“Merry? I should say I am. Why the family say I never stop giggling. Oh, goodness gracious! I’m merry enough; the trouble is to make me serious when occasion really demands it. Why, I’m always at the very topnotch of hilarity.”
“It seems to me,” said Hilda, falling into her presidential attitude, “that we might let Elise be the eighth Grig, until Lorraine is ready to join. And she certainly isn’t, yet.”
“She certainly is not,” said Patty, as she remembered Lorraine’s cross greeting that morning, “and I think your idea is all right.”
CHAPTER XIV
THE CASINO
On the whole, Elise wore rather well. Although belonging to the millionaire classes of the city, she was simple and unaffected, and never referred to her wealth by word or implication. From the first she was devoted to Patty, and in spite of her many peculiarities Patty thoroughly liked her. Clementine considered her cranky and Adelaide thought her too much inclined to dictate. But Elise was entirely indifferent to their opinions, and independently followed her own sweet will. If she wanted things done a certain way, she said so, and somehow they were done that way. If the other girls objected, she quietly ignored their objections and proceeded serenely on her course. The result of this was that the others regarded her with mingled dissatisfaction and admiration, neither of which at all affected Elise.
She made one exception of Patty. She was always willing to defer to Patty’s wishes, or change her plans in accordance with Patty’s ideas.
Still, as Elise was so good-natured, generous and entertaining, the girls really liked her, and she proved to be a real acquisition to the society of Grigs.
On Thursday afternoon she invited them all to go home with her and play in the Casino.
The girls went directly from school, and a short walk brought them to Elise’s home.
The Farrington house was really a mansion, and by far the most magnificent and imposing dwelling that Patty had ever been in. The eight girls ran up the steps and the door was opened by a footman in livery. The great hall seemed to Patty like a glimpse into fairyland. Its massive staircase wound around in a bewildering way, and beautiful palms and statues stood all about. The light fell softly through stained-glass windows, and to Patty’s beauty-loving soul it all seemed a perfect Elysium of form and colour.