“I am almost glad she didn’t come before,” said Nan, “for we might not have reached here in time, and it is stringing along the excitements more gradually to have her come in the morning.”
“Oh, me, but it is exciting,” said Mary Lee giving Miss Dolores a squeeze. “We stopped to see about the bridesmaid frocks before we even went to the hotel and they are promised faithfully by Wednesday evening, so we shall surely have them for Thursday.”
“I had Mercedes send her measurements and I think hers will not need to be altered. Would you like to see it?” Wouldn’t they? And the pretty girlish gown of white silk mull was displayed. Mercedes was to be maid of honor and the four Corners the bridesmaids. Nan and Mary Lee were to wear soft buff; the twins were to be dressed in delicate green.
“And you are going to have chrysanthemums, of course, for decorations,” said Mary Lee. “What flowers do we carry?”
“Roses to remind us of Italy, where we were so happy when the roses were climbing everywhere. I shall carry white ones, you and Nan those deep saffron-colored ones shading to pink, and the twins will have pink. Mercedes will have creamy colored ones,” Miss Dolores told them.
“Lovely,” declared the girls.
“And Mr. St. Nick is quite satisfied to have you married,” said Mary Lee.
“Yes, I am sure he is. Once he made up his mind to accept the fact he has been goodness itself, and I really think he would be disappointed now if we were to put it off. He told me a few days ago that if he were called from this world he should feel very content that he had left me in the keeping of a good man, and that it was a great comfort to him.”
Then Mr. Kirk was announced and the girls went down to greet him and then to entertain Mr. St. Nick in the library, leaving the lovers to themselves.
They were all up betimes the next morning and were down on the dock to see the great steamer come slowly up the harbor. Mercedes caught sight of the little group, and then Mary Lee distinguished her, and they began signaling and waving handkerchiefs until down the gangplank came the little Spanish girl to throw herself into the arms of her friends, half laughing, half crying in her excitement.