PERSISTENT PHILIP
"Why, Philip!" Mrs. Van Reypen exclaimed; "you are indeed growing
attentive to your aged aunt!"
"Middle-aged aunt!" he returned, gallantly; "and belonging to the early
middle-ages at that! I told you I should call this morning, and I'd like
another egg, please, aunty."
"You may have all the eggs you want, but I am not at all pleased with
your presence here after I expressly forbade it."
"Oh, it isn't a crime to call on one's own aunt, is it?"
"It's extremely rude. I have a busy day before me, and I don't want a
bothersome nephew around."
Mrs. Van Reypen was exceedingly fond of Philip, and loved to have him at
her house, but it was easy to be seen, now, that she considered him far
too much interested in pretty Patty.
And partly because he was interested, and partly to tease his
long-suffering aunt, the young man declared his intention of spending the
day with them.
"I can't have you, Philip," said Mrs. Van Reypen, decidedly. "I want you
to go away immediately after breakfast."
"Just my luck!" grumbled her nephew. "I never can do anything I want to.
Well, I'll go downtown, but I'll be back here to luncheon."
"Don't talk nonsense," said Mrs. Van Reypen, shortly; "you'll do nothing
of the sort."
The rest of the meal was not very enjoyable. Mrs. Van Reypen was clearly
displeased at her nephew's presence; Patty did not think it wise to take
any active part in the conversation; and, though Philip was in gay
spirits, it was not easy to be merry alone.
Patty couldn't help smiling at his audacious speeches, but she kept her
eyes down on her plate, and endeavoured to ignore the young man's
presence, for she knew this was what Mrs. Reypen wished her to do.
"Now you may go," said the hostess, as Philip finished his egg. "I'd like
to enjoy a cup of coffee in peace."
"Oh, I'm peaceful!" declared Philip, crossing his hands on his breast and
rolling up his eyes with an angelic expression.
"Good-by, Philip," said his aunt, so icily that the young man rose from
the table and stalked out of the room.
"Now," said Mrs. Van Reypen, "we are rid of him."
But in a few moments the smiling face again appeared at the door.
"I forgot to say good-by to Miss Fairfield," he announced, cheerfully.
"Mayn't I do that, aunty?"
Mrs. Van Reypen gave an annoyed "Humph!" and Patty, taking her cue, bowed
very coldly, and said "Good-morning, Mr. Van Reypen" in an utterly
impersonal tone.
Philip chuckled, and went away, slamming the street door behind him, as a
final annoyance to his aunt.
"You mustn't think him a rude boy, Miss Fairfield," she said. "But he
delights to tease me, and unless I am positively cross to him he never
lets up. But he is really devoted to me, and, I assure you, he scarcely
noted your presence at all."
"Of course not," said Patty, with great difficulty restraining a burst of
laughter. "No one could dream of Mr. Philip Van Reypen observing a
companion." Patty did not mean this for sarcasm; she desired only to set
Mrs. Van Reypen's mind at rest, and then the subject of Philip was
dropped.
Soon after breakfast Mrs. Van Reypen conducted Patty to a pleasant
morning room, and asked her to read the newspaper aloud.
"And do try to read slower," she added. "I hate rapid gabbling."
Patty had resolved not to take offence at the brusque remarks, which she
knew would be hurled at her, so, somewhat meekly, she took up the paper
and began.
It was a trying task. If she read an account of anything unpleasant she
was peremptorily stopped; if the news was dry or prosy, that was also cut
off short.
"Read me the fashion notes," said Mrs. Van Reypen, at last.
So Patty read a whole page about the latest modes, and her hearer was
greatly interested.
She then told Patty of some new gowns she was having made, and seemed
pleased at Patty's intelligent comments on them.
"Why, you have good taste!" she exclaimed, as if making a surprising
discovery. "I will take you with me this afternoon when I go to Madame
Leval's to try on my gowns."
"Very well," said Patty. "And now, Mrs. Van Reypen, I'm sure there's
nothing more of interest in the paper; what shall I do next?"
"Heavens! Miss Fairfield, don't ask such a question as that! You are here
to entertain me. I am not to provide amusement for you! Why do you
suppose I have you here, if not to make my time pass pleasantly?"
Patty was bewildered at this outburst. Though she knew her duties would
be light, she supposed they would be clearly defined, and not left to her
own invention.
But she was anxious to please, and she said, pleasantly:
"I think that's really what I meant, but I didn't express myself very
well. And, you see, I don't yet quite know your tastes. Do you like fancy
work? I know a lovely new crochet stitch I could show you."
"No; I hate crocheting. The wool gets all snarled up, and the pattern
gets wrong every few stitches."
"Then we'll dismiss that. Do you like to play cards? I know cribbage, and
some other games that two can play."
"No; I detest cards. I think it is very foolish to sit and fumble with
bits of painted pasteboard!"
Poor Patty was at her wits' end. She had not expected to be a
professional entertainer, and she didn't know what to suggest next.
She felt sure Mrs. Van Reypen wouldn't care to listen to any more reading
just then. She hesitated to propose music, as it had not been very
successful the night before. On a sudden impulse, she said:
"Do you like to see dancing? I can do some pretty fancy dances."
It seemed an absurd thing to say, but Patty had ransacked her brain to
think what professional entertainers did, and that was all she could
think of, except recitations, and those she hated herself.
"Yes, I do!" cried Mrs. Van Reypen, so emphatically that Patty jumped. "I
love to see dancing! If you can do it, which I doubt, I wish you would
dance for me. And this evening we'll go to see that new dancer that the
town is wild over. If you really can dance, you'll appreciate it as I do.
To me dancing is a fine art, and should be considered so--but it rarely
is. Do you require music?"
"Of course, I prefer it, but I can dance without."
"We'll try it without, first; then, if I wish to, I'll ask Delia, my
parlour-maid, to play for you. She plays fairly well. Or, if it suits me,
I may play myself."
Patty made no response to these suggestions, but followed Mrs. Van Reypen
to the great drawing-room, at one end of which was a grand piano.
"Try it without music, first," was the order, and Patty walked to the
other end of the long room, while Mrs. Van Reypen seated herself on a
sofa. Serenely conscious of her proficiency in the art, Patty felt no
embarrassment, and, swaying gently, as if listening to rhythm, she began
a pretty little fancy dance that she had learned some years ago.
She danced beautifully, and she loved to dance, so she made a most
effective picture, as she pirouetted back and forth, or from side to side
of the long room.
"Beautiful!" said Mrs. Van Reypen, as Patty paused in front of her and
bowed. "You are a charming dancer. I don't know when I've enjoyed
anything so much. Are you tired? Will you dance again?"
"I'm not at all tired," said Patty. "I like to dance, and I'm very glad
it pleases you."
"Can you do a minuet?" asked the old lady, after Patty had finished
another dance, a gay little Spanish fandango.
"Yes; but I like music for that."
"Good! I will play myself." With great dignity, Mrs. Van Reypen rose and
walked to the piano.
Patty adjusted the music-stool for her, and she ran her delicate old
fingers lightly over the keys.
"I'm sadly out of practice," she said, "but I can play a tinkling minuet
and you may dance to it."
She began a melodious little air, and Patty, after listening a moment,
nodded her head, and ran to take her place.
Mrs. Van Reypen was so seated at the piano that she could watch Patty's
dance, and in a moment the two were in harmony, and Patty was gliding and
bowing in a charming minuet, while Mrs. Van Reypen played in perfect
sympathy.
The dance was nearly over when Patty discovered the smiling face of Mr.
Philip Van Reypen in the doorway.
His aunt could not see him, and Patty saw only his reflection in the
mirror. He gave her a pleading glance, and put his finger on his lip,
entreating her silence.
So she went on, without seeming to see him. But she wondered what his
aunt would say after the dance was over.
Indeed, the funny side of the situation struck her so forcibly that she
unconsciously smiled broadly at her own thoughts.
"That's right," said Mrs. Van Reypen, as the dancing and music both came
to an end; "I am glad to see you smile as you dance. I have seen some
dancers who look positively agonised as they do difficult steps."
Patty smiled again, remembering that she had had a reason to smile as she
danced, and she wondered why Philip didn't appear.
But he didn't, and, except that she had seen him so clearly in the
mirror, and he had asked her, silently but unmistakably, not to divulge
the fact of his presence, she would have thought she only imagined him
there in the doorway.
"You dance wonderfully well," went on Mrs. Van Reypen. "You have had very
good training. I shall be glad to have you dance for me often. But--and
please remember this--never when any one else is here. I wish you to
dance for me only. If I have guests, or if my nephew is here, you are not
to dance."
This was almost too much for Patty's gravity. For she well knew the old
lady was foolishly alarmed lest her nephew should fall in love with a
humble "companion," and, knowing that the said nephew had gleefully
watched the dance, it was difficult not to show her amusement.
But she only said, "I will remember, Mrs. Van Reypen." She couldn't tell
of the intruder after his frantic appeal to her for silence, so she
determined to ignore the episode.
"Now, you may do as you like until luncheon time," said Mrs. Van Reypen,
"for I shall go to my room and lie down for a rest. My maid will attend
me, so I will bid you adieu until one o'clock. Wander round the house if
you choose. You will find much to interest you."
"Right you are!" thought Patty to herself. "I don't believe I'd have to
wander far to find a jolly comrade to interest me!" But she well knew if
Mr. Philip Van Reypen was still in the house, and if she should encounter
him and chat with him, it would greatly enrage the old lady.
"And," thought Patty, "since I've made good with my dancing it's a shame
to spoil my record by talking to Sir Philip. But he is pleasant."
Determined to do her duty, she went straight to her own room, though
tempted to "wander round the house."
And sure enough, though she didn't know it, Mr. Van Reypen was watching
her from behind the drawing-room draperies. His face fell as he saw her
go up the stairs, and, though he waited some time, she did not return.
"Saucy Puss!" he thought. "But I'll have a chat with her yet."
Going to the library he scribbled a note, and sent it by a servant to
Miss Fairfield's room. The note said:
"Do come down and talk to a lonely, neglected waif, if only for a
few minutes.
"P. V. R."
Patty laughed as she read it, but she only said to the maid who brought
it:
"Please say to Mr. Van Reypen that there is no answer."
The maid departed, but, in less than ten minutes, returned with another
note:
"You're afraid of Aunty Van! Come on. I will protect you. Just for
a few moments' chat on the stairs.
"P. V. R."
Again Patty sent the message, "There is no answer."
Soon came a third note:
"I think you are horrid! And you don't dance prettily at all!"
"Oho!" thought Patty. "Getting saucy, is he?"
She made no response whatever to the maid this time, but she was not
greatly surprised when another note came:
"If you don't come down, I'm going out to drown myself. P."
Patty began to be annoyed. The servants must think all this very strange,
and yet surely she could not help it.
"Wait a moment, Delia," she said. "Please say to Mr. Van Reypen that I
will see him in the library, at once."
After a moment she followed the maid downstairs, and went straight to the
library, where the young man awaited her. His face lighted up with
gladness, as he held out his hand.
"Forgive me if I was impertinent," he said, with such a charming air of
apology that Patty had to smile.
"I forgive the impertinence," she returned, "but you are making real
trouble for me."
"What do you mean?" he cried, looking dismayed.
"I mean that I am your aunt's companion, and trying to earn my living
thereby. Now if you persist in secretly coming to the house,--pardon me
if I am frank,--and if you persist in sending foolish notes to me, your
aunt will not let me stay here, and I shall lose a good position through
your unkindness."
Patty was very much in earnest, and her words were sincere, but her
innate sense of humour couldn't fail to see the ridiculous side of it
all, and the corners of her mouth dimpled though she kept her eyes
resolutely cast down.
"It's a shame the way she keeps you tied to her apron string," he blurted
out, uncertain whether Patty was coquetting, or really distressed.
"Not at all," she replied. "I'm here to attend on her pleasure, and my
place is by her side whenever she wants me there."
"How can any one help wanting you there?" broke out Philip, so
explosively that Patty, instead of being offended, burst into a ringing
laugh.
"Oh, you are too funny!" she exclaimed. "Mrs. Van Reypen said you were
given to saying things like that to everybody."
"I don't say them to everybody!"
"Yes, you do; your aunt says so. But now that you've said it to me, won't
you go away and stay away?"
"How long?"
Patty thought quickly. "Till next Friday--a week from to-day."
"Oh, you want to get acclimatised, all by yourself!"
"Yes," said Patty, demurely, "I do. And if you'll only keep away,--you
know your aunt asked you not to come back for a week,--if you'll keep
away till next Friday, I'll never ask you another favour."
"Huh! that's no inducement. I love to have you ask me favours."
"Well, then, I never shall if you don't grant this first one."
"And if I do?"
"If you do I'll promise you almost anything you ask."
"That's a large order! Well, if I stay away from this house until you get
solid with Aunty Van----"
"I said a week."
"Well, to-day's Friday. If I stay away a week will you persuade aunty to
invite me to dinner next Friday night?"
"I will."
"Can you persuade her to do that?"
"I'm sure I can by that time."
Patty's eyes were dancing. She had come to Mrs. Van Reypen's on Thursday.
She would, therefore, leave on Thursday, and she was sure that lady would
have no objections to inviting her nephew to dinner after her
"companion's" departure.
"Are you going to stay?" demanded Philip suspiciously.
"I'm here a week on trial," said Patty, demurely. "Your aunt needn't keep
me longer if I don't suit her. And I know I won't suit her if she thinks
I receive notes from her nephew."
"Oh, I see! You're here a week on trial, and if I am chummy with you
Aunty Van won't keep you! Oh, yes! Why, of course! To be sure! Well, Miss
Fairfield, I make this sacrifice for your benefit. I will keep away from
here during your trial week. Then, in return, you promise to use your
influence to get me an invitation to dine here next Friday."
"I do," returned Patty. "But do you need an invitation to a house where
you seem to feel so much at home?"
"Only when you're in it," declared the young man, frankly. "I think Aunty
Van fears I mean to kidnap you. I don't."
"I'm sure you don't," said Patty, flashing a smile at him. "I think we
could be good friends, and I hope we shall be. But not until after next
Friday."