“I don’t care where it is,” said Daisy; “I don’t care about anything but seeing Papa. I suppose he didn’t tell us he was coming so soon because he wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Of course that was the reason,” agreed Dulcie, confidently. “It would have been a surprise, too, if we hadn’t happened to take in the telegram. I don’t believe Grandma would have told us anything, but then we wouldn’t have had the pleasure of anticipating. I think to anticipate something pleasant is one of the nicest things, if you don’t have to wait too long.”
“The telegram was from Chicago,” said Daisy. “Grandma says Papa may get here to-morrow.”
“I’m hungry,” announced Maud, somewhat irrelevantly. “I was so excited about Papa’s coming home I couldn’t eat any dinner. I don’t see how I can possibly wait till tea-time.”
“I think we are all a little hungry,” said Dulcie. “I know I was too excited to eat much dinner. Grandma doesn’t like to have us eat between meals, but I don’t believe she’d mind our having a little bread and butter to-day.”
“Go and ask Bridget for some,” urged Molly. “She generally gives you what you ask for, and she’s called you Miss Dulcie since you were twelve.”
“Ask her to put some brown sugar on it,” charged Maud, as Dulcie rose, and walked away in the direction of the house.
As she approached the back premises, Dulcie noticed that a horse and buggy were standing outside the kitchen door. The buggy was empty, and the horse was fastened to the hitching-post. It was also evident from the sound of voices in the kitchen that Bridget was entertaining visitors. Dulcie paused a moment before going in, and as she did so, some words fell upon her ears, which set her heart beating so fast that she could scarcely breathe.
“It was the madam herself told me,” Bridget was saying. “She read out the message, and then she says, ‘the children don’t know a thing about it,’ she says, ‘and he wants it kept from them till he can tell them himself.’”
“It’s just too awful, that’s what it is!” cried another voice. “I never thought he’d do it, him such a nice, kind gentleman, and so fond of the first one, too. Oh, the poor lambs; the poor lambs!”