The baggage had come through safely, and the girls found their prettiest frocks all pressed and hanging in the closets. Cathalina’s maid was a different one from the girl Hilary remembered, and Cathalina laughed as she explained what Phil called her “alliterative succession” of maids, Etta, Edna, Ethel and now Edith, “my ‘French’ maids,” said Cathalina. “The last ones did not stay long. Mother did not think they were good, but Edith is fine. She is English.”
Hilary and Lilian found another maid appointed to answer their bell, and confided to each other that they hoped not to make any mistakes in their own deportment regarding her. “Oh, it does not make any real difference,” said Hilary. “If we are simple and nice, as we ought to be, I guess we shall not make any very bad mistakes. I think, Lil, that you might as well get used to one!”
Lilian blushed, for Hilary’s meaning was not hard to understand, and the state of Philip’s feeling toward Lilian had been quite apparent on their automobile trip. However, within the next twenty-four hours Lilian’s ideas were to change somewhat.
Cathalina and Philip were as busy as could be in those first hours after their arrival, making arrangements for different sorts of good times.
“You will excuse me, won’t you, girls, while I call up the family and get things started. I want some of them to come over tonight and I must find out who of the friends are in town.” Cathalina, fresh from her bath, her soft brown hair prettily arranged by her maid, a cool, light summer dress floating about her, was an attractive picture as she sat by the little table to telephone.
“Is that you, Ann Maria? Good! I thought you girls would be back in time for us to see you. Did you have a great time? Yes, we had a wonderful summer at camp—more fun! Yes, we just came in an hour or so ago. How are Uncle and Aunt Knickerbocker? Oh, is that so? Well, why can’t you stay all night here, then—you and Louise? We want you all to come after dinner tonight, to meet the girls. I’m going to call up Louise and Nan and Emily. Robert Paget will get in before dinner, Phil thinks. I’m calling Rosalie and Lawrence Haverhill, too. Anybody else that you can think of? Somebody we could ask on short notice. Oh, yes. I’ll get Phil to call him. We’ll have light refreshments. Come early.”
Cathalina danced away and over to Philip’s room, where she knocked.
“That you, Kitsie? All right, come in. That’s all, Louis. There are the letters to be mailed.”
Philip was as freshly attired as Cathalina and making great plans for happy hours with Lilian. “Be seated, Miss Van Buskirk!”
“No, thanks, Phil—I just had a little matter to speak to you about. If Mother thinks it’s all right, would you mind calling up a young man I met at school last year—if he’s in town—and can come—”