“Yes, there is a very respectable gathering. There are a great many from neighbouring towns,” said Elizabeth; “I am very glad we have so fine a day.”
“We can make room for you, Miss Holt,” said Miss Langden.
“Yes, Lizzie, come; we will drive round again. You can have a far better idea of the numbers when you see the whole field.”
But Elizabeth declined. Indeed, she ventured to express a doubt whether it were the right thing to do. But Clifton only laughed, and asked her who she supposed would be likely to object.
“All the same; I would rather not do what others are not permitted to do,” said Elizabeth gravely.
“All right, Lizzie,” said her brother.
The young lady at his side made no movement.
“Shall we take another turn round the field?” said Clifton. “Oh, yes, Lizzie, we shall be back before the speech-making begins. We would not lose a word of that for a great deal,” said Clifton, laughing.
Elizabeth stood looking after them, with a feeling of some discomfort. It was very foolish for Clifton to make himself so conspicuous, she thought, and then she turned at somebody’s suggestion to go and look at the tables before they were disturbed. Here she fell in with Katie again, and with her cousin Betsey, and they all went together round the tables.
They were twelve in number, and were capable of seating not quite five hundred, but a great many people, and they were loaded with good things of all sorts. The speakers’ table was splendid with flowers and glass and silver. The good and beautiful from all baskets, or a part of whatever was best and most beautiful, had been reserved for it, and Katie hoped that the stranger young lady had got a good view of it. The other tables were leaded also. There did not seem to be a full supply of plates and knives and things on some of them, but that would doubtless be considered a secondary matter as long as the good things lasted; and there seemed little chance of their failing.