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Chapter 7

Itwasgoingtobeaveryformalaffair,whitetieandtailsforthemen,sweepinggownsforthewomen.

Fee’sdresswasofcrepeinapeculiarlyrichshadeofblue-grey,andsuitedher,fallingtothefloorinsoftfolds,lowofnecklinebuttightlysleevedtothewrists,lavishlybeaded,muchinthestyleofQueenMary.Likethatimperiouslady,shehadherhairdonehighinback-sweepingpuffs,andtheGillystorehadproducedanimitationpearlchokerandearringswhichwouldfoolallbutacloseinspection.Amagnificentostrich-featherfandyedthesamecolorashergowncompletedtheensemble,notsoostentatiousasitappearedatfirstglance;theweatherwasunusuallyhot,andatsevenintheeveningitwasstillwelloverahundreddegrees.

WhenFeeandPaddyemergedfromtheirroom;theboysgaped.Inalltheirlivestheyhadneverseentheirparentssoregallyhandsome,soforeign.Paddylookedhissixty-oneyears,butinsuchadistinguishedwayhemighthavebeenastatesman;whereasFeeseemedsuddenlytenyearsyoungerthanherforty-eight,beautiful,vital,magicallysmiling.JimsandPatsyburstintoshriekingtears,refusingtolookatMumandDaddyuntiltheyrevertedtonormal,andintheflurryofconsternationdignitywasforgotten;MumandDaddybehavedastheyalwaysdid,andsoonthetwinswerebeaminginadmiration.