“I’m sure he would have, Jonas,” Marjorie heartily agreed. Her chums smiled concurrence. They still had much of the same reserve for the courtly, silver-haired retainer that they experienced toward Miss Susanna. “We’d love to steal in on her there,” she said with impulsive eagerness. “Do you think she’d care to be surprised in that way?”
“I know she would. Miss Marjorie.” Jonas seemed very sure of this point. A faintly mischievous expression had leaped into his keen blue eyes. He surveyed her smilingly, as though debating something in his mind.
“What is it, Jonas?” Marjorie was quick to catch the change of expression.
“There’s a sliding panel in Mr. Brooke’s study, Miss Marjorie. Miss Susanna sits in Mr. Brooke’s chair always when she’s up there. Her back is toward the panel. I can let you in that way, if you’d like it.”
“We’d love to.” Marjorie grew radiant. She consulted her chums with dancing eyes. They made genial signs of wholesale approval. “Are you sure we won’t startle her?” she asked as a prudent afterthought.
“She’s not one to be startled,” Jonas proudly assured. “She’ll see you as quick almost as you see her. She’s quick to see.”
“Suppose I were to steal up behind her and slip my hands over her eyes? Perhaps I’d better not do that.” Marjorie grew doubtful.
“Please do. She’d think it the best kind of fun,” Jonas insisted. It was as though Miss Susanna were a child for whom Jonas delighted to provide entertainment. “She always says she likes adventure. She feels as though she’d had a good many adventures since she’s known you and the young ladies here.”
“We have had some real ones,” Marjorie assured the old man. “All right, Jonas. We hereby appoint you as guide of this secret expedition. Lead on. We’ll do our best to give Miss Susanna a wee little adventure. Not so little, either. A secret panel; that sounds thrilling.”
“I’ll put it in the first play I write for Page and Dean this fall,” Kathie promised.