She looked at her watch. “It is really late,” she said. “Drive home as quickly as you can, James. Good-night!”
The coachman touched his spirited horses with the whip; away rolled the carriage, and in a few minutes all were out of sight. The girls went to their room, full of animation and eager to tell their companions of their adventure.
“Oh, Susie, how I wish you had been with us!” concluded Carrie.
Susie made no reply. Her throat swelled and her eyes filled; for she had been crying almost all the time they had been gone.
Carrie did not observe her red eyes, for she was too full of the subject of the drive; and the tea-bell rang while the girls were still dilating on Miss Fanny’s charms.
A few days after this, Florence took her friend aside very mysteriously, whispering to her that she had something to tell her.
“What is it?” asked Carrie, eagerly.
“I had a note from Cousin Fanny this morning; and—what do you think!—Mrs. Sidney is going to have a tableaux party, and you and I are to be invited! Won’t that be splendid?”
Carrie clapped her hands in delight.
“But do you suppose Mr. Worcester will let us go?” she asked, a little doubtfully.