“I like that young chap,” said Mr. Fairfield, after Kenneth had gone; “and he seems so alone here in the city. I think we might be a little kind to him, Grandma.”
“I think so, too,” agreed Mrs. Elliott, cordially; “he’s a thoroughly nice boy, and I’ve always liked him.”
“He is a nice boy,” said Patty, “and how much he looks like his aunt. He always makes me think of Miss Daggett.”
The elders laughed at this, for Miss Daggett, who had been the Fairfields’ next-door neighbour at Vernondale, was an elderly, erratic, unamiable spinster, and her nephew was a frank young fellow, as good-natured as he was good-looking.
When dinner-time came Grandma told Patty that she might wear her white cashmere dress and white hair-ribbons.
This pleased Patty very much, for it was one of her favourite frocks, and she always enjoyed wearing it. Though not over-fond of dress, Patty had a great liking for pretty things, and was also very sensitive to pleasant sights and sounds.
So the dinner-hour delighted her, for the dining-room was gaily lighted and decorated, and musicians in a palm-screened balcony played soft music.
Patty took her place at their table, and, being of an adaptable nature, remarked that she felt already quite at home there.
“I don’t know,” said Mr. Fairfield; “it’s a little more like a hotel than I had anticipated. Still, if we feel that we’re surrounded by too many of our fellow-beings, we can have a private dining-room.”
“Oh, no, don’t do that,” said Patty; “I like it better this way.”