“I’m the Lord of Misrule,” he announced, “and I have come to direct our Christmas revels. To-night my word is law; you are all my subjects, and must obey my decrees!”
A shout of applause greeted this gay banter, and then as Adèle played a lively strain, the Lord of Misrule gave a clever clog dance on the staircase landing.
Then he sprang down the steps, and clasping the Christmas Spirit, the two tripped away into a gay impromptu dance.
“Everybody dance!” shouted the Lord of Misrule, brandishing his sceptre aloft, and obedient to his orders, the others caught the gay spirit, and soon they were all dancing.
Later they had the country dances—Virginia reel, Sir Roger, and others which Patty had never heard of before, but which she had no difficulty in learning.
It was not long, however, before she laid aside her somewhat uncomfortable wings, and also the illusion draperies, which did not well survive the intricacies of the figure dances.
So, once again in her pretty pink frock, she entered into the dances with the zest she always felt for that amusement.
“I think it’s my turn,” said Roger, coming up to her at last.
“And I’m glad to be with a friend again, after all these strangers,” she said, as they danced away. “Though they’re awfully nice men, and some of them are very good dancers. You and Mona are all right, aren’t you, Roger?”
Patty said this so suddenly that he was caught off his guard.