“You poor dear, how are you by this time? What did the doctor say about your foot?”
“There isn’t a thing broken, Lilian, but of course it hurts. It’s all bandaged up as tight as anything and he is going to see what the prospect is in the morning.”
“Cathalina has thought up a wonderful plan and we are going to take you with us if your aunt will let us, and we were hoping that she would go too.”
“Yes,” eagerly assented Cathalina. “We girls can take care of you just as easy as pie, put you in a stateroom,—I will arrange for one tomorrow, and Mrs. Garland, if you can possibly come, please come and add to our happiness and Hilary’s comfort by being our guest. I know that you will like my mother.”
“Aren’t you the dearest girls in Greycliff or anywhere else!” exclaimed Hilary. “Everybody is planning for poor me. I feel ashamed of my broken heart, but honestly I thought, it was cracked in two at first. And Aunt Hilary, too, had the plan to take me East.”
“Have you, Mrs. Garland?—Look, Hilary, here come more girls with more ice cream!”
Hilary, her aunt and the nurse were soon supplied with cooling and delicious refreshments, for Eloise, Helen, and Pauline had been seized with the same thought, and unaware of Lilian’s mission, had also brought the entire menu.
“This will spoil our dinner,” said Aunt Hilary.
“Let it,” said Hilary. “I’d rather have this.”
“It will probably be better for you than a heavy meal,” said the nurse. “I wasn’t planning to bring you much tonight.”