Page:Alice Stuyvesant - The Vanity Box.djvu/71

 enjoyed the luxury of being late for everything. Maud, an American, and a native of New Orleans, was always behind hand on principle. People who knew her invited Mrs. Ricardo to come to their houses at least twenty minutes before they wanted her, by which means she often arrived not more than half an hour late. Such habits did not make for punctuality in kitchen and servants' hall. As the cook was well aware that eight o'clock meant half-past at White Fields, she arranged matters accordingly, to suit herself; and though Terry—only just arrived—had not found it out yet, Mrs. Ricardo's guests, if prompt in assembling for meals, were quite accustomed to converse among themselves in the drawing-room for long before their hostess appeared.

For a great wonder, however, Maud had dashed down to-night at five minutes to eight, and had sent to ask if Terry were ready. She pretended to think that dinner would be announced soon, but as a matter of fact, the two ladies were likely to have half an hour together before being summoned to the dining-room, as the cook had not counted on this promptness.

"You might as well sit down, Terry," Maud said, when Miss Ricardo came in and trailed her white India muslin to an open window "It may be three or four minutes yet before dinner; and you must be tired."

"I'm not tired," Terry smiled. "Besides, if I had