AT RED CHIMNEYS
When Patty entered the dining-room, she found the rest already at
breakfast.
"'Scuse me for being late," she said, as she took her place, "but I was
up late last night."
She smiled gaily at Philip, whose somewhat frowning face relaxed into
an answering smile.
"Never mind that, Patty," said Mona, "listen to what we're planning.
Philip thinks it would be a good idea to buy Red Chimneys for the
Kiddies' Home, and we're going to motor over to Spring Beach today to
look at it."
"Fine! but why go to look at it? We all know exactly what it looks
like----"
"Yes, Patty," said Philip, "but there are several matters to see about.
I know the house, generally speaking, but I want to look it over with
the idea of a Home in mind. Count up the rooms, get measurements and
so forth, to present in my report to the Board of Managers."
"All right, I'd like to go. I think it would be fun. Lunch at the
hotel, I suppose."
"Yes, or take something with us and picnic at the house."
"Oh, that's lots nicer, don't you think so, Elise?"
"Well, you see, Patty, it doesn't matter to me which you do, as I'm not
going. I'm sorry, but I've some engagements today that I must keep,
so, if you don't mind, I'm going to ask to be left at home."
"All right, then it's up to us. What say, Mona? Picnic sandwiches?"
"Yes, and some Thermos stuff,--soup and chocolate. That will give us
more time to look over the house. There are some things I want to see
about, if it's to leave my possession forever."
"Why don't you keep it, Mona? Why wouldn't you and Roger like it for a
summer home?"
"We talked it over, and I'm rather tired of the place. And Roger
prefers going to different places each year. Father told me I could
have the house, and do what I liked with it, sell it or keep it. But
if they want it for this Home arrangement, I think I'll be rather glad
to let it go."
The quartet started off in high spirits at the prospect of a jolly day.
The big limousine was most comfortable and well equipped. An ample
luncheon was stowed away in hampers, and a skilful and careful
chauffeur drove them at a speedy gait. It was a glorious, clear, cold,
sunshiny day, and the open windows gave them plenty of fresh air.
Patty, enveloped in furs, nestled in one corner of the wide back seat,
and Mona was in the other. The two men faced them. Not a word had
passed between Patty and Philip about the night before, and Patty
wondered if he intended to let the matter go by without further
reference.
"You see it's this way," Philip began, addressing Patty; "I haven't
really had an opportunity of telling you about it yet. We don't want
to do anything much in the matter of the Home before Spring. But as
Mona's house is in the market, and as it seems like an ideal place to
have for the children, I thought we'd better look into it, and, if
advisable, buy it and then wait a few months before doing anything
further."
"I think so, too, Phil," Patty agreed. "I counted up the rooms and it
will easily accommodate twenty or twenty-five kiddies, and that's as
many as we can take care of, isn't it?"
"I think so; for the present, anyway. And you know, Patty, all you
have to do is to approve or disapprove of the purchase, and what you
say, goes."
"What an important personage you are, Patty," said Roger. "Your
lightest word is law."
"It won't be a light word," and Patty looked serious. "I shall
consider the matter carefully, and with all the wisdom and forethought
I can find in my brain. This matter was left to me as a trust, and I'm
not taking it lightly, I can tell you. This purchase of a house is a
permanent move, not a trifling, temporary question. And unless the
place is the very right place,--righter than any other place,--why, we
don't want it, that's all."
"Bravo, Patty!" and Philip looked at her, admiringly. "You've got a
lot of good sense and judgment under that fur headpiece of yours."
"Fur headpiece!" cried Patty; "my new chinchilla toque! This is my
dearest possession, if you please."
"It looks dear," observed Roger. "I believe that chinchilla animal is
quite expensive."
"It is indeed," declared Mona, "my travelling suit is trimmed with it."
"Travelling suit?" asked Patty, innocently, "are you going away?"
"She says so," Roger answered for her. "She says she's going to----"
"Hush!" cried Mona, "isn't that just like a man! Why, you mustn't tell
where you're going on your wedding trip! It isn't done."
"No, of course not," chimed in Patty; "but, all the same, after you
reach Palm Beach, let us know, won't you?"
"I will," declared Roger, "but, do you know, it seems as if the time
would never come!"
"Nice boy," said Mona, approvingly; "doesn't he make pretty speeches,
Patty?"
"Lovely. You'll have a beautiful time on your trip. I 'most wish I
was going with you?"
"Come on, Patty," said Philip, "let's make it a double affair. How
about it?"
"No, thank you. I haven't any suit trimmed with chinchilla."
"You've a whole chinchilla coat on now," said Mona. "You could wear
that."
"What! get married in old clothes! No-sir-ee! The best part of a
wedding is the trousseau. That's the only thing that would ever
persuade _me_ to take the fatal step."
"It is fun," agreed Mona. "Oh, Patty, my green velvet came home
yesterday! It's simply wonderful! The tunic, you know----"
"Help! help!" cried Roger. "You girls have got us penned in here where
we can't get away, but if you're going to talk about bias ruffling and
side gores, I shall jump out the window! I warn you."
"You can't stop 'em, old man," said Van Reypen, gravely, "they've got
to go through with that green velvet, now they've begun on it.
Proceed, Mona. The tunic was trimmed with peplum, wasn't it? and the
bodice was cut _en train_----"
"You don't deserve to know," Mona told him, "and as for Roger, he'll
see enough of that green velvet, poor man! It's so beautiful, I expect
to wear it on every possible occasion."
"All right, dear," said Roger, rolling his eyes in mock devotion.
"Whatever you say, goes, my queen, my--y que--ee--n!"
"Even if I wear a rig like Alla Blaney wore last night?" asked Mona,
laughing.
"Well, I must draw the line somewhere, and I should say that was the
very place! If you elect to appear in a scarecrow costume of that
type, I shall send you back to your father."
"No danger," and Mona shook her head. "Why do people want to make
themselves such frights?"
"Their dress interprets their souls," said Van Reypen, sarcastically,
"and their souls are frights."
"Nothing of the sort, Phil," flared out Patty; "I'd like you to
remember those people are my friends."
"Well, my dear, if you choose to have friends with souls like frights,
it is, of course, your privilege; but you must allow me to express my
opinion of them."
"And so you may,--but not to me."
"Very well; consider I was talking to Mona,--which I really was."
"Then continue to talk to her, for I don't want to talk to you."
"All right, pretty Patty,--pretty little sunny-faced Patty,--all right."
Philip's voice was teasing and his smile was irritating, and Patty was
angry at him anyway, yet she couldn't help laughing at his speech, for
she looked as cross as a thunder cloud, and she knew it. That is, as
near to the crossness of a thunder cloud as Patty Fairfield could
manage. Her cheeks were reddened by the cold wind and her blue eyes
always looked bluer in a frosty atmosphere. And now, as an
uncontrollable smile parted her scarlet lips, and her white teeth
gleamed, and her dimples came into view, Patty justified Philip's term
of "pretty Patty," but she quickly concealed her smile by sinking her
chin deep into the great fur collar of her coat.
"Wasn't it a crazy party?" Mona went on, not realising she was on a
dangerous subject. "They all took themselves so seriously."
"Why shouldn't they?" said Patty, coming up out of her fur cave; "it
might be better if we all took ourselves more seriously,--such a lot of
triflers and sillyheads as we are!"
"And such a lot of piffle-peddlers and hard-boiled eggs as they are!"
said Philip, fairly snorting in disgust.
"Oh, very well!" and Patty sank again into the chinchilla cavern.
Roger touched Mona's foot with his own, and gave her an urgent,
significant glance, as he said, with a determination to change the
subject, "We'll just about get to Red Chimneys in time for luncheon.
Shall we have our picnic before we explore the house? I'm as hungry as
three bears and a hunter."
"So'm I," agreed Van Reypen, taking the cue. "What's in the hampers?
Unless something pretty substantial, I vote we go to a hotel to feast."
"No," said Mona, "that wouldn't be half as much fun. It's the
picnicking that's so jolly. If you agree, Patty," she added, for if
Patty had any intention of sulking, there would be little fun in a
picnic.
But Patty Fairfield was no spoilsport. She was annoyed at Philip, but
that was no reason for her to make the others uncomfortable, and she
responded gaily, "Oh, yes, the picnic is lots more fun. But will the
house be warm enough?"
"Yes," Mona answered, "we telephoned down last night for Mr. Bates, the
caretaker, to make some fires, and we can pile logs in the big hall
fireplace till we roast alive. We can have the feast in the hall, if
the dining-room is chilly."
But they found the whole house fairly warm and distinctly cheery and
homey-looking. Bates had aired and dusted it, and had built fires and
altogether the beautiful rooms looked so attractive, that Mona declared
she was half inclined not to give it up, after all.
"We could rent it some years, Roger," she said, "and live in it some
years, if we wanted to."
"Just as you say, Mona," he replied; "it's your house. Wait until
spring to decide, if you prefer."
"All right," said Van Reypen, "but I fear we must decide on the house
we buy before that. For we want to get the place we're to have in
order as soon as Spring pokes her nose in."
"We'll have luncheon first," Mona decided, "and then discuss the
matter."
The men opened the hampers, and the girls set the table in the great
hall, near the roaring wood fire that filled the enormous fireplace.
Salads and sandwiches, carefully packed, were in faultless condition,
and the numerous Thermos bottles held hot soup, coffee, and chocolate.
A small freezer of ice cream appeared from somewhere, and a box of
confectionery contented the girls while the men smoked after the repast.
"It's this way," said Roger, at last, when they had talked over the
whole thing thoroughly, "Mona and I are considering our future,--yes,
even our old age! And, so, there are some points that we want to
discuss alone. Therefore, and wherefore, my friends,--my future wife
and I will, if you please, go apart by ourselves for a bit of
confidential chat."
"Good gracious, Roger," said Patty, "anybody would think you two were
married already!"
"Same as," Roger retorted; "especially in matters of real estate, and
future dwelling-houses and such things. But, really, what I'm going to
do, is, to try to persuade, cajole, or coerce Mona into selling the
place; for I know she doesn't really want it, only today, in the
glamour of this firelight glow, it seems attractive to her. So, I must
needs convince her of my superior judgment."
The two went off, laughing, and Philip sat down again beside Patty.
"How happy they are together," he said, musingly.
"Yes; I'm thoroughly glad for them. I never saw a pair better suited
to one another. Roger adores the ground Mona walks on, yet he knows
just how to manage her----"
"Do you think a man ought to 'manage' the woman he loves?"
"If necessary, yes. At least he should know how to."
"And do you think I know how to manage you?"
"I don't want to be managed,--I can manage myself," Patty smiled,
roguishly. "But since you ask me, Phil, no, I don't think you do know
how to manage me,--not the least little mite!"
"Teach me then, dear. I'll do just what you say."
"All right. First, you must not scold me if I like people whom you
don't like."
"Oh, hang! I had forgotten all about those bumptious lumps! Why
remind me?"
"Because it's a case in point. If you care for me, you must care for
the things or people that I care for."
"But, Patty,--since you've brought up the subject, let's have it out.
You _can't_ like those humbugs,--those fake brainsters,--those sap-head
pharisees----"
"Phil, suppose you stop calling them names, which mean nothing, and
tell me just what it is you have against them."
"There's everything against them, Patty, and nothing for them. They
pretend to wisdom, knowledge, and genius that they don't possess. They
fake up a lot of patter talk and pass it off for philosophy, or
psychology, or lord knows what! And there isn't an ounce of brains in
the whole fool bunch of them! That's what makes me mad! They fool you
into believing their drivel is wisdom, and it isn't!"
"How do you know? You haven't such a lot of that sort of knowledge
yourself."
"What sort of knowledge?"
"Soul lore----"
"Patty! Don't you ever use the word _soul_ in the silly way they do!
You have a soul, of course,--an immortal soul. But they don't mean
that. By soul, they mean a puffball of hifalutin ideas, of nonsense
about the occult and psychic, and all that balderdash. Oh, Patty, my
little girl, _don't_ let those idiot people carry away your common
sense and your plain everyday sanity! Don't, I beg of you!"
"Look here, Phil," and Patty stared at him, thoughtfully; "I'm to give
you an answer to a certain question in about a fortnight, I believe."
"You are, my Blessed Darling! To be exact, on the fifteenth of
December, this present month, you are to admit,--blushingly, if you
like, but unequivocally,--that I'm the one man in the world for you."
"Don't be too sure. Do you suppose I _can_ love a man who differs so
in opinion on this matter of--of psychology----"
"Yes, you blessed goose! You sure can! For, you see, this
poppycock,--I beg your pardon,--this poppychology is but a flash in the
pan, a rift in the lute, a fly in the ointment. Ahem, I'm getting
poetical now! Well, in a short space of period, you will have
forgotten all this rubbish,--er,--soul-rubbish, you know,--and you'll
be thinking only of how glad you are that you love me and I love
you,--just as Mona and Roger are, in these blissful days before their
marriage. Oh, Patty, you are going to marry me, aren't you, dear? I
can't stand it, if you say no."
Patty looked at him, and a troubled expression filled her blue eyes.
"I don't know, Philip. Honestly, I don't know. But it seems to me if
I am going to love you such a lot two weeks from now, I ought to care
more than I do now."
"Oh, that's all right, darling. It'll come all at once. Why, some
day, you'll suddenly discover you love me with every bit and corner of
your dear little blessed heart, and you'll wonder that you only just
realised it."
"I don't know, Philip. I hope it _will_ be like that--but I don't
know."
"Don't worry about it, dear, it will be all right," and Van Reypen
smiled into the anxious eyes upraised to his.