“Certainly, but I’m pretty sure that what our sane Irene says is safe for the Higgledy Piggledies,” laughed Mary Louise. “I fancy Ursula Ellett will take charge of the tea room at an early date.”
CHAPTER II
URSULA TELLS HER STORY
“Why didn’t you tell us how beautiful she was?” Josie asked Irene after the partners had looked Ursula Ellett over, approved of her and engaged her on the spot.
“I did not like to because I did not know whether you would think her as beautiful as I do.”
“Thought you had a corner on taste, eh?” laughed Josie.
“Not that. But you know tastes differ so. Uncle doesn’t think she is beautiful, merely sweet looking and Aunt Hannah says if it wasn’t for her eyes she would call her positively homely. They say she has no figure.”
“No figure! With that willowy slenderness!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “Why she looks like a wood nymph!”
Ursula Ellett was not as old as Irene had thought, in fact she had just reached her majority. But the cares that had fallen on her young shoulders had added to her years and the troubles and anxieties had given a gravity to her countenance that was pitiable to behold. Her eyes were violet with dark pansy markings, her lashes long and thick with brows delicately bowed, her nose of patrician perfection. Her mouth needed only smiles to make it beautiful, but it was too sad at the present, with the corners drooping and making lines of discontent that were fast becoming permanent. Her hair was dark, almost black, but with a coppery hue.
It meant much to Ursula to be taken in by the Higgledy Piggledies, and it meant much to the partners to have a capable person to take hold of their tea room and run it with the order necessary for its success.