Chapter LIV: The Invitation

When Nina went back to the hotel where she was staying after her successful mission of love and generosity she found her husband entertaining some callers who were anxiously awaiting her appearance.

They were her devoted friends, Virgie Mason and Helen Starr, attended by their respective cavaliers Duke Cameron and Sydney Mason.

They had thought that Talbot Strangemore’s slighted bride was lovely when they met her first at Selwyn Heights, but they thought her doubly beautiful now with love and happiness brightening her face into peerless beauty. Talbot Strangemore too, looked like a changed man, so bright and handsome was the face that they had been wont to see sad and weary and hopeless looking, in the days when he had been so mad and foolish as to rebel against the fate that had given him this charming bride. It was quite evident that he idolized Nina now, and that she with the angelic forgiveness of woman had pardoned him for the masculine folly that had so nearly ruined their lives.

“Are you going to the Governor’s reception to-night, Nina?” asked Virgie. “But then of course you will be there as it is given in your honor.”

“Yes, we are going,” said Talbot. “We did not care to attend, in fact we were leaving town, but Governor Steele made such a point of it that we could not well refuse especially as his motive was so kind, desiring to atone to Nina for his harshness that he now sees in the light of the most cruel injustice.”

“I am so glad you are going. We are all going, too. I have such a pretty dress to wear--pink brocade and cream lace with moss rose-buds, and our stately Helen will wear blue velvet and diamonds. What shall you wear, Nina?” exclaimed the vivacious Virgie.

“White satin and lace and pearls, like a bride. This is really our honey-moon you know,” said Talbot, answering for his wife.

He did not understand at first why the two girls blushed so rosily at his words, but in a moment Duke Cameron said with an arch laugh:

“Apropos of brides, girls, it is a good time to get in the petition that brought you here this morning.”

Virgie and Helen blushed more rosily than ever. Their attendant cavaliers only laughed mischievously.

Nina looked brightly from one face to the other.

“What is it?” she asked, with her ready woman’s wit. “Are Virgie and Helen going to be married?”

“We are all going to be married,” laughed Sydney Mason. “Helen and I, and Duke and Virgie, and we have come to invite you to our double wedding and to receive your congratulations.”

They were heartily offered amid a good deal of mirth and laughter, then Duke Cameron said, gaily:

“But that is not all yet. As the ice is broken now, my bashful Miss Virgie, perhaps you will tell the rest.”

“We are all going on a wedding tour of several months, in Duke’s yacht.

“A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep,
Where the scattered waters rave,
And the winds their revels keep!”

sang pretty Virgie, gaily.

“And,” said the more dignified Helen, “We want you and Mr. Strangemore to go with us. Will you do so, dear Nina?”

The happy young wife looked wistfully at her husband. He smiled, for he was already beginning to understand the expression of those soft dark eyes.

“We thank you ever so much,” he began.

“Don’t say you will not go,” pouted Virgie.

“I think we must refuse,” he answered. “You see, Nina and I are scarcely acquainted with each other yet, and we have planned to spend our honey-moon quietly at Selwyn Heights, and make each other’s acquaintance at our leisure. Does not this suit you best, Nina?”

“Yes,” she murmured, happily, and to their expressions of regret she added:

“Some other time I will go with you with pleasure, but I think,” shily, “I would rather stay at home now with Talbot. We have never been at home much together since we were married, you know.”

Seeing how tranquilly happy they were alone, their friends forbore to press the claim for their company.