Finally, there went around a huge jug of hot mulled port wine, from which a goblet was filled for every guest.
And when this had been drunk amid much jesting and laughter, the company put on their wraps and hoods, bade good-night to their hosts, entered their sleighs, and, with more jesting and more laughter, started for a moonlight drive over the frozen snow to their several homes.
And so ended the New Year’s Eve party at Oldfield Farm.
CHAPTER XLVI
THE LADY FROM THE MINES HAS A PLAN
New Year’s morning dawned clear and cold.
The family of Mondreer, on account of the party at Oldfield on the previous evening, and the long sleigh ride home “in the wee, sma’ hours” before the dawn, slept later than usual that day, so that it was nine o’clock before they were all gathered around the breakfast table, to renew their New Year’s greetings over the first morning meal of the year.
The pleasant party of the previous evening was discussed, and then the program of the passing day.
The holiday was to be kept very unostentatiously.