She picked up a gold seal ring, which, however, had no crest or monogram cut on it,—and a bronze paper cutter.
“They’re lovely,” said Patty, as she looked at them. “Who catches these?”
“That’s just what I don’t know. I bought the ring for Roger and the paper cutter for Kenneth Harper; he’s coming to-night. But I’d like to change them about and give the ring to Ken, and the paper knife to Roger. Would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t,” said Patty, bluntly. “Why do you want to do such a thing?”
“The ring is much the handsomer gift,” said Elise, who had turned a trifle pink.
“Of course it is,” said Patty, “and that’s why you should give it to your brother. It’s too personal a gift to give to a boy friend.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” said Elise, with a little sigh. “But Roger won’t care for it at all, and Kenneth would like it heaps.”
“Because you gave it to him?” asked Patty, quickly.
“Oh, I don’t know. Yes, perhaps so.”
“Nonsense, Elise! You’re too young to give rings to young men.”
“Ken isn’t a young man, he’s only a boy.”
“Well, he’s over twenty-one; and anyway, I know it wouldn’t be right for you to give him a ring. Your mother wouldn’t like it at all.”
“Oh, she wouldn’t care.”
“Well, she ought to, and I think she would. Now, don’t be silly; give the ring to Roger, and if you want something grander than this bronze jig for Ken, get him a book. As handsome a book as you choose; but a book. Or something that’s impersonal. Not a ring or a watch-fob, or anything like that.”
“But he gave you a necklace,—the day we sailed for Paris.”
“Fiddle-de-dee! It was only a locket, with the merest thread of a gold chain; and anyway, I never wore it but once or twice.”
“Well, you oughtn’t to have accepted it, if a personal gift is so reprehensible.”
“Elise, you’re a goose!” said Patty, losing her patience at last. “A gift like that is not in very good taste from a boy to a girl; but from a girl to a boy, it’s very much worse. And, anyway, it was different in my case; for Ken and I are old friends, which you and he are not. And, beside, father knew about it, and he said as a parting keepsake it was all right. But at a Christmas tree, in your own house,—Elise, you’ll make a great mistake if you give Kenneth Harper a seal ring.”
“All right, Patty, you know I always do just as you say, so I’ll give it to Roger.”
Patty knew she had judged rightly in the matter, but she also knew that Elise was greatly disappointed at her decision.
She had already noticed that Elise liked handsome Kenneth, but if she did, that was only an added reason why she should not make him a present of a ring.
“She ought to have had more sense!” Patty said to herself, indignantly. “And I’m sorry if she’s sorry; but I couldn’t let her do such a foolish thing!”
CHAPTER IV
A SPLENDID TREE
The Christmas Eve dinner was set for an early hour, that the younger Farrington children might take part in the festivities.
Beside Elise and Roger, there were two younger girls, Louise and Hester, and Bobby, aged ten.
When Patty went down to the drawing-room, she found these three eager with anticipation of the Christmas frolic about to begin.
Kenneth Harper was there too, but there were no other guests, as this evening was to be a family celebration. Soon the other members of the household appeared, and then dinner was announced, and they all went to the dining-room.
Mr. Farrington offered his arm to Patty, and escorted her out first, as guest of honour. Mrs. Farrington followed with Kenneth, and then the five Farrington children came out less formally.
A burst of applause greeted their first sight of the dinner table. It was indeed a Christmas feast to the eye as well as to the palate.
In the centre of the table was a Christmas tree, decorated with tinsel and gay ornaments, and lighted by tiny electric bulbs.
At each plate also, was a tiny Christmas tree, whose box-shaped standards bore the names of the diners.
“Here’s mine!” cried Bobby, as he slid into his chair. “Oh, what a jolly dinner!”
On the little place trees hung nuts and bonbons which were to be eaten, “at the pleasure of the performer,” as Roger expressed it.
The table was also decked with holly and red ribbons, and the various viands, as they were served, were shaped or decorated in keeping with the occasion.
The Farrington household was conducted on a most elaborate plan, and their dinners were usually very formal and conventional. But to-night was an exception, and, save for the solemn butler and grave footmen, everybody in the room was bubbling over with laughter and merriment.
“I’m not hungry any more,” declared Bobby, after he had done full justice to several courses; “let’s hurry up, and have the tree.”
“Wait, Bobs,” advised Hester; “we haven’t had the ice cream yet.”
“Oh, that’s so,” said Bobby; “can’t we have it now, mother, and skip these flummerydiddles?”
He looked scornfully at the dainty salad that had just been placed before him, but Mrs. Farrington only smiled, not caring to remind him of the laws of table etiquette on a festive occasion.
“Have patience, Bobby, dear,” she said; “the ice cream will come next; and, too, you know the longer the dinner, the later you can sit up.”
“That’s so!” agreed Bobby. “My, but Christmas Eve is fun! Wish I could sit up late every night.”
“But it wouldn’t be Christmas Eve every night,” said Patty, smiling at the chubby-faced boy.
“That’s so! Neither no more it wouldn’t! Well, I wish it was Christmas Eve every night, then!”
“That’s right,” laughed Patty. “Make a good big wish while you’re about it.”
Then the ice cream was served and of course it was in shapes of Christmas trees, and Santa Clauses, and sprigs of holly, and Christmas bells, and Patty’s portion was a lovely spray of mistletoe bough.
“Ho, ho!” laughed Kenneth, seeing it across the table; “another good chance lost! You know the penalty, Patty, if you’re caught under the mistletoe. But of course if you eat mistletoe, the charm fails.”
“I’m willing it should,” said Patty, as she took up her spoon. “I’m not pining for a rustic swain to kiss me ’neath the mistletoe bough.”
Patty looked very roguish and provoking as she said this, and Mr. Farrington said, gallantly:
“Ah, no, perhaps not. But the swains are doing the pining, without doubt.”
Now Roger sat on the other side of Patty, and as his father finished speaking, he said, apparently apropos of nothing:
“Mother, are these your Spode plates, or are they Cauldon ware?”
“They’re Spode, Roger; why do you want to know? Are you suddenly becoming interested in China?”
“Yes,” he replied; “are you sure, mother, these are Spode?”
He lifted the handsome plate in front of him, and gazed intently at the mark on its under side, as he held it just above the level of his eyes.
“Be careful, Roger, you’ll spill your ice cream,” admonished his father.
“No, I won’t, sir,” he said, as he replaced his plate. “But I never saw Spode with this decoration before. Let me look at yours, Patty.”
He took up Patty’s plate of ice cream, and lifting it quite high studied the stamp on that.
Suddenly he moved it, until the dish of mistletoe ice cream was directly over Patty’s head.
“Fairly caught!” he cried; “under the mistletoe!” And before Patty caught the jest, Roger had kissed her pretty pink cheek, and then calmly restored her plate of ice cream to its place in front of her.
“You villain!” she cried, glaring at him, and pretending to be greatly offended, but smiling in spite of herself at his clever ruse.
“Good for you, my boy!” cried Mr. Farrington, clapping his hands. “I wish I had thought of that myself. But it’s a game that won’t work twice.”
“Indeed it won’t!” said Patty, “I’ll take care of that!” and she began to eat her mistletoe ice cream in proof of her words.
“It never can happen again,” said Kenneth, in sad tones, as he watched the “mistletoe” disappear. “But I’ll not give up all hope. It’s still Christmas Eve, and there are other mistletoes and other manners.”