Christian Science -- Fiction; People with disabilities -- Fiction
"All Lees aboard." That meant that Sherman and Addie had decided to
come, after all. She wondered if they had brought the children. All
Lees. That _must_ mean the children, because she had invited them. All
Lees,--that meant also the Fanshaw Lees, of Charleston, whom he had
promised to pick up on the way. But who could the other be? Carolina
almost shook the scrap of yellow paper to make it divulge the secret.
How uncommunicative telegrams can be!
There was plenty of room at Guildford,--that was fortunate. And every
room was in order. She would give him (?) her (?) the violet room and
bath in the south wing. But if she only knew!
Rosemary and her husband were comfortably ensconced in the cottage, and
had asked to have Mrs. Goddard under their own roof. Colonel Yancey and
his children would, of course, be the guests of Mrs. Pringle at
Whitehall, but Carolina expected as her very own, Mr. and Mrs. Howard,
Kate, Noel, and Sir Hubert Wemyss, Judge Fanshaw Lee and his wife and
children, from Charleston, Cousin De Courcey Lee, Aunt Evelyn Lee, Aunt
Isabel and Uncle Gordon Fitzhugh, with the children, Eppie, Marie,
Teddy, and Bob.
Every neighbour within a radius of twenty miles was anxious to help
Carolina entertain her guests. Moultrie had arranged a hunt, Aunt Angie
was to give an oyster roast on the shore, Colonel Yancey had declared
for an old-fashioned barbecue, whereat all the negroes promptly lost
their minds. Mrs. Gordon Fitzhugh, after consulting Carolina’s plans,
advised a fishing-party and picnic, rather an oddity in November, with
everything to be cooked on the ground, including a ’possum with sweet
potatoes. Carolina greeted each of these proposals with tears in her
eyes. Never before had she been so loved! Hitherto, she had been
surrounded by courtiers, flattered and admired, always, however, with a
generous appreciation of favours to come.
But here, she was with her own, and her own had received her with open
arms and taken her into their inmost hearts.
As Carolina walked in her garden, after her morning canter on Araby, she
wondered if any one on earth was so fortunate as she.
A messenger came up the broad avenue, and Carolina went to meet him. It
was with a note from Mrs. Barnwell, saying that she was sending the
carryall to the station at Enterprise, for fear Carolina, at the last
moment, might not have room for all her guests.
The Barnwells’ carryall! Carolina gave a laugh that was half a sob, to
think of the part that ancient vehicle had played in her life during the
last year. The neighbours had not seen the glistening carriages and
automobiles which stood as impatiently as inanimate things so beautiful
and alert can be,--inanimate things which know that they can go. She
turned to the messenger.
"Give my love to Mrs. Barnwell, Sam, and say that I will ride home in
the carryall myself, and that I thank her for her kindness. Can you
remember that, or shall I write a note?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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