“No; my duties are ended when I once get them packed into a motor at the door. But Christine looks as if she couldn’t survive much longer, and as for old Gilbert, he’s as absent-minded as the conventional bridegroom.”
“Christine’s all right,” said Patty. “I’m going to take her off, now, to get into her travelling clothes. Oh, Ken, she has the loveliest suit! Sort of a taupe colour, you know, and the dearest hat——”
“Patty! Do you suppose I care what she’s going to wear away? But do see to it that she’s ready on time! You girls will all get to weeping,—that’s the way they always do,—and you’ll spin out your farewells so that they’ll lose their train! Run along with Christine, now; Hepworth is fidgeting like the dickens.”
So the pretty bridesmaid took the pretty bride away, and Patty begged Christine to make haste with her dressing, lest she might lose the train.
“And Mr. Hepworth will go away without you,” Patty threatened. “Now, you do always dawdle, Christine; but this time you’ve got to hustle,—so be spry,—Mrs. Hepworth.”
Christine smiled at Patty’s use of the new name, and she tried to make the haste Patty demanded. But she was slow by nature, and Patty danced around her in terror, lest she should really be late.
“Here’s your coat, Christine,—put your arms in, do! Now the other one. Now sit down, and I’ll put your hat on for you. Oh, Mrs. Hepworth, do hold your head still! Here, stick this pin in yourself, or I may jab it through your brain,—though I must confess you act as if you hadn’t any! or if you have, it’s addled. And Ken says that husband of yours is acting just the same way. My! it’s lucky you two infants had a capable and clever bridesmaid and best man to get you off! There! take your gloves,—no, don’t hold them like that! put them on. Wake up, Christine; remember, the show isn’t over yet. You’ve got to go downstairs, and be showered with confetti, and, oh, Christine, don’t forget to throw your bouquet!”
“I won’t do it!” and Christine Hepworth woke up suddenly from her dreaming, and clasped her bridal bouquet to her heart.
“Nonsense! of course you will! You’ve simply got to! I’m not going to run this whole wedding, and then have the prima donna balk in the last act. Now, listen, Christine, you throw it over the banister just as you start downstairs! Will you?”
“Yes,” was the meek response; “I will.”