The Saturday luncheon was duly planned. They invited Maisie, the two Rawlins girls and Celia. Dolly would have liked to ask Bernice and Dotty was more than willing, but they had only room for six,—and too, they knew all the girls would like it better without the stranger, and so for this time they decided against her, agreeing that they would invite her some time soon.
It was to be a very festal occasion. More, the whole luncheon was to be the work of the two girls themselves. Not everything was to be made in Treasure House, but no one save the Two D’s could have a hand in the preparations.
And so, when Saturday morning came, they were up bright and early to begin their work. Dotty was still at the Fayres’; Genie, though better was still housed, and the time was not yet up when Dotty could return home.
“It doesn’t seem fair, Doll,” said Dotty as, swathed in big aprons, they went into the Fayre kitchen, “for me to work over here. We’ve always divided the work before.”
“That doesn’t matter. What do you want for the cake?”
“A big bowl and a spoon. I’ll measure out the things myself.”
“All right, and I’ll make the salad dressing now.”
Two busy bees worked all the morning, barely having time to set the table in Treasure House and arrange some flowers there before their guests came.
“Goodness, there they are!” cried Dotty, as she set a saucepan of lard on their kitchenette stove to heat. “I can’t leave this, Doll, so you go in and do the polite, and I’ll run in when I can. They won’t mind.”
So Dolly, serene and smiling, met the girls, who all came together.