Susan was bent on being cheerful. “Things are not so bad but they might have been worse,” she had said, almost as soon as she was told of the trouble.
“Mother says he might have been taken sick down town, and if they had known what the disease was they wouldn’t have allowed him to come home. Think of that! But about the roast lamb,” she said. “Do you think you and I could compass it, or shall we compel the errand-boy to stay and divide the work with us?”
Then these two girls did what was perhaps the wisest thing for them to do, under the circumstances. They laughed—a real laugh.
“Why not?” said Susan. “He is not very sick. The doctor said he didn’t think he would be, because he would be well taken care of at the very outset; and he will, you may be sure of that. Mother knows how, and her heart is in it. You may trust her, Ruth, in a time of sickness. And we shall manage nicely. This disconsolate kitchen shall take on new features presently. If I were you I would go right up-stairs and be ready to give Judge Burnham his orders when he comes. He is real good and kind. I like him. He will help us in every way. And when you come down again I will have things in train for a first-class dinner.”
A new anxiety occurred to Ruth.
“Do you know how to prepare food for sick people?” she asked.
“Indeed I do! The most appetizing little dishes that you can imagine. I’ve always thought I had a special talent in that direction. We will waylay the doctor the very next time he comes, and find out what he will allow, and then I’ll cook it; and you must arrange it daintily with silver, and china, and flowers, you know. They will let us have all sorts of nice things up there for a while, and I think that is the real secret of serving an invalid, having everything arranged tastefully and gracefully.”
Ruth turned toward her sister with a very tender smile on her face. She realized that there had been an effort to make her feel that she was in a position to do an important service for her father, and the thoughtfulness of the effort touched her.