CHAPTER XXXI.
UNCLE PETER'S CONSIDERING CAP.
Certainly prize-day was to lose no outward manifestation of its greatimportance. A telegram had arrived from Mrs. Richmond announcing hersafe arrival at the Cape. But when she would be back again was quiteuncertain.
The girls, however, determined to have a right good time in herabsence; and in this they were aided and abetted by the Captain, who,for all his moral qualities, enjoyed a lark with the best.
So far as the special prizes went, they were to be bestowed upon thesuccessful candidates in private. "For our battalion is more or less asecret one," said the Captain. "We fight, you know, against_invisible_ foes, against the powers of the air, so to speak, andwe don't want _visible_ people--acquaintances, and so on--tobehold us either in our defeat or victory. I propose that the prizesshould wind up the day, when all the guests have gone, and the danceis over, and the fun is at an end. Then will come the crowning event,after which all must necessarily be bathos."
The girls willingly agreed, and preparations were set on foot for thefestival. Captain Richmond decided that the early part of the dayshould be given up to the poor people of the neighbourhood. Thereshould be a dinner on the lawn, followed by games and tea. Severalprizes for feats of skill were to be offered, and the usual amusementsprovided.
Captain Richmond, who came down to Fairleigh almost every year,belonged to a workmen's club and a boys' cricket club, and wasconsequently well known by most of the people in the place.Invitations were sent out to quite a hundred poor people, and verybusy were the Fairleigh servants preparing for the work which laybefore them. For visitors were also to arrive in the afternoon--theseveral young folks whom the Richmonds happened to know. They were tohelp to entertain the poor people, who were expected to take theirdeparture at six o'clock. Then would follow a dance in the greatdrawing-room, ending by supper. Supper would usher in the departure ofthe guests, and after that the successful winner of the Royal Crosswould be decorated with her great honour. This was the plan, and greatdelight did it cause among the young people.
Augusta was now as gay as the others. She had forgotten all possibledanger, and except that she avoided speaking of the Asprays, turning alittle white when the subject of Connie's terrible illness wasbroached, she certainly looked as if nothing ailed her. She was quitein her element making preparations for the great prize-day, and proveda most useful, clever, and efficient mistress of the ceremonies; for,being the eldest girl, Captain Richmond was forced to put her intothis position. Neither Kitty nor Nora wished for it; and as to Nancy,she was of course quite out of the running.
"We must have new dresses for the dance," said Augusta. "We ought tosend to town for them."
"As to that," replied Captain Richmond, "you must please yourselves,girls. I never did know anything about dress; but it seems to me thatall girls look much alike--that is, as far as their dress isconcerned. Oh yes, put on something white and feathery-looking; thatis the correct thing, is it not?"
"Uncle Pete, you are quite too killing!" said Gussie; and she laughedwith great enjoyment. That afternoon she sent a long letter to hermother's dressmaker in town, the result of which was that aninteresting and mysterious-looking box arrived for her on the daybefore the dance. It was taken straight up to her room, and sheinvited the three other girls and Miss Roy to come and witness theunpacking.
"I just do _adore_ finery," said Gussie. "I don't pretend for amoment that I am made any other way. I revel in pretty things. No onecould ever give me too much dress or too many fine feathers. Nowthen"----
The cord of the box was removed, the lid was lifted, and between foldsof tissue-paper a beautiful white silk, soft as quantities of delicatelace and chiffon could make it, was unfolded.
"Isn't it just too sweet?" said Gussie. "Fancy me in it. I wish I werequite grown-up so that I might have a train. Well, I shall be grownupin two years' time. Two years don't take _very_ long to run--dothey, Miss Roy?"
"Not when you get as old as I am," said Miss Roy; "but at your agethey go somewhat slowly. Yes, it is a pretty frock, but, in myopinion, a little too dressy for the occasion.--My dear Nora and Kittyand Nancy, you will look very countrified beside Augusta."
"Oh, we don't mind," said Nora, with a laugh.
"In fact," said Kitty, "we would rather wear plain washing frocks,which can just be put into the tub and come out as fresh as ever."
"Sour grapes," said Augusta. "Now, Nancy here would like a dress ofthis sort.--Wouldn't you, Nancy?"
"Yes--very much," replied Nancy.
Miss Roy gave her a critical and somewhat surprised glance.
"I didn't know that you cared about fine clothes, Nancy," she said.
"Not always; but I should have liked a dress like Augusta's forto-morrow. All the same," she added, "I am not going to be unhappyabout it."
"Put your dress back, dear," said Miss Roy. "I am glad you arepleased. And now let us go downstairs. You know, my dears, the newsabout poor Connie Aspray is very serious indeed. She was so ill lastnight that she was not expected to live. If anything were to happen toher, our party to-morrow could scarcely take place. However, we musthope for the best.--Augusta, you are looking very white and tired; youwon't be good for anything unless you go to bed soon. Now come down;Uncle Peter is waiting for his supper."
After supper that night Kitty ran up to Nora and began to whisper toher. Nora looked excited, and nodded her head once or twice. The endof the little girls' confab was a sudden rushing of two eager pairs offeet all over the grounds looking for Uncle Peter. Eventually theCaptain was discovered, smoking by himself in an arbour at one end ofthe grounds.
"We knew you by the glow-worm in your mouth," said Nora, with a pealof laughter. "And now we want you to do something for us--oh, so very,very badly!"
"Well, come, young monkeys," said the Captain, making room for aniece to sit on each side of him. "Now then, what is the news? Oh, howyour eager, silly little hearts beat! What is up, young-uns?"
"It is about Nan," said Nora. "You know, Uncle Pete, that there neverwas a little girl less vain than Nancy."
"My dear child, I am quite willing to believe you; but why shouldNancy be vain?"
"Oh, you know she is sweetly pretty."
"She is," said the Captain; "she has quite a charming face."
"And we want her to look the very prettiest girl in the room to-morrownight. Augusta has such a grand frock, sent all the way from London--aflounced and billowed and chiffoned dress, Uncle Pete--and she is soconceited about it; and to-night, when we were looking at it, Nancysaid she would like a frock like that. Poor darling! we were rathersurprised--though, after all, it did seem quite natural. And, UnclePete, we want her to have one; and, Uncle Pete, _can_ you manageit?"
"Good gracious, my dear child! I know nothing about clothes."
"Oh, couldn't you go to town and see what the very grandest shophas--ready-made, you know? Surely there must be something that Nancould wear."
"But to-morrow is the day of the festival. Even if I started now toLondon I could not be back in time."
"But couldn't you go to Exeter? You could get to Exeter in an hour anda half."
"And find all the shops shut, Nora."
"Couldn't you take the very earliest train tomorrow morning and getback in time?"
"I could, of course, only what state should I find this place inhere?"
"Oh! we will see to that. We will do every single thing in yourabsence."
"What devoted little friends Nan has!"
"Of course we are devoted to our darling; who would not be?" saidNora.
"It would be so lovely to see Gussie coming in all bows and smiles andcurtsies, and with that sort of affected way she has, and then Nancydancing in in her pretty dress, looking more beautiful than Gussiecould ever look!" said Kitty.
"Really, Kitty, you can be quite eloquent when you please," said theCaptain. "Well, leave the matter to me."
"You will do it, Uncle Peter; and you will manage
the money part?"
"Oh yes, child; I will manage the money part."
"Well then, good-night, _dear_ Uncle Peter; we must be going tobed."
They tripped off through the darkness; and the Captain put on hisconsidering cap with a vengeance.