share with us the pleasures of a visit to Mount Vernon."
A visit to Mount Vernon! Not that Kate cared—in fact, she was very much relieved—overjoyed! So she assured Joe and Carrie, over and over again. Only it made her laugh! And Mrs. Roberts saying casually while they were having tea, "I was so sorry you didn't feel you could talk to us, Mrs. Green. Maybe some other time." And she had told heaps of people that she was afraid she wasn't going to be able to get out of it, and they all wanted to know what had happened, and thought it was so queer!
Carrie thought it was queer. She thought Mrs. Roberts had acted outrageously.
"Of course, Carrie, you know I was delighted, only, as I said, it makes me laugh."
"Why didn't you tell her you were dying to talk?" said Aunt Sarah, suddenly speaking up, hidden in an armchair with its back to them, making the ladies jump and search their memories, while Carrie cried:
"Mercy! Were you there all the time, Lady Whipple?"
What a way for Aunt Sarah to behave, Kate thought, walking home with a light step. Poor Carrie! Poor Aunt Sarah, too! Infuriating Aunt Sarah, of course, hiding away in her armchair and letting them talk. Thank goodness, Carrie had hardly let Kate get a word in edgewise! But it can't be much fun to be old, with your friends all gone
