'Very well, my dear,' said Lady Merrifield, 'you shall have the letter
when it comes.'

'The men are come, my lady, to put up the tables. Miss Mohun says will
you come down?' came the information at that moment, sweeping away Aunt
Lilias and everybody else into the whirl of preparation; while Dolores
remained, feeling absolutely certain that a letter was being withheld
from her, and she stood on the garden steps burning with hot
indignation, when Mysie, armed with the key of the linen-press, flashed
past her breathlessly, exclaiming--

'Aren't you coming down, Dolly? 'Tis such fun! I'm come for some
table-cloths.'

This didn't stir Dolores, but presently Mysie returned again, followed
by Mrs. Halfpenny, grumbling that 'A' the bonnie napery that she had
packed and carried sae mony miles by sea and land should be waured on a
wheen silly feckless taupies that 'tis the leddies' wull to cocker up
till not a lass of 'em will do a stroke of wark, nor gie a ceevil
answer to her elders.'

Mysie, with a bundle of damask cloths under her arm, paused to repeat,
'Are you not coming Dolly? Your dear Miss Constance is there looking
for you?'

This did move Dolores, and she followed to the coach-house, where
everybody was buzzing about like bees, the tables and forms being
arranged, and upon them dishes with piles of fruit and cakes,
contributions from other associates. All the vases, great and small,
were brought out, and raids were made on the flower garden to fill