“Nan Babington’s hurt her ankle, but she swears she’s coming.” Harriett sniffed and sank down on the white sheepskin, drawing her knees up to her chin. “You shouldn’t say ‘swears.’” “Well, you bet. She simply loves our dances.” “Did she say she did?” “She sat on the pavilion seat with Bevan Seymour all the afternoon and I was with them when Ted was playing with the duffer. She told Bevan that she didn’t know anywhere else where the kids arranged the dances, and everything was so jolly. It’s _screaming_, my dear, she said.” “It’s horrid the way she calls him ‘my dear.’ Your ring is simply dazzling like that, Harry. D’you see? It’s the sun.” “Of course it’ll mean she’ll sit out in a deck chair in the garden with Bevan all the time.” “How disgusting.” “It’s her turn for the pavilion tea on Saturday. She’s coming in her white muslin and then coming straight on here with two sticks and wants us to keep her some flowers. Let’s go and have tea. It’ll be nearly dinner time.” “Has Mary made a cake?” “I dunno. Tea was to be in the breakfast-room when you came back.” “Why not in the conservatory?” “Because, you silly old crow, I’m beranging it for Saturday.” “Shall we have the piano in there?” “Well, don’t you think so?” “Twenty-six of us. Perhaps it’ll be more blissful.” “If we have the breakfast-room piano in the hall it’ll bung up the hall.” “Yes, but the Erard bass is so perfect for waltzes.” “And the be-rilliant Collard treble is so all right in the vatoire.” “I thought it was Eve and I talked about the Collard treble.” “Well, I was there.” “Anyhow we’ll have the grand in the conservatory. Oh, Bacchus! Ta-ra-ra-boom-deay.” “_Tea_,” said a rounded voice near the keyhole. “Eve!” shouted Miriam. The door opened slightly. “I know,” said the voice. “Come _in_, Eve,” commanded Miriam, trying to swing the door wide. “I know,” said the voice quivering with the effort of holding the door. “I know all about the new Misses Perne and the new man--Max Sonnenheim--Max.” “This way out,” called Harriett from the conservatory. “Eve,” pleaded Miriam, tugging at the door, “let me get at you. Don’t be an idiot.” A gurgle of amusement made her loosen her hold. “I’m not trying, you beast. Take your iron wrists away.” A small white hand waggled fingers through the aperture. Miriam seized and covered it. “Come in for a minute,” she begged. “I want to see you. What have you got on?” “_Tea._” The hand twisted itself free and Eve fled through the hall. Miriam flung after her with a yell and caught at her slender body. “I’ve a great mind to drag down your old hair.” “Tea,” smiled Eve serenely. “All _right_, I’m coming, damn you, aren’t I?” “Oh, Mimmy!” “Well, damn _me_, then. Somebody in the house must swear. I say, Eve?” “What?” “Nothing, only I _say_.” “Um.” CHAPTER II 1