“Yes, dear; excuse my neglect in not offering you help with your toilet,” Adelaide answered. “How pretty and becoming this peach-blossom dress is! but, like Elsie, you have a complexion which everything suits.”
“Hers is much prettier than mine, though,” was the modest rejoinder.
Adelaide thought as she glanced from one to the other, that it would be difficult to find anywhere two more attractive-looking children.
The impromptu dinner party seemed quite a grand affair to little home-bred Annis; yet, seated between Elsie and Mr. Travilla, who was a general favorite with little girls, she felt but slight embarrassment, and really enjoyed herself very much.
She and Elsie returned with the older people to the drawing-room, and were chatting together beside a front window when a carriage drove up and two very stylishly-dressed young ladies alighted, followed by a little girl and boy.
“Are they the cousins from Roselands?” Annis asked.
“Yes,” Elsie said. “Oh, I hope they won’t want to take you away from me! I heard grandpa say to Cousin Milly that of course you must all spend part of your time at Roselands.”
“I don’t want to,” whispered Annis, as the drawing-room door was thrown open and the new arrivals were announced.
The greetings and introductions over, Lora seated herself near her younger cousin and niece and opened a conversation, questioning Annis about her journey and the family at home, and expressing the hope of soon seeing her at Roselands.
Then Walter and Enna came up, looking eager and excited, and asking both together to be shown the new phaeton and ponies.