"I can't help feeling very rocky about that supper," whispered Jean to Mabel. "Yet we've everything--sandwiches, cake, fruit and lemonade, tea and coffee. What can go wrong now?"
"Oh! the thing's all right," said Mabel, who was in a severely exalted mood by this time.
They trooped into the dining-room, where girls were provided in a crushy way with seats round the room, and boys ran about and handed them things. Mrs. Leighton gave the head of the table to Mabel, who sat in an elderly way and poured coffee. The salad was magnificent. Aunt Katharine had come in "to look on." Mrs. Leighton told her how Mabel had arranged forty-two plates that morning, with water-lily tomatoes cut ready and chopped chicken in the centres, and had nearly driven Cook silly with the shelves she used for storing these things in cool places.
"Wherever you looked--miles and miles of little plates with red water lilies," said Mrs. Leighton. "It was most distracting for Cook. I wonder the woman stays."
"What a mess," said Aunt Katharine. "You spoil these girls, you know, Lucy."
"Oh--it's Mr. Leighton," said she sadly.
"I don't think mayonnaise is a very suitable thing for young people's parties," said Aunt Katharine dingily.
By this time the white cake with "Cuthbert" in pink was handed solemnly round. Every person had a large piece, it looked so good.
Every one said, "Walnut, how lovely," when they took the first bite.
Every one stopped at the second bite.