"I shall give them margarine," she said. "It would be quite absurd to go to the expense of butter." Rachel would have given them butter but she knew it would be useless to suggest this.
"And the tea might be sugared also altogether. It is much easier to have it all ready mixed with the milk."
"But some may not like sugar in their tea," objected Rachel.
"Well they mustn't mind it just for once," answered Mrs. Greville. "It is by far the best way when you have a large party. Then I almost think the cake and bread and butter had better be divided up before they come, and put on their plates. They will all fare alike then, and they'll know exactly how much they can have. If they don't want to eat it all they can take it away with them."
"But they are not by any means all children. I want them to be treated just as we should treat our own friends," Rachel expostulated. She began to wish she had never asked her mother-in-law to undertake the tea.
"But," said Mrs. Greville, "you see you have not had much experience in these matters and have no idea how much easier it is if you arrange everything beforehand. Method is everything on these occasions."
"But I want to make it really nice for the people," said Rachel eagerly. "It's better not to have the tea at all than in any way to hurt their feelings. I don't think for instance the men would at all like the plan of the food being piled on to a plate. Besides I want them to have sandwiches, and they would not be nice all mixed up with cake. I do hope you don't mind," she added, seeing that Mrs. Greville, who was considered such a first-rate caterer in Trowsby, was a little flushed at the thought that her suggestions were not liked. "I fancy that people in a country village would not be used to that kind of thing; besides there will not be very many of them. I do want them to have a dainty tea."
"Dainty? How do you mean?" said Mrs. Greville. She was evidently put out.
"I mean the same kind of tea that we would give to our own personal friends. Of course, rather thicker sandwiches as they would not appreciate the thin ones, but I am thinking more of the way it is all arranged."
"Well," said Mrs. Greville shortly, "if you will tell me exactly how you wish things to be done I will follow your directions."