"Of all the
tiresome things. He'll invite a lot of doddering old women who'll come
and look you over _this_ way!" Beryl lifted an imaginary lorgnette to
her eyes. "Why didn't you say you'd like a regular party and just have
young people--there's a boys' school only ten miles from here and it
would have been such fun. Of course I couldn't have come down but I
could watch you--"
"Beryl Lynch, you _are_ coming down or I won't stir one foot. You shall
pick out one of my dresses and we'll make it longer or something. And I
think a party with boys I don't know would be lots more terrible than
an at-home. All I hope is that he makes the date soon so that it will be
over with."
Percival Tubbs, inwardly much annoyed at having the peaceful routine of
his days at the Manor thus disturbed, was as anxious as Robin to have
the party over with. After due deliberation with Mrs. Budge he fixed the
date for a day two weeks ahead. Mrs. Budge insisted she needed that much
time to make "things look like anything."
Budge and Harkness welcomed the party as a beginning of the "change"
they had prayed might come to Gray Manor.
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