Part 16 (2/2)
This suggestion was so daring and brilliant that it carried Nora away on a storm of enthusiasm immediately. Nan clapped her hands and screamed with glee; and even the more sober Hester and Molly could find no objections to raise. The ball-room was certainly at the Towers; it contained a gallery where the musicians could be, and where, if necessary, Nora might rest; it contained what seemed to the children like unlimited s.p.a.ce, and if to unlimited s.p.a.ce unlimited money could be added, what brilliant results must be produced!
”If I consent to this,” said Hester--”and I think my consent is essential--it must be on condition that not a single Lorrimer is put to even a s.h.i.+lling's worth of expense. The ball must be Nan's ball; the Lorrimers will most kindly give her a room to hold it in, all the rest will be our affair. Do you clearly understand, Molly? Do you, Nora?”
”Oh, I understand fast enough,” said Nora quickly.
”Yes, I understand,” replied Molly in a graver tone.
”Do you agree?”
”Yes,” answered Molly.
”Well, your consent being obtained,” continued Hester, ”I will go with you to the Towers this morning, Molly, and look at the ball-room, and see Mrs. Lorrimer on the subject.”
”The worst of it is,” continued Annie, ”that we have such a very short time to prepare--only one week to make all our fancy dresses and to see to all the other arrangements!”
”Fancy dresses!” exclaimed Nora from her sofa. ”What am I to wear?”
”You are to be dressed as Queen of the Fairies. You shall lie on a bed of rose-leaves, and have gossamer, cloudy sort of drapery all around you. Never fear, Nora, you will look lovely--leave it to me.”
Nora's eyes sparkled.
”Annie, you're a darling!” she exclaimed, with enthusiasm.
”And what character am I to be, Annie?” cried Nan, pouting her full lips. ”I'm not jealous, and I don't mind Nora being Queen of the Fairies; but please remember that it's my party, and I am really the queen of the day.”
”So you are, you sweet!” exclaimed Annie. ”Don't think for a moment that I'll forget you; but you must really give me a little time to think the characters over. Suppose I consider everything carefully and jot down a few ideas, and suppose we discuss them to-night; and then to-morrow we can go to Nortonbury to buy the materials for the dresses.”
”But we can't possibly make our own dresses,” exclaimed Hester.
”Oh, yes, we can; they'll be twice as original. If you can get in a couple of good workwomen to help us, the dresses can easily be made at home,” exclaimed Annie, her eyes sparkling.
”Hester!” cried Molly, suddenly springing to her feet, ”if we are to go to the Towers this morning, don't you think we had better start?”
Hester stood up.
”The day is such a delightful one,” she said, ”that I think we will just walk across the fields. I'll run up to my room and fetch my hat and gloves, and bring yours down at the same time, Molly.”
Five minutes later the two girls had set off. It was now holiday time at the Towers, and almost immediately on their arrival they were greeted by a whole bevy of children, who rushed up the avenue in a state of breathless excitement.
”What do you think, Molly?” exclaimed Kitty, stammering almost in her eagerness. ”Oh, you'll never guess, for it is so uncommon and unexpected--father and mother both went to London this morning?”
”Both--to London?” exclaimed Molly, stepping back a pace or two, while a look of surprise, and even consternation, spread itself over her round, fair face.
”Dear me, yes!” exclaimed Nell.
”And they were awfully jolly about it,” exclaimed Boris; ”and mother has promised to bring me a rabbit.”
”And me a dove,” screamed Kitty.
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