“Haven’t an idea what she’s doing,” reported Bob again, “she’s just holding the cup in her hand.”
“Nonsense,” declared Tavia, “she must be doing something. Go right straight back and stand around until you find out. I can’t pull these furs and wraps about much longer, they’re too heavy!”
When Bob returned again he whispered to Tavia, and Tavia’s straight eyebrows flew up toward her hair with a decidedly “Ah! I told you!” expression.
She rushed to Aunt Winnie and informed her.
“You know,” explained Aunt Winnie, “the cup is the one Miss Mingle’s sister painted and sent to Dorothy the other day. It was such an odd, exquisite pattern I valued it above all my antiques and my pottery!”
“Well, that’s just what’s she doing,” declared Tavia, “she’s copying the pattern or borrowing it.”
“It must indeed be unique when one of our guests is driven to such extremes to get a copy of it,” said Aunt Winnie.
The dancers were becoming weary, even the lights and decorations began to show signs of wishing to go out, and most of the guests had bidden the hostesses adieu when the stout person in royal purple calmly approached Aunt Winnie and Dorothy, holding a cup in her hand:
“You’ll pardon the impudence of my maid, I know, she has a mania for peculiar patterns on china, and she copied one on this cup. You don’t mind at all?” she asked sweetly.
“It was painted for my niece by a very feeble lady,” explained Mrs. White. “We value it highly.”