This the girls knew, hence the disclaimer from thoughtful Faith,
"Oh dear! It would be so pleasant. And father ought to have a say about his own table—"
"But you know he's always consulted, dear, and by this time everything is planned."
"Well, we might be consulted, too."
"Why, Hope! When he has planned everything to make it pleasant for us."
Hope's pout died out into a shamefaced smile.
"There, there! Consider it unsaid, Miss Wisdom. Guess I can appreciate the dear man, myself—and there he is looking for us now."
Quite over her pet, she ran to meet him, and his tender smile met their upturned faces.
"Ah, girlies, I was just coming for you. I'll see you in to the table and join you presently. Just now I'm busy, but Malcolm and Joey will look after you. I didn't forget that my little girls were along when we fixed up the table-list, and you'll see they are not all ponderous elderly people with titles, this time. Come on!"
The sisters exchanged glances, and Hope in a spasm of repentance, murmured, "Oh papa, you're too good to us!" which he only half caught as Faith just then remarked,