“S’pose you ride on Elf, Lu, and have Maxie go along on Rex,” suggested Grace.
“And let you stay behind? No, indeed! You and Max go, and I’ll amuse myself at home. I had a ride this morning, and don’t need to go again,” Lulu answered.
“I propose that instead, you two little girls shall take a drive in the family carriage with your mamma and me, Max riding alongside on Rex,” their father said, and they accepted his invitation with joyful alacrity, running up at once to their rooms to get ready; for he told them he had already ordered the carriage and it would be at the door in a few minutes.
Lulu came down again a little ahead of Violet and Grace, and found her father waiting on the veranda alone.
Drawing near his side, and speaking in a low tone, “Papa,” she said, “I don’t deserve to go along, and you are very kind to let me.”
“I love to have you with me, dear child,” he answered, “and though I have sent Fairy away for a time, it is not my desire to make the week an unhappy one to you.”
Max’s birthday would occur a few days earlier than Lulu’s, and that evening, when they were all together, his father told him he might celebrate it by having a party, inviting as many of his boy friends as he chose to spend the day, or part of it, at Woodburn.
Max was greatly pleased and began at once to plan amusements for his expected guests, asking advice and assistance from both his father and Violet.
Lulu listened with interest to the talk, glad for Max, and hoping, too, that something would be said about the conditionally promised party for her birthday.
But it was not mentioned, and she concluded that probably papa did not intend to let her have one since she had behaved so ill. She was too sincerely penitent to feel at all rebellious or ill-used, though sadly disappointed; still, as it yet lacked nearly two weeks of the time, she did not entirely give up hope.