Patty and Anne Marie and Ailie stared at one another, already looking much happier, all three, and even smiling a little now and then. For somehow they all felt that Grandmother was going to make everything come out right, though how she would do it they didn’t even try to guess.
Grandmother still held Polly Perkins in her arms, and over Grandmother’s shoulder Polly smiled sweetly down in a way that was pleasant to see. Patty couldn’t help thinking that Polly’s brown eyes held a special look for her. But then who knows that Anne Marie and Ailie were not thinking the very same thing?
At last back came Mother and Grandmother to where the little girls stood.
‘Remember,’ Mother was saying with a shake of the head, ‘that Christmas is only one week away.’
‘I know it,’ answered Grandmother, who no longer tapped her foot, ‘but I have done much harder things than this. Besides, you will help me, I am sure.’
What did Grandmother mean? The children couldn’t imagine, nor did they have time to try.
For Grandmother had made up her mind what she meant to do, and at once she started Mother and Patty and Anne Marie off for the Bakery, and Grandmother and Polly Perkins and Ailie set out for Ailie’s house.
Now this is a strange thing, but one quite apt to happen in a large city. It turned out that Patty and Anne Marie and Ailie lived almost within a stone’s throw of one another.
It was this way. On the corner of two streets lived Anne Marie, upstairs over her Bakery, as you know. On one of these two streets, in her large white apartment house, lived Patty. On the other of these streets, at the tiptop of her tall, tall building, lived wee Ailie McNabb.
Well, Mother and Patty and Anne Marie went straight to the Bakery, and there it was discovered that Maman knew Mrs. King very well. Had not Mrs. King for years bought her rolls and bread, her cakes and tarts, at the ‘French Pastry Shop’? Out of the golden cage stepped Maman. Papa Durant was sent for and hastily came up from the kitchen, bowing and smiling and rubbing his hands as he always did when very well pleased.