"Hello, George!" Susan had heard her say gaily. "This is Emily Saunders. George, I rang up because--you know the Browning is Friday night, and Ella's giving me a little dinner at the Palace before it- -and I wondered--we're just getting it up hurriedly--" An interval of silence on Emily's part would follow, then she would resume, eagerly, "Oh, certainly! I'm sorry, but of course I understand. Yes, indeed; I'll see you Friday night--" and the conversation would be ended.
And, after a moment of silence, she would call another number, and go through the little conversation again. Susan, filled with apprehensions regarding her own partners, could not blame Emily for the heart attack, and felt a little vague relief on her own account. Better sure at home than sorry in the dreadful brilliance of a Browning ball!
"I'm afraid this means no dance!" murmured Emily, apologetically.
"As if I cared, Emmy Lou!" Susan reassured her cheerfully.
"Well, I don't think you would have had a good time, Sue!" Emily said, and the topic of the dance was presumably exhausted.
But when Ella got home, the next morning, she reopened the question with some heat. Emily could do exactly as Emily pleased, declared Ella, but Susan Brown should and would come to the last Browning.
"Oh, please, Duchess--!" Susan besought her.
"Very well, Sue, if you don't, I'll make that kid so sorry she ever- -"
"Oh, please!--And beside--" said Susan, "I haven't anything to wear! So that DOES settle it!" '
"What were you going to wear?" demanded Ella, scowling.
"Em said she'd lend me her white lace."
"Well, that's all right! Gerda'll fix it for you--"
"But Emily sent it back to Madame Leonard yesterday afternoon. She wanted the sash changed," Susan hastily explained.
"Well, she's got other gowns," Ella said, with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "What about that thing with the Persian embroidery? What about the net one she wore to Isabel's?"
"The net one's really gone to pieces, Duchess. It was a flimsy sort of thing, anyway. And the Persian one she's only had on twice. When we were talking about it Monday she said she'd rather I didn't--"
"Oh, she did? D'ye hear that, Mama?" Ella asked, holding herself in check. "And what about the chiffon?"
"Well, Ella, she telephoned Madame this morning not to hurry with that, because she wasn't going to the dance."