Half an hour later Lucile lifted the dainty mass of lace and chiffon from her bed with a sigh of satisfaction. “When you’re on, then we’ll be all ready. Guess I’ll have to get Jane to do it up, though. I don’t know just how it goes yet.”
Jane did the work satisfactorily; so well, in fact, that when she gave the girl a little finishing pat and announced admiringly that “You surely will be queen of the ball to-night, Miss Lucy,” that young lady gave an involuntary gasp of delight.
“Oh, it’s pretty, it’s pretty!” she cried.
“Indade, an’ it’s not the only thing that has a claim to beauty,” said Jane, with an admiring glance at her young mistress. “Now, you’d better come down an’ get a bite to ate, Miss Lucy, before iverything gets cold. Ye needn’t be worryin’ ’bout yer looks the night,” she prophesied.
“Thanks, Jane,” cried Lucile, gaily. “I got ready in pretty good time, after all, didn’t I? Oh, there’s the dinner gong and I am not a bit hungry!” 53
“Excitement’s no good on an empty stomach,” said Jane sagely. “Take my advice an’ ate yer fill—ye’ll be all the better for it.”
“I’ll do my best,” she promised, and ran lightly down the stairs and into the dining-room, where the family were already assembled.
“How do you like it?” she cried, dropping them a low curtsey and smiling like a little witch. “It’s the first time I’ve had it on, Mother and Dad and Phil—how do you like it? Isn’t it becoming?” and she executed several little toe-dances which brought her so near Phil that he hugged her impulsively.
“It’s a peach, and so are you, Lucy. I didn’t know you could look like that,” said he, eyeing her approvingly.
“It’s a beauty,” said her father, but his eyes were more for the rosy cheeks and dancing eyes of his little girl than they were for the beloved new dress.