Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/385

Rh Agnes. They want him there for a day or two before he returns to Yale.”

“Yes,” replied Mrs. Barlow, with less surprise than Brenda apparently expected. “Yes, I have just had a letter myself.”

“Well, what I wanted to ask is this; now you won’t say ‘No,’ will you, please? ”

In spite of herself, Mrs. Barlow smiled, “I can tell better, when I have heard your request.”

“Well, it’s the end of everything now; every one is going somewhere, and Philip has to be in Cambridge next  week, and—well, we all want to go to the Fair—the  County Fair.”

“Oh, Brenda, really I do not see—”

“Oh, yes, we have been talking it over, Arthur and I, and we would like to go on our bicycles. I am crazy to try that new one,—Philip will go, too, and Julia and  Amy.”

At this Mrs. Redmond looked up as if to say something, and Mrs. Barlow responded, “Ah, if you have settled it, why do you ask me?”

“Oh, of course we have n’t settled it, mamma. I know that you never care to go to the Fair yourself; but I  thought that perhaps you would let us go by ourselves.”

“No, Brenda, really I cannot,—especially on your bicycles. If any older person were with you, I might be willing. But your father is too busy, and I really do not care to go. There are other things that you might do. You might make an excursion to—”