“Well, don’t wait for us. You go down to breakfast, and don’t let them wait. I always lose my senses when I try to dress in a hurry,” said Nanny, sitting down on a hassock to put on her gaiters. “There! I said so! I have gone and put my right foot on my left boot!—I mean, my left foot on my right boot!—I mean——I don’t know what I mean! Please go down, and don’t bother!”
“Don’t go crazy; there’s time enough. Breakfast won’t be ready for half an hour yet,” laughed Wynnette, as she danced out of the room.
The flurried girls composed themselves as well as they could, and completed their toilets. Then they went downstairs to the parlor.
They found all the family and guests assembled.
“I hope we did not keep you waiting,” said Sophy, the eldest sister, after the morning greeting had been exchanged.
“Now, papa, don’t flunk. Beg pardon. I mean, don’t sacrifice truth to politeness. Let me reply. Yes, Miss Grandiere, you did keep us waiting just one minute and a half,” said Wynnette, pointing to the clock on the mantelpiece.
But Mr. Force had already given his arm to Miss Grandiere, and was leading the way to the breakfast room.
The others followed.
It was a merry breakfast. Yet the two happiest ones at the table were the most silent. Leonidas and Odalite neither originated a joke nor laughed at the joke of any other.
“Such is selfishness of love and joy,” whispered Wynnette to Rosemary, who was her next neighbor at the breakfast table.