“The young lady’s friends will be all right, Miss Susanna,” Jonas had earnestly assured. “She is a fine little lady.”
The “young lady’s friends,” however, were seized with a certain amount of trepidation when, on the designated afternoon, they advanced on Hamilton Arms, looking their prettiest. Each had worn the afternoon frock she liked best in honor of her hostess. Marjorie, Leila and Jerry headed the van, Leila bearing in her arms a huge box of roses. Marjorie had insisted that Leila must present these to Miss Susanna. Leila had sturdily demurred, then accepted the honor thrust upon her. All the way to Hamilton Arms she had kept the party in a gale of laughter with the humorous presentation speeches which she framed en route.
Within a few steps of the house her fund of words deserted her. “Take these yourself, Marjorie,” she implored. “I am in too much of a glee at my own foolishness. I shall laugh and disgrace us all if I undertake to give her the roses.”
“You’ll be all right, you goose. I refuse to help you out.” Marjorie waved aside the proffered box. “Rally your nerve and say the first thing that occurs to you. It will be sure to be the best thing you could possibly say.”
“I doubt it. Well, I can but take firm hold on the box and make the best of a bad matter.” Leila grasped the box with exaggerated force, cleared her throat and burst out laughing. She continued to laugh as they ascended the steps. She had hardly straightened her face when Jonas answered the door and ushered the guests over the threshold they had never expected to cross.
“I have not seen so many girls at close range for a long time,” announced a brisk voice. Miss Susanna had come from the library into the hall to greet her visitors. She was attired in a one-piece dress of dark gray silk with a white fichu at the throat of frost-like lace.
“How are you, my child?” She now took Marjorie’s hand. “And these are your friends.” Her bright brown eyes were inspecting the group of young women with a kind of reflective curiosity. “Introduce them to me and tell me each name slowly. I wish to know each one by name from now on. I used to have a good memory for names.”
Marjorie complied with the instruction, adding some friendly little point descriptive of each chum. This evoked laughter and helped to ease the slight strain attached to the presentation. Leila then proffered the box of roses with a frank, “Here is our good will to you, Miss Hamilton.”
“What’s this?” Miss Susanna viewed the long box in amazement. A swift tide of color rose to her cheeks. She reached for it mechanically as though uncertain what to do next. She held it for an instant, then said: “I thank you, girls. You could have done nothing that would please me more. I love flowers; particularly roses. Come into the library now and let us get acquainted.”
In the library Miss Susanna explored the florist’s box with the pleasure of a child. She exclaimed happily over the masses of gorgeous roses as she lifted them from the box and inhaled their fragrance. She sent Jonas for vases and arranged them to suit her fancy, talking animatedly to her guests as her small hands busied themselves with the pleasant task.