“Yes,” said Marguerite, beaming with pride at her ability to answer the question in the affirmative; “bring it in, Rosie.”
The girls seated themselves at table, and Timmy Loo waltzed gaily about in great expectation when Rosie brought in the plate of six corn fritters and passed it round.
“Oh, how good!” cried Marjorie, helping herself. “I just love these things, and it’s so nice of you not to bake them all at once. They’re lovely just off the pan. Hurry up the next lot, Rosie.”
Nan blushed and thought seriously of slipping under the table; but Marguerite said blandly:
“Oh, these are individual fritters. There’s only one apiece, and Nan and I ate ours before you came home. What made you so late?”
“Only one apiece!” exclaimed Betty, ignoring Marguerite’s question. “Why, I could eat six!”
“So could I,” said Millicent; but Marguerite went on airily:
“Pooh! do you think we’re going to have nothing else? There are several courses yet to come.”
This mollified the girls, and each ate her fritter hopefully, while Nan and Marguerite chattered very fast to hide their rapidly growing embarrassment.
The next course was the salad, though it did seem as if something else ought to have preceded it.