“And I’ll see that she is,” said Evelyn; and the two ran off together.
Lora Howard, the Dinsmore girls, and Rosie Travilla had already repaired to the rooms appropriated to their joint use, and the moment Lulu appeared, they all crowded round her with warm greetings, queries as to what she thought of their tableaux, and expressions of delight at the prospect of spending the greater part of the coming week at Woodburn.
“I was quite vexed with the captain for not allowing you to accept our invitation; but I’ll have to forgive him now,” Maud remarked, with a gay laugh. “I suppose he had some good and sufficient reason, and is trying to make up the loss to us now. Perhaps the right thing for us would be to retaliate by declining in our turn, but I must own I can’t work myself up to such a pitch of self-denial.”
“And I’m very sure I can’t,” said her sister.
“Lu,” said Rosie, a little shame-facedly, “I think it is very nice in you to invite me after all my teasing.”
“I’m ashamed of having been so easily teased,” responded Lulu, with a blush, “but don’t mean to be in future, if I can help it; and I hope we shall be good friends. I am sure papa and Mamma Vi wish that we would.”
“So nearly related—aunt and niece—you certainly ought to be the best of friends,” laughed Lora Howard.
“We’re going to have tableaux, and act charades, and play various kinds of games; papa is sure to see that we have a very good time; the best it is possible for him to contrive for us,” said Lulu, quietly ignoring Lora’s remark.
“My anticipations are raised to the highest pitch,” said Sydney.
Evelyn had just completed her toilet. “Time’s up, Lu,” she said, looking at her watch, “we must go back to your father.”