"Then it is to Amarilly I am indebted for this call," he remarked
whimsically.
"It's about the Boarder," she continued, gaining ease at the softening
of his brown eyes. "You know he is to be married to Lily Rose, the girl
we saw at the organ recital where Bud made his debut."
"I inferred as much at the time. When are they to be married?"
"In June. Just as soon as the Annex can be added to the Jenkins's
upright. They are to build on two new rooms or rather the Boarder will
do so and he will furnish them for his new abiding-place. But because
she is 'delicate like' and overworked she is to become a Boarderess
instead of a housekeeper, and they will 'eat' with the Jenkins family,
thus increasing the prosperity of the latter. Amarilly says the Boarder
is 'awful gentle of Lily Rose and wants to take good care of her.'"
The expression that moved the frostiest of his flock came into the still
depths of his eyes and brought the wild rose to Colette's cheeks.
"They are going to make quite an affair of the wedding," she continued,
speaking hurriedly and a little breathlessly. "You and I and Mr.
Phillips are to be guests. There is to be a hack to take the bride and
groom to the train and a trip to Niagara Falls, because Lily Rose has
never been on the cars. They are to have salad and ice-cream and
sandwiches and coffee. Mr. Phillips is to act as florist and I shall
furnish the decorations and the bride's bouquet. I'd love to throw in a
bridal gown and veil, but Lily Rose, it seems, is proud and won't accept
them."
"I can find it quite in my heart to admire the reluctance of Lily Rose
to accept them."
"And so can I," replied Colette, the rare sweetness coming into her
eyes. "Underneath all my jests about this wedding, it is all very sweet
and touching to me--the Boarder's consideration for her, the
preparations for the wedding which appear so elaborate to them. And then
the wedding itself seems to mean so much to them. It's so different from
the weddings in our class which often mean so little."
"Colette, I know--I have always known in spite of your endeavor to have
me believe otherwise--anything really true and genuine appeals to you.
I--"
"But I haven't told you yet," she said, seized with an unaccountable
shyness, "what your part is to be. The Boarder, Lily Rose, and naturally
all the Jenkinses, want you to perform the ceremony. The Boarder, being
shy and retiring, forbore to ask you, and Amarilly for some reason
desired me to ask you if you would officiate, and I assured her you
would gladly do so."