsh.e.l.l. Now p.r.o.nounce my doom!"
"It seems to me just the nicest sort of a racket, and if your sister invites me, I shall most certainly accept."
"Oh, bless you for ever! Princess Poppycheek. I shall telephone Lora at once, and she will write you an invitation on her best stationery, and she will also telephone you, and if you wish it she will come and call on you."
"No, don"t bother her to do that. I"ve met her, you know, and if she either writes or telephones, it will be all right. What time do we start?"
"About three, so as to make it easily by tea-time."
"I"ll be ready. Count on me. Good-bye."
Patty hung up the telephone suddenly, as she always did. She often said it was her opinion that more time was wasted in this world by people who didn"t know how to say good-bye, than from any other cause. And her minutes were too precious to be spent on a telephone, after the main subject of conversation had been finished.
She danced downstairs to tell Nan all about it.
"Very nice party," Nan approved; "I"ve met Mrs. Perry, you know, and she"s charming. You"ll be home Thursday, of course. You know you"ve a theatre party that night."
"Yes, I know; I"ll be home," said Patty, abstractedly. "What would you take for the ball, Nan? My pink chiffon or my yellow satin?"
"They"re both so pretty, it"s hard to choose. The yellow satin, I think; it"s a dream of a frock."
Mrs. Perry wrote a most cordial invitation and also telephoned, saying how glad she would be to welcome Patty to her home.
And so, the next afternoon, the young people started on their motor trip.
It was easily accomplished in two hours, and then Patty found herself a very much honoured guest in Mrs. Perry"s pleasant home.
"It"s dear of you to come," said the vivacious little hostess, as she took Patty and Marie to their rooms upon their arrival.
"It"s dear of you to ask me." returned Patty; "I love to go to parties, and I love to go into new people"s houses,--I mean people"s new houses,--oh, well, you know what I mean; I mean HERE!"
"The house IS new," said Mrs. Perry, laughing, "but we"re getting to be old people, and we want you young folks to liven us up."
"Old people!" and Patty smiled at the pretty young matron.
"Yes, wait till you see my baby. She"s almost three years old! Fancy my going to b.a.l.l.s, with a big girl like that."
"You"re just fishing," said Patty, laughingly, "and I shan"t humour you. I know you young mothers! You go to a party, and you"re the belles, and leave all us wall-flowers green with envy!"
Mrs. Perry"s eyes twinkled, and she looked so roguish that Patty exclaimed, "You"re exactly like Mr. Cameron! I can well believe you"re his sister."
"Who"s he? Oh, you mean Kit! I don"t think I ever heard him called Mr.
Cameron before, and it does sound so funny! Can"t we persuade you to say Kit?"
"I don"t mind, if he doesn"t," said Patty, carelessly. "What a darling room this is!"
"Yes; this is one of my pet rooms. I always give it to my favourite guests."
"I don"t wonder," and Patty looked round admiringly at the dainty draperies and pretty appointments of the chamber.
"Marie always has it when she"s here; but, of course, she was glad to give it up to you, and I put her in the blue room just across the hall.
Come now, powder your nose, we must run down to tea. Don"t change your frock."
Patty had worn a little silk house gown under her motor coat, so after a brief adjustment of her tumbled curls she was ready to go down.
The Perrys" was a modern house of an elaborate type. There were many rooms, on varying levels, so that one was continually going up or down a few broad steps. Often the rooms were separated only by columns or by railings, which made the whole interior diversified and picturesque.
"Such a gem of a house!" exclaimed Patty, as she entered the tea-room.
"So many cosy, snuggly places,--and so warm and balmy."
She dropped into a lot of silken cushions that were piled in the corner of an inglenook, and placed her feet daintily on a footstool in front of the blazing fire.
"Awful d.i.n.ky!" said Kit, as he pushed aside some cushions and sat down beside Patty, "but a jolly good house to visit in."
"Yes, it is," said Marie, who was nestled in an easy-chair the other side of the great fireplace. "And it"s so light and pleasant. We never get any sunlight, home."
"Nonsense, Marie," said Kit, "our apartments are unusually light ones."
"Well, it"s a different kind of light," protested Marie. "It only comes from across the street, and here the light comes clear from the horizon."
"It does," agreed Mrs. Perry, "but we"re getting the very last rays now. Ring for lights, Kit."
"No, sister, let"s just have the firelight. It"s more becoming, anyway."