THE UNEXPECTED.
What Jermyn and Kate said to each other in the two or three minutes
immediately following Trixy's departure was entirely their own
affair, and need not be repeated here; beside, they never afterward
agreed exactly as to what it was. Suffice it to say that they walked
somewhat rapidly in the direction of the disappearing child, and parted
pleasantly. Kate joined her brother and Trif, and asked how they had
secreted themselves so successfully, when she and Jermyn had been
seeking them everywhere for the last half-hour. She asked also if the
night was not simply superb--heavenly! and whether they weren't the
stupidest people in the world to sit there quietly while the air was
simply entrancing. For herself, she thought it an absolute sin to sit
still in such weather, so she begged Trixy to take a little walk with
her.
The child was quite willing, so the couple strolled a few moments. Soon
Trixy asked:
"Does lovely nights always make you so dreadful quiet?"
"Am I quiet? I was thinking about something. There! I shall stop
thinking about it. But, Trixy dear, how did you and Lieutenant Prewser
come to talk about--about such things?"
"What things?"
"Don't you remember what you said to Lieutenant Jermyn and me?"
"No--o--o," drawled Trixy, whose mind had roamed over several other
subjects in the past quarter hour. "What was it?"
"Oh, never mind it," said Kate hastily, "if you don't recall it."
"Oh, yes; it was about match-makin', wasn't it?"
"Yes," Kate answered, so savagely that the child started. "Did you ask
your mother about it?"
"No. I was goin' to, but they all was talkin' about somethin' else, so
I didn't get a chance."
"Then don't. There are some things about which little girls shouldn't
talk, and about which their mammas don't like them to talk, and this
is one of them; so don't mention it to your mother at all. Do you
understand me?"
"Ye--es," replied Trixy, with a drawl which indicated doubt. "But mamma
says, whenever I want to know anythin' about anythin' I must come and
ask her right away."
"Very well, let me ask her for you, about this, won't you? You know
that I love you very dearly, and wouldn't like your mamma to think
badly of you in any way, so----"
"Then if you love me so much," interrupted Trixy, "why don't you give
me all the dolls you said you would?"
"How shamefully forgetful I am! My dear child, you shall have those
dolls to-morrow, if I have to go all the way to Norfolk for them."
"Good! good! good!"
"But," continued Kate, with an uplifted finger, which looked very
impressive in the semi-darkness, "not--one--single--doll, if you say a
word about this matter to your mother."
"All right!"
"You are sure you will not forget?"
"Ever so sure. If I find myself thinkin' about it at all I'll just say
'Dolls, dolls, dolls' to myself as hard as I can, and then all the
think will go out of my mind."
"That's a good girl."
Then Kate lifted Trixy, embraced her, kissed her, and called her the
dearest little girl on the face of the earth, after which, greatly to
the child's astonishment, she hurried Trixy to her mother and excused
herself, saying that she had suddenly found the night air much damper
than she had supposed.
No sooner did Jermyn leave Kate's side than he went to the ball-room,
the office, and about the piazzas, asking every acquaintance whether
Prewser had been seen in the course of the evening. Finally he found
his comrade and a reproachful face in Prewser's own quarters, and after
some sharp questioning he promised to help the young man at ballistics
and anything else so long as he lived. Prewser asked if congratulations
were in order, and Jermyn frowned and said "Nonsense," but he
afterwards whistled merrily and Prewser began to nurse some suspicions.
"Trixy, dear," said Fenie the next morning, while preparing for
breakfast, "if I were you I wouldn't follow a lady and gentleman while
they are promenading in the evening. It isn't ladylike. I am sure that
your mamma will tell you that I am right."
Trif looked amusedly at her sister and said, "One word for others and
two for yourself," but she added her own cautions to Fenie's, and said
she ought to have called Trixy away from Kate and Jermyn the evening
before.
"Why, I only--" began Trixy. Then she stopped and exclaimed "Dolls."
"What have dolls to do with it?" asked Fenie.
"Lots--just lots. I'm going to have 'em if I don't--oh, I nearly told."
"Told what?"
"Why, that--oh, Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! There."
"Trif," exclaimed Fenie, "I do believe the child has lost her senses."
"Oh, no I haven't, but--Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!"
"Trixy,--"
"Fenie, do be quiet," exclaimed Trif. "Trixy, run down to the table and
tell our waiter we will be there very soon, so he may have the oysters
ready for us. Hurry, dear."
No sooner was Trixy out of the room than Trif said:
"Fenie, you silly girl, can't you ever see anything? I suspected it
last night, but now I am sure of it."
"Sure of what?"
"Why, that Kate and Jermyn are at an understanding--or sure to be.
I saw when Kate rejoined us last night that something unusual had
happened, and that it was not unpleasant. She acted just as I--as I
felt when Phil----"
"Oh, oh, oh!" exclaimed Fenie, going quickly into some day-dreams of
her own, for she and Harry were getting along capitally together.
They were not engaged, but there could be no mistake as to what the
dear fellow meant, and what she wanted him to mean. She did not speak
another word while preparing for breakfast, for she wouldn't for worlds
have told what was in her mind--not even to her sister--yet she feared
she would tell it if she spoke at all. But wasn't it delightful?
She would marry Harry, in the course of time, and Kate would marry
Jermyn. She wondered which couple would be first at the altar. What a
delightful party of friends they would be, the two couples, with Trif
and Phil!
The girl's reverie was so delightful that even breakfast did not
destroy it, although she had the healthy appetite to which young women
have an inherent right. She took the customary morning walk along the
beach with Trif and Trixy, but there was an expectant look in her eye
which Trif told herself would delight Harry when he saw it. Trixy
tried to talk with her, but got such vague replies that she gave up
in despair and began to throw pebbles. Finally the sisters seated
themselves on the piazza, and Trif began to wish she knew all that she
suspected, for she longed to write her husband all about it. There was
no sentimental nonsense in her mind about the handsome soldier who had
once hoped for her heart and hand; but what good woman does not rejoice
to see an honest admirer happily married--after she herself had married
happily?
The longer she thought of it the surer she was that her intuitions were
correct, so she said she must go and write a line to dear Phil. Fenie
accompanied her, but when Trif reached her room Fenie was invisible,
for the girl had caught a glimpse of Kate in one of the halls, and had
hurried toward her. Fenie was thinking about Kate and Jermyn, so she
put her arm about Kate, drew her into a parlor in which there chanced
to be no one else, kissed her, and exclaimed:
"You darling girl, I'm so happy about it!"
"So am I, dear," Kate replied, returning Fenie's endearments in kind;
"but I do think Harry might have said something to me, after all that I
have done for him."
"Harry?" said Fenie, with a wondering look. "Doesn't he approve of the
match?"
"Approve? My dear girl, how could he have made it if he hadn't thought
well of it? How strangely you talk!"
"He made it? The sly rogue! He and I have chatted together for hours
every day, but I didn't imagine that anything of the sort was on his
mind."
"Tryphena Wardlow!" exclaimed Kate. "Will you tell me what you are
talking about?"
"About you and Lieutenant Jermyn, to be sure."
"Oh, Fenie!" Kate flushed deeply before she continued: "He and I have
become pleasantly acquainted, and I esteem him very highly, but can you
imagine for a moment that I am anything more than the acquaintance of a
gentleman whom I never saw until this week? How did you get so crazy a
fancy?"
Fenie went down into the valley of humiliation, and said she was sure
she didn't know, unless something that Trixy had said--no, something
that Trixy hadn't said--that is, Trixy had behaved so strangely----
"I don't believe," said Kate frigidly, "that if the cases were
reversed I would attach any importance to the babble of a child. In
the circumstances, I think I ought to be told what Trixy did say, for
she talks with every one, and I should like to know whether it is safe
for me to remain here any longer. I supposed it was safe for me to be
here with your sister as chaperone, but so long as she has her dreadful
child with her no one's reputation is safe. I shall return home at
once. Fortunately Harry's business which brought him to Norfolk is
finished, so there is no reason for our remaining here any longer."
Fenie burst into tears, but Kate had her own trouble to think of,
so she remained indignant. She recalled what Trixy had repeated the
night before, as having been said by some officer; she herself had
been too--well, too surprised and embarrassed at the moment, and too
exhilarated a moment or two later, to think about the first cause of
what passed between her and Jermyn, but she certainly was not going to
remain where her name could give occupation to idle tongues.
"Aunt Fee," exclaimed Trixy, appearing suddenly at the door of the
parlor, "I've been lookin' everywhere for you. Mamma asked me to find
you for her."
"Trixy," asked Kate, "what silly things have you been saying about me?"
"Not any. Every time I was goin' to say anythin' I just said 'Dolls'
instead. Didn't I, Aunt Fee?"
"Then how did your aunt know----"
"Oh, are you all here?" exclaimed Trif, entering the parlor. "I only
sent for you, Fenie, to let you know that I am going to write my letter
on the piazza instead of in my room; 'tis so much pleasanter out of
doors. Don't you--why, my dear sister, what is the matter?"
The girl, who was thinking only of the impending departure of the young
man who was all the world to her, hurried from the room, followed
by Trixy. Kate began at once to complain to Trif of the child's
telling--she knew not what, and that was the dreadful thing about it.
When Trif learned what Kate's fears and suspicions were she said:
"Trixy has told nothing; she has had nothing to tell. If any one is
to blame, it is I, who could not help imagining, and hoping too, and
talking to my sister about it. If there's nothing to it I shall be
dreadfully unhappy, for Jermyn is much the finest unmarried man of my
acquaintance, and you are the only woman I know who is entirely worthy
of him."
"Aunt Fee's cryin' awful, mamma," said Trixy, returning to the parlor.
Trif looked reproachfully at Kate, who showed signs of relenting,
although she was having a severe struggle with her pride.
"When are you goin' to Norfolk to get my dolls?" asked Trixy.
Kate laughed, despite herself; Trif embraced her and whispered
something which made Kate blush, look toward Trixy, and say:
"Run quickly, dear, and tell Aunt Fee that I've been real unkind, and
that--for her sake, I won't return to New York until--oh, I don't know
when."