“Oh, do forgive him, Miss Parrott,” begged Polly in distress, “he didn’t mean to be rude.”
For answer Miss Parrott only said, “Will you ask your mother to come out here?” But she smiled, so Polly knew that things weren’t so very bad, and she ran up the path, greatly relieved.
And presently Mrs. Pepper came out, with Polly, and to the great astonishment, said, “Yes, the children could go,” and “Run in, and put a clean blouse on, Davie.”
“The boy looks well enough,” said Miss Parrott decidedly. “I’m sure you keep your children always clean, Mrs. Pepper,—everybody says so.”
But Mrs. Pepper only smiled, and Polly ran into the house to get Davie ready. For when Mamsie said a thing, she always meant it, and pretty soon out they came, Davie quite fresh in another calico blouse and not entirely at rest in his mind as to the visit at the Parrott estate.
When they drove up with a flourish before the big front door with carved stone lions on either side, Davie held Polly’s hand closely, and surveyed everything with wide blue eyes.
The butler, a dignitary resplendent enough in the children’s eyes to be the owner of many estates, came down the wide hall. Miss Parrott gave him instructions concerning her guests, whom he viewed with cold unconcern.
“Now, then, children,” she said, “I’m going to take you into the garden and leave you there. You will be called when luncheon is served,” and turning off from the big hall to a narrow passage, they came to a green lattice door.
Miss Parrott opened this. “Oh!” cried Polly, clasping her hands in delight. And Davie forgot his fright and gave a little squeal.
“It’s so perfectly beautiful!” exclaimed Polly.