“Don’t they?” Anne asked mildly. “Well, what are they going to do about it? I thought that’s what colleges were for. Who’s against her?”
“I don’t think it’s exactly anything definite or violent, but you know how awfully uncomfortable they can make her. There’s Amy Roberts and Georgia Riggs and Peg Barrows and the Tony Conyers crowd.”
“She won’t miss anything special, even if they do try to snub her,” answered Anne laughingly. “This is my second year at Hope, and I want to tell you right now that Ginny rules in the Douglas dorm. If you can get her on Jeannette’s side, the other girls will follow right along like sheep.”
“Do you suppose,” Kit leaned forward impressively, as she sprang her plan, “do you suppose Ginny would lend her room for a Founders’ Tea?”
“A Founders’ Tea,” repeated Anne. “What’s that?”
Kit spoke slowly and with great expression, “A tea in honor of Malcolm Douglas, pioneer founder of Hope College, and grandfather of Jeannette Flambeau.”
Anne’s blue eyes widened in amazement, and she gasped, “How did you find out? Does Jeannette know?”
“Of course she knows. She told me all about it herself, but I don’t think she realizes what a nice handy little club of defense it gives her against the girls. I want to spring it on them at the tea, and you’ve got to help me get it up. We’ll coax Ginny into lending us her room first, and I’ll look up all about Malcolm Douglas, and write something clever about the historic founding of Hope. Then we’ll send out mysterious little invitations, and just say on them, ‘To meet a Founder’s granddaughter.’”
“When?” asked Anne reflectively. “You ought to do it soon, so if it works they’ll take her into the different clubs right away. I think you ought to try to see Virginia today after classes and get her advice. Another thing, Kit, do you suppose Jeannette would have any things of her grandfather’s we could kind of spring on them unexpectedly?”
Kit’s eyes kindled with appreciation. “That’s a worthy thought. Sort of corroborative evidence, as it were. Anne, you’re a genius.” She jumped up from the couch and started to leave. “I think it’s up to me to go and prepare Virginia. You make out a list of things that we’ll want for the tea. You’d better be the refreshment chairman, and we’ll try and make it a week from next Saturday.”