Tommy was the only one brave enough to speak about them. “You’ve forgotten to take off your gloves, Ruthie.”
“Mammy said to keep ’em on.”
“Whafor?”
“I don’t know.”
“Take ’em off,” said Tommy, and Ruthie, as usual, obeyed.
The gloves and elastic bands were laid on the table, and from there they fell to the floor. A kick from Tommy sent them into a corner where Mrs. Harris found them the next morning when she came to tidy up.
The summons to tea broke up the group. Ten very shy little girls and ten boys trying hard to look at ease, walked along the narrow passage to Miss Lavinia’s kitchen. Here table and chairs had been replaced by trestle-boards and forms.
It was a tight squeeze but a place was found for all the guests who, in deep embarrassment, looked at the well-piled plates in front of them.
Miss Lavinia and Mrs. Harris walked round filling tea cups and passing plates.
In the deep silence Miss Lavinia quite dreaded the sound of her own voice. She grew more and more nervous. She had given so much thought to this, her first (and last!) little party. For weeks past she had exercised numerous economies to make the giving of it possible, and now that it was actually happening it was all a failure. The children were not happy and there were still three hours to drag through. Her mouth was so dry that she had to clear her throat and moisten her lips before she could ask Ruby Dark to have more tea; and her words came so jerkily that Ruby was surprised almost to the point of tears.