tispiece

"Marie pinned it and sewed it" 95

"'How _much_ pleasanter this is than squabbling'" 145

"Often she would spend a morning lying in a hammock
beneath the old trees" 175

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PATTY'S FRIENDS

CHAPTER I

AN AFTERNOON TEA

"I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."

"What a sensible wish!" commented Nan. "But why do you want to double
yourself up in that way?"

"So I could go to two places at once. Here I have two lovely invitations
for this afternoon, and I don't know which I want to accept most. One is
a musicale at Mrs. Hastings', and the other is a picture exhibition at
the New Gallery."

"They sound delightful. Can't you manage to go to both?"

"No, they're too far apart; and they're both at four o'clock, anyway. I
think I'll choose the musicale, for I'll surely get another chance to see
the pictures."

"Yes, of course you will," agreed Nan, a little absently, for she was
reading some newly arrived letters.

The Fairfields were in London, and were comfortably established in the
Savoy Hotel. It was April, and though they intended to travel later in
the summer, their plans were as yet indefinite, and they were enjoying
the many and varied delights of the London season.

To be sure, Nan and Mr. Fairfield were invited to many dinners and
elaborate entertainments which Patty was too young to attend, but her
time was pleasantly filled with afternoon garden parties or teas, while
mornings were often devoted to sight-seeing.

Patty was almost eighteen, and though not allowed quite the untrammelled
freedom she would have had in America, she was not kept so utterly
secluded as English girls of her age. Sometimes she would go all alone to
Westminster Abbey or to the National Gallery, and enjoy hugely a solitary
hour or two. At other times, Nan or her father, or some girl friend,
would go with her.

The Fairfields had begun their stay in London with only a few friends,
but these had introduced others, until now their circle of acquaintances
was large, and the immediate result of this was a sheaf of invitations in
every mail. For, during the season, Londoners are hospitable folk, and
give entertainments morning, noon, and night. At first, the Fairfields