“Umph! That’s no surprise to me. I’ve known it all day long—for sure,” said Mimi superiorly. “Why, we even planned Miss Jane’s wedding for her on the train this morning coming home.”
“And what are her plans?”
“Well, I don’t know exactly,” Mimi had to admit, “but we’re going to be in the wedding—all five of us who were in Miss Jane’s hut at camp, and Miss Millie, too. We told her we were.”
“And where will the wedding be?”
“Oh, Mother,” laughed Mimi, “you sound just like that silly old nursery rhyme about ‘Mr. Frog went a courtin’ and he did ride, umphum’ saying ‘where shall the wedding supper be?’ and if I answer like the rhyme, ‘way down yonder in a hollow tree,’ that could be true for all I know. I don’t care where it is just so I’m in it.”
“A church wedding would be frightfully expensive for Mrs. Herold, I fear; and since Mr. Herold passed away and Mrs. Herold had the house made into two apartments, their present living quarters are rather crowded. I wonder——”
Mimi did not know what Mother wondered until they were dressed for the afternoon and had driven over to Miss Jane’s. Mimi had wanted to go by the tennis court for two reasons; to show off her improved game and to see Honky and return his tennis racquet he had let her take to camp. The way things turned out she was glad she went with Mother Dear because now she was in on the ground floor of all the lovely plans.
Mrs. Herold, Miss Jane, Mimi (who sat near the open door to wave hello in case any of her friends passed), and Mrs. Hammond were no sooner seated than Mrs. Hammond, with that charming directness of hers, came to the point.
“Jane, my dear, Dr. Hammond and I are so grateful to you for the splendid care you took of Mimi at camp that I want you to let me do something for you. You see, your mother and Dr. Hammond’s Aunt Gay were in Sheridan together and that almost makes us kin.” Mother was laughing and being her most winsome. Mimi had turned from the open door and was watching her Mother and listening intently. “What I am trying to say, my dear, is, won’t you and Dick marry at our house? It is so perfectly suited to a simple home wedding, the stairs, the living room, reception hall and dining room arranged as they are.”
“Why, Mrs. Hammond, I don’t know what to say. I never heard of anything so wonderful! I love your house! I’ve been in and out there all my life and feel it’s partly my home, too. What do you think, Mother?” she asked turning to Mrs. Herold.