Mr. Pinckney was watching at the window for them and came bustling out in his hearty way, crying, “Here you are! Bless your hearts, I am glad to see you. Come right in. Well, well, isn’t this great? We must have you right here with us till after the wedding. Where are you staying? I’ll telephone them to send up your baggage. Where is Dolores? Fisher, tell Miss Dolores the young ladies have come.”
Then in a moment Miss Dolores came running down-stairs to be hugged and kissed and to tell them all her news.
Having decided that the two girls were to remain in the house till after the wedding Mr. Pinckney could not rest till he had the matter settled. He would fain have had the other two, but Mrs. Corner compromised by promising they should come on the wedding day to remain till Miss Dolores returned from her bridal trip, Jack herself telling him that he would need them more then and that it should be her business to see that he was not lonely.
The old gentleman was in high good humor after this. He confessed to Nan in confidence that no one knew how he had dreaded the two weeks during which his granddaughter should be away. “But it is all right now,” he said. “I shan’t mind it, not at all.”
“You’d better not,” Nan threatened. “If we four Corners aren’t enough for you I must say you are hard to please.”
“Conceited little minx,” said Mr. Pinckney, but he rubbed his hands and chuckled every time he looked at the two.
There was a delightful hour after dinner when Mr. Pinckney was smoking his cigar and Miss Dolores took them up-stairs to see her wedding finery; the dainty morning frocks, the more elaborate gowns for evening wear, and finally the white satin wedding gown which Mr. Pinckney had insisted upon, though it was to be but a simple ceremony performed at home.
“Mercedes is bringing my wedding veil,” Miss Dolores told the girls, “Spanish lace that Cousin Teresa is sending. The dear child has been longing so to come and I am so glad they consented to it. We shall keep her for a good long visit, I hope. She can speak some English now and it will be an excellent opportunity for her to improve herself in the language.”
“Is she coming all alone?” asked Mary Lee.
“No, she comes with some friends of the family who sailed from Havre. Other friends took her as far as Paris where the Dos Santos met her. I hope the child has not been very sick on the journey. The steamer was expected this evening, but is a little late. However, there is not much doubt but that she will dock in the morning.”