CHAPTER XXI.
IN KATIE’S HOME.
“Five o’clock, girls,” said Katie, pressing an electric button that she could reach without leaving her seat. “Jennie will bring in the tea; she knows what that bell means at this hour. And, Lily, do stop asking Marion questions. She’s only been in the house half an hour, and I know she’s all worn out with the trip.”
“Worn out! Why, it was splendid! I was sorry it wasn’t longer.”
The girls were sitting in Katie’s own pretty room, where every thing was primrose and gold, and she and Lily were doing their best to make Marion feel at ease in the rather embarrassing ordeal of making her first visit. Mr. Ashley had met her at the station and was cordiality itself. Mrs. Ashley’s greeting was heartfelt too, and the two girls flung themselves upon her in vociferous welcome.
Perhaps they had both felt a little nervous about her; but there was no need. Her close observation of such a good model as Mrs. Abbott and her quick faculty of imitation had so changed her manner and speech that there was really nothing to object to. She had benefited, too, by the cruel ridicule of her thoughtless school-mates, which had been lacerating while it lasted and very hard to bear.
Katie took her up to the pretty room she was to occupy after they had finished their little cups of tea and eaten a thin slice of bread and butter.
“We should have to put you both into the guest-chamber ordinarily,” she said, “but brother Jim and my two unmarried sisters are traveling in Europe with grandfather; so there’s lots of room. See, Lily’s door opens into your room, so you needn’t feel lonesome. I am going to get mamma to send Adèle to dress your hair. She always does mine when I am at home.”
Marion declined the services of the French maid, but Katie laughed and ran down again, and in a few minutes Adèle came in, having been ordered, she said, to help the young lady. Mrs. Abbott had told Marion to do, as far as she could, what her friends expected her to while she was visiting them; so she submitted to having her hair dressed, and received so many compliments from Adèle on its length, quantity, and beautiful curliness that she was quite comforted. When she looked in the glass after the hair-dressing was over she hardly knew herself, and Lily, running in just then, fell into raptures.
“Where have you always hidden all that beautiful hair?” she exclaimed. “Why, you are positively lovely with your red cheeks and that fluff on your forehead. I wonder if Adèle could change me into a beauty. But look here, Marion, you want to wear your best dress, the blue one, you know, to-night, because there’s to be a Christmas-tree, and the married son and daughter are coming, and they’re awfully swell.”