“You can chop June up into five pieces,” suggested Nan.
“Yes, but if I go to a country house to make a good long visit, I want to stay about a month. A week here and then a week there is so unsatisfactory. However, after much thoughtful brooding over the question, I’ve cut out three, and that brings my quandary down to only two places to decide between.”
“Lady Hamilton’s being one,” observed her father.
“Yes, Kitty’s is one; and Mabel Hartley’s is the other. Of course, if I spend June with Kitty, we’ll be right here in London all the time, and though I love it, yet I love the country too. Now, if I go to Mabel’s, I’ll have a beautiful experience of real English country life.”
“You would enjoy it, I’m sure,” said Nan; “and I think you’d better decide to go to Cromarty Manor, and then, if for any reason, you don’t like it, come back, and put in the rest of your time with Lady Kitty.”
“Nan, that’s an inspiration!” cried Patty, running across the room, and clasping Nan in one of her rather strenuous embraces.
“Look out! You’ll break her!” cried Mr. Fairfield, in great pretence of fear.
“No, indeed!” said Patty, “she’s too substantial. And anyway, such a clever suggestion deserves ample recognition.”
Patty sat on the arm of Nan’s chair, and amused herself by twisting Nan’s curly hair into tight little spirals.
“Stop that, Patty,” said her father; “you make Nan look like a pickaninny.”