“No, I’ve finished, thank you. Now, you call somebody else to take the tray, and you stay to help me. I’ve taken a fancy to you, Sarah, and I want you for my personal maid while I’m here. Is that all right?”
“Yes, indeed, miss. I’m proud to do for you. But I’m not a trained lady’s maid.”
“Never mind, I’ll train you.”
Patty had a nice way with servants. She was always kind, and treated them as human beings, yet never was she so familiar that they presumed on her kindness. She soon discovered that Sarah, though untrained, was deft and quick to learn, and she instructed the maid in the duties required.
And so, when Adele came tapping at the door, she found Patty seated before the mirror, while Sarah was coiling the golden hair according to directions.
“Well, girlie, what’s this I hear about your sleeping on a couch, when a perfectly good bed was all turned down for you?”
“Oh, just one of my whimsies,” returned Patty, airily. “Don’t bother about it, Adele.”
And Adele was wise and kind enough not to bother.
Soon, arrayed in a most becoming white serge, with emerald green velvet collar and cuffs and a pale green silk blouse, Patty descended the great staircase to find most of the party grouped there, about to start for a ramble round the lake.
“’Course I’ll go,” she said in answer to eager inquiries. “My hat and gloves, Sarah, please.”