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Her soft gray gown and broad lace collar were most becoming, and she looked every inch the gentlewoman that she really was. She had once been Mrs. Dainty's governess, and now, as mistress of a thriving private school, she was independent and happy.
Dainty had asked Aunt Charlotte to come to the house with Nancy, and stay with her until he should return. So when Mrs. Dainty's shopping was finished, and Aunt Charlotte had left the house of her friend, they had met at the station, and had found seats in the first car of the train.
Dainty's nephews, and they had been much disappointed in losing a charming visit in which a fine party was to have been included. Patricia, with her usual lack of sweetness, told Arabella that she did not believe that those three boys had ever thought of coming. "Well, anyway, we were there, and we had a fine time, but say, there weren't two fountains after all!" said Arabella.
It was not much comfort, but it was better than if Reginald had insisted that Bob's knowledge was absolute. As Mrs. Dainty's carriage bowled along the avenue, the trees seemed ablaze with autumn splendor, for the leaves that danced in the sunlight were scarlet and gold, and the sunbeams flickered and shimmered like merry elves.
"Why don't you tell it if it's worth telling?" Arabella asked, coolly. "I guess it's worth telling," said Patricia. "Say, you'll be at Dorothy Dainty's party, won't you?" "Of course I'll be there; my costume is 'most done." "What's it going to be?" "Why, don't you remember we are not to tell any one what we are to wear; not even the color of our dominoes?" Arabella asked in surprise.
And I say this with the greater sincerity; for in my secret conscience, when I think of the affair at this distance of time, I am pricked not a little in reflecting how I had previously crowed and triumphed over poor Mr Hickery, in the matter of his mortification at the time of Miss Peggy Dainty's false step.
In the course of a few days he had engaged ten hands a strong crew for a vessel of the Dainty's size six Englishmen, a New Zealander, a Sandwich Islander, and two blacks, natives of Tanna, an island of the New Hebrides Group.
"That horthe ith thlow ath a old moolly cow! It'th an old thlow-poke! What a thkinny nag! That horthe eath nothin' but newthpaper and thtring!" he yelled. "That Chub is just a horrid-looking child," said Patricia, "an' he's the Jimmy boy's brother, but nobody'd ever think it." "Who's the Jimmy boy?" Arabella asked. "Why, don't you know the boy that we see sometimes at Dorothy Dainty's house?"
And when the bright sunlight streamed in through the windows of the stone house it found every one wide awake and full of excitement, eager to be doing something towards finding Nancy, but in doubt as to what to do first. It was Mrs. Dainty's calmness that stilled their excitement, her cool head that directed their efforts, her firm will which chose to guide, rather than command.
Unnoticed by the children, several new arrivals had entered the room. They were a few of Mrs. Dainty's nearest neighbors who had been invited to come in during the evening and see the merrymaking.
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