an Dyke beard.

Robin had a rebellious impulse to snatch the fluttering lists from his
long fingers and tear the "best people of the county" into tiny bits but
she remembered what Beryl had said about a Forsyth having to do many
things, smothered a sigh, and said meekly: "I don't know much about
parties."

"My dear young lady, experience will teach you. They are important--yes,
for one of your station--important as your books. I will see
Budge--about the date--yes."

"Old grandmother!" cried Beryl, as Mr. Tubbs went off in search of the
housekeeper. "An at-home!" She mimicked his precise tones. "Of all the
tiresome things. He'll invite a lot of doddering old women who'll come
and look you over _this_ way!" Beryl lifted an imaginary lorgnette to
her eyes. "Why didn't you say you'd like a regular party and just have
young people--there's a boys' school only ten miles from here and it
would have been such fun. Of course I couldn't have come down but I
could watch you--"

"Beryl Lynch, you _are_ coming down or I won't stir one foot. You shall
pick out one of my dresses and we'll make it longer or something. And I
think a party with boys I don't know would be lots more terrible than
an at-home. All I hope is that he makes the date soon so that it will be
over with."

Percival Tubbs, inwardly much annoyed at having the peaceful routine of
his days at the Manor thus disturbed, was as anxious as Robin to have
the party over with. After due deliberation with Mrs. Budge he fixed the
date for a day two weeks ahead. Mrs. Budge insisted she needed that much
time to make "things look like anything."

Budge and Harkness welcomed the party as a beginning of the "change"
they had prayed might come to Gray Manor.

"It'll be some'at like old times," Harkness had declared.

"That chit won't look like much," (poor Budge had not yet forgiven Robin
for being a girl) "but it'll make talk if she ain't shown. Talk enough
for Madame going away like she did. I've half a mind to get out the gold
plate. That old Mis' Crosswaithe from Sharon'll be over here the first
of any, peeking around and she ain't going to see how things are going
to sixes and sevens. No one else ain't either or my name ain't Hannah
Budge. It ain't." And Budge squared her shoulders as a challenge to an
inquisitive world.

Harkness, while he anxiously watched the weather, grew loquacious over
the old times. "This house has known great parties, missy," he told
Robin.