“It’s a wonderful invitation,” said Gretel, “but I don’t know whether I ought to go away just now when you are so busy, and I might be some help in the packing.”
“Let us hear what Molly says, at any rate,” said Mrs. Douaine, as she poured her coffee, and Gretel began to read:
“Dearest Gretel:
“I am in a frightful hurry, as I want to post this letter on the way to church, so please excuse an awful scrawl, but I simply can’t wait another minute, because there isn’t any time to spare.
“Mother wants to know if you can come to us this week Tuesday, and stay until after the Fourth. Kitty is coming, and I am writing to ask Geraldine and her brother. I know she won’t stir in vacation without her twin, and my brother Paul has taken a tremendous fancy to Jerry Barlow. You know they both go to Groton, and although Paul is only twelve, it seems Jerry has been awfully good to him, so Paul is just wild to have Jerry asked for a visit. I am sure we four girls can have lots of fun together, so be sure to come, and send me a telegram, saying you will meet Father at the Grand Central on Tuesday afternoon, in time to take the three o’clock train for New London. I know your family don’t like to have you travel by yourself, and that is why we decided on Tuesday, as Father doesn’t expect to be in town again next week.
“It seems rather soon to ask you to visit me, when school only closed last Thursday, but Mother expects a lot of visitors in July, and in August I expect to go to my Aunt Maud’s at Magnolia. I do hope you won’t mind leaving your family so soon, but it really can’t be helped. If they make a fuss about letting you go, tell them you can be with them all the rest of the summer, and I really must have you now.
“I have seen Ada once since I came here. The Godfreys have a lovely place right out on the Point. I haven’t been inside the house yet, but expect to soon, for Mrs. Godfrey has organized a branch of the Red Cross, and we are to meet at her house two mornings a week. Ada is tremendously excited over the naval station and the submarine base. We see sailors everywhere, and yesterday afternoon a submarine did ‘stunts’ right in front of our place. It was very interesting to watch, but I must say, I shouldn’t have liked to be on board. My Cousin Stephen dined with us last evening, and brought a friend with him—a nice boy from Virginia, who speaks with a fascinating Southern accent.
“Mother is calling me to hurry, so I must close. Be sure not to disappoint me by saying you can’t come on Tuesday, and, with heaps of love, believe me,
“Your sincere friend,
“Molly Chester.”
“I would love to go,” said Gretel, “but I wish Molly had asked me for later in the summer.”
“I think, on the whole, that this may be rather the best time for you to go,” said Mrs. Douaine. “You will be spared that long journey from Washington, and by the time you join us there, we shall be all settled. Percy expects to be going back and forth between New York and Washington all summer, so I am sure we can arrange to have you meet him here at the end of your visit. Do you suppose the Barlows will go?”
As if in answer to Mrs. Douaine’s question, the butler appeared at that moment, to announce that Miss Gretel was wanted on the telephone. Gretel hurried away, returning in a few moments with the joyful news that Jerry and Geraldine were both going to accept Molly’s invitation, and would be ready to join Mr. Chester at the station on Tuesday afternoon.
“Geraldine says she wouldn’t have gone if they hadn’t asked Jerry, too,” Gretel added, laughing. “I wonder if all twins are as devoted as the Barlows?”
“Well, then, it is all settled, I suppose,” said Mrs. Douaine, “so we may as well get that telegram off to Molly as soon as possible. I am glad you are going to have a couple of weeks of sea air before settling down to the Washington heat.”
The day that followed was a very busy one. Mrs. Douaine good-naturedly put aside all her own many engagements, and devoted herself and her time to Gretel’s affairs. There was a delightful shopping expedition in the morning, which resulted in the purchase of various additions to Gretel’s wardrobe, including a pretty sport suit, and a jaunty sailor hat.
“It seems as if I had about everything in the world that a girl could possibly want,” said Gretel, gratefully, as they left the milliner’s shop. “Do you really think you ought to spend any more money on me just now, when so many people are suffering?”