“Quite well,” replied the lady.
And when she had served all her circle with coffee, tea, or cocoa, she called a servant to bring a waiter, and she prepared and sent up a dainty little repast to her daughter.
“The carriages will be at the door by ten o’clock, my dears, so you will please to be ready. It will take us full an hour to drive to All Faith. I hope the church will be well warmed,” said the father of the family, as they all arose from the table.
“We will be ready in time,” replied Mrs. Force, as they passed out of the dining room.
Leonidas Force looked so white and grim that little Elva paused behind the rest to speak to him.
“Le! Le! what’s the matter? I do believe you do care, after all.”
“Hush, Elva,” said the youth, in a whisper.
“Le! if you do care, you can forbid the banns, on account of that engagement of yours. You can, indeed! Wynnette and I have been reading over the marriage service in the prayer book, and there is a place where it says, ‘If any man here present can show cause’——You know why it shouldn’t be done, it wouldn’t be done, and there an end! And I am sure you could show cause, Le!”
“Yes, dear; but I won’t!” Le replied.
“Elva! If you don’t stir your stumps—I mean hurry up—you won’t be ready in time!” called Wynnette, from the bannister above.