`` If you 'll marry me , Alma , I 'll forgive you , '' he said . A little smile escaped from the duress of Alma 's lips and twitched her dimples . `` I 'm willing to do anything that will win your forgiveness , Gilbert , '' she said meekly . Aunt Caroline 's Silk Dress Patty came in from her walk to the post office with cheeks finely reddened by the crisp air . Carry surveyed her with pleasure . Of late Patty 's cheeks had been entirely too pale to please Carry , and Patty had not had a very good appetite . Once or twice she had even complained of a headache . So Carry had sent her to the office for a walk that night , although the post office trip was usually Carry 's own special constitutional , always very welcome to her after a weary day of sewing on other people 's pretty dresses . Carry never sewed on pretty dresses for herself , for the simple reason that she never had any pretty dresses . Carry was twenty-two -- and feeling forty , her last pretty dress had been when she was a girl of twelve , before her father had died . To be sure , there was the silk organdie Aunt Kathleen had sent her , but that was fit only for parties , and Carry never went to any parties . `` Did you get any mail , Patty ? '' she asked unexpectantly . There was never much mail for the Lea girls . `` Yes 'm , '' said Patty briskly . `` Here 's the Weekly Advocate , and a patent medicine almanac with all your dreams expounded , and a letter for Miss Carry M. Lea . It 's postmarked Enfield , and has a suspiciously matrimonial look . I 'm sure it 's an invitation to Chris Fairley 's wedding . Hurry up and see , Caddy . '' Carry , with a little flush of excitement on her face , opened her letter .
Sure enough , it contained an invitation `` to be present at the marriage XXXXX Christine Fairley . ''
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