Excusing herself, she slipped away and
went to cast a last eye over her supper-tables, up and down which
benches were ranged, borrowed from the Sunday School. To her surprise
she found herself followed by Mrs. Devine.
"DO let me 'elp you, my dear, do, now! I feel that stiff and silly
sittin' stuck up there with me 'ands before me. And jes' send that young
feller about 'is business."
So Purdy and his offers of assistance were returned with thanks to the
card-room, and Mrs. Devine pinned up her black silk front. But not till
she had freely vented her astonishment at the profusion of Mary's good
things. "'Ow DO you git 'em to rise so?--No, I never did! Fit for
Buckin'am Palace and Queen Victoria! And all by your little self, too.--
My dear, I must give you a good 'UG!"
Hence, when at twelve o'clock the company began to stream in, they found
Mrs. Devine installed behind the barricade of cups, saucers and glasses;
and she it was who dispensed tea and coffee and ladled out the claret-cup;
thus leaving Mary free to keep an argus eye on her visitors'
plates. At his entry Richard had raised expostulating eyebrows; but his
tongue of course was tied. And Mary made a lifelong friend.
And now for the best part of an hour Mary's sandwiches, sausage-rolls
and meat-pies; her jam-rolls, pastries and lemon-sponges; her jellies,
custards and creams; her blanc and jaunemanges and whipped syllabubs;
her trifles, tipsy-cakes and charlotte-russes formed the theme of talk
and objects of attention.
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