Mrs. Gardner was tall and thin and handsome , exquisitely gowned , cordial with a cordiality that seemed a trifle forced . Aline Gardner was a younger edition of her mother , lacking the cordiality . She endeavored to be nice , but succeeded only in being haughty and patronizing . Dorothy Gardner was slim and jolly and rather tomboyish . Anne knew she was Roy 's favorite sister and warmed to her . She would have looked very much like Roy if she had had dreamy dark eyes instead of roguish hazel ones . Thanks to her and Phil , the call really went off very well , except for a slight sense of strain in the atmosphere and two rather untoward incidents . Rusty and Joseph , left to themselves , began a game of chase , and sprang madly into Mrs. Gardner 's silken lap and out of it in their wild career . Mrs. Gardner lifted her lorgnette and gazed after their flying forms as if she had never seen cats before , and Anne , choking back slightly nervous laughter , apologized as best she could . `` You are fond of cats ? '' said Mrs. Gardner , with a slight intonation of tolerant wonder . Anne , despite her affection for Rusty , was not especially fond of cats , but Mrs. Gardner 's tone annoyed her . Inconsequently she remembered that Mrs. John Blythe was so fond of cats that she kept as many as her husband would allow . `` They ARE adorable animals , are n't they ? '' she said wickedly . `` I have never liked cats , '' said Mrs. Gardner remotely . `` I love them , '' said Dorothy . `` They are so nice and selfish . Dogs are TOO good and unselfish . They make me feel uncomfortable .
But XXXXX are gloriously human . ''
Mrs. affection call cats forms husband laughter mother tone wonder