“I hardly know how to divide up the rest of us,” he said, stroking his chin, thoughtfully, “but I’ll try it this way. Harper, will you take Miss Farrington in this very pretty-looking new runabout?”
It was an awkward situation, though Philip didn’t know it. Elise was delighted with the plan, and beamed all over her face as she took the seat indicated. Kenneth was not at all pleased, and it was really with difficulty that he refrained from showing it. But Patty gave him a pleading look, as if begging him to make the best of the situation, and so, with what was apparently hearty good-will, he took his seat beside Elise, saying, “All right, here goes for a fine ride!”
Kenneth was fond of driving a car, and, not owning one himself, he rarely had the opportunity; so Patty felt sure he would enjoy the trip quite irrespective of who might be beside him. And, as Patty realised, there was no other way to arrange the couples from Mr. Van Reypen’s viewpoint, for she knew from the beginning that he intended to ride with her.
“I declare, I’m a car short!” exclaimed Philip, as Kenneth and Elise drove away. “I should have ordered four cars, and I only engaged three! We’ll have to stay at home! Shall you mind?”
“No,” said Patty, mischievously, “I don’t mind. I’ll read aloud to you, if you like.”
“It seems too bad for me not to go when it’s my own picnic,” said Philip, musingly. “You don’t happen to know of any little motor car we could use, do you?”
“We might take Camilla,” suggested Patty, in a dubious tone.
“Just the thing! Say we do? How clever of you to think of that!” and, as Patty broke into peals of laughter at his foolishness, Philip flew down the steps and around to the garage, returning in a moment with Camilla, which Miller was impatiently holding in readiness.
“I’m going to drive,” Philip announced, calmly.
“All right, I don’t care; but, then, you must let me drive coming home. I declare, with a house party, I almost never get a chance to drive my own car!”
“Never mind! Your horrid old house party will soon be going, and then you can drive all you like.”
“It isn’t a horrid old house party! It’s a lovely, sweet, delicious house party, and I wish it would stay forever!”
“This part of it will, if you give him the slightest encouragement.”