Astra (20 page)

“Not on your life!” said Cameron. “Not till I know what it is you’re asking. And if it’s anything to do with any of your simpering female go-getters, I’ll say no, and that’s flat!”

“Now Charlie, why do you want to be so coarse and disagreeable? I really don’t know what you mean. It’s a simple little favor that I’m asking, partly for my sake, but most of all for my three beloved kiddies, who simply adore you and want you all to themselves for Christmas.

“You see, Harold and I have been trying to plan for a long, long time to get away on Christmas Day and go up to see some friends of his who have a marvelous log cabin in the wilderness. It’s a wonderful place, with great forest trees all around and plenty of mountains nearby and wonderful skiing. I’m just wild to go. But I can’t bring myself to leave the kiddies with just the maids on Christmas Day, of all days. And I’ve said no so many times that Harold is really cross with me. So I’ve thought and thought and the only thing I can think of is that perhaps you will be self-sacrificing enough to stay with them. I know you haven’t got any particular fun of your own on hand. You never do have, and so I’ve figured it all out. Harold says we can start tonight early and come back late Christmas night. He has to be in his office the next morning in spite of everything, so we won’t leave you in the lurch any longer than that. And of course you’ll practically have both evenings to yourself, for the kiddies go to bed at seven and won’t bother you a particle. I know you were going to go up to see that poor old poke of a stepmother, but that can surely wait a few days. Anyhow, I don’t see what claim she has on you now, and I do think on Christmas Day, kiddies have the first right to be considered.”

She paused and Charles Cameron got in a word.

“Rosamond, do you actually mean to tell me that you are going to desert your babies on Christmas?”

“Charles, they won’t care a mite if they have you. They adore you. And I know you’ll make them have the time of their lives. Then when we get home we can give them some extra treats to make up for it. And they will only think Christmas is that much longer and better than ever before. Besides, Charlie, they’re only kids!”

“Do you want to know what I think of you?” said Charles in disgust. “I think you are both contemptible to consider a plan like that! Run off and leave your own little children, so you can act like a couple of kids and slide down a mountain on skis! I don’t think you have any right to have nice, sweet, lovely children and then treat them like that!”

“Oh, Charlie dear! I’m so glad you consider them sweet and lovely, because then I know you’ll make them have a charming time, and I shan’t be missed at all. And besides, Charlie, don’t you think I have a duty to my husband?”

“Duty to your husband! My eye! You’re doing this for your own selfish reasons, I know. And as for the stepmother, well, I’m not so sure you didn’t do something about that. But tell me, Roz. Suppose I say no to your proposition. What will you do? Divorce your husband or throw your children out in the street and let them shift for themselves?”

“Now Charlie. You’re being too funny. You know you would never let it come to that!”

“Oh, certainly not! You knew you could count on that. But what I want to know is, who is going to look after those children? Dress them and wash them and do all the things that have to be done for them? You know I’m no child’s nurse when it comes to that. I can play with them, but when it goes farther than that I’m utterly without experience. You know, it isn’t as if you had lived at home and I’d had a chance to see what went on.”

“Oh Charlie, you’re too funny! But of course I’m leaving the servants. They are accustomed to looking after the children, and everything will go all right, I know. Only, Charlie, I wanted you there to make it bright and happy for them on Christmas Day. Play Santa Claus for them or something. And, of course, if you feel there ought to be some woman besides the servants, why, I’m sure I could get some friend to come in. It runs in my mind that Camilla Blair is going to be around the neighborhood that day, and I’m almost certain that I could get her to come in for a time and play jingles for them on the piano or sing or something!”

“Yes!” said Cameron savagely. “I thought you had something up your sleeve! And I warn you, if it’s that Blair woman, I won’t come within fifty miles of the place. If you dare send her around I’m off you for life! I
mean
it, Roz. I don’t want to see her, and if she turns up I’ll pass right out of the picture!”

“There, Charlie! Don’t get upset. Of course I won’t ask her to drop around, if you don’t want her. But just in case you change your mind and get lonesome when the day’s half over, you’ll find her at—”

“There you go! Cut that out! I mean what I said. If you have any ideas like working that Blair person in, nothing doing!”

“Why, of course not, Charlie. How silly! If you prefer to be there alone with the children, all right, I’ll say no more! And of course I’ll arrange that the servants will stay. I’ll give them extra days off later. And they will get you a nice little dinner. Only I thought it would be so much pleasanter for you if you had someone else to come in when the children are well started on a good time, someone who would be company for you.”

“If I want any company, Roz, I’ll select it myself!”

“Well—all right then! And can I
depend
on you, Charlie?”

“I suppose you can, Roz, just as you have been depending on me to do whatever you demanded ever since I was a lonesome little kid myself. I’ll do it just because I feel sorry for your lonesome little youngsters on Christmas Day, with no parents to make it the grandest day of all the year. Only listen, Roz. I tell you, if you don’t play fair and lay off from the Blair woman, it’s the last time I’ll do anything you ask, and I
mean
it!”

“All right, Charlie dear. Have it all your own way, only come!”

“When do you want me to come?”

“Could you come this evening? Harold says we could practically get there by midnight if we start right now.”

“Can’t do it, Roz. I have to have a couple of hours first to do a few things before I could possibly come.”

There was silence for a moment while a hurried consultation went on between Harold and Rosamond. Then Rosamond said reluctantly, “All right, Charlie, but make it as snappy as you can.”

“I’ll do the best I can, but Roz, this last-minute business isn’t very easy to work with. I had other plans.”

“Well I know, you sweet thing!” said the honeyed voice of the sister, triumphant now she had her way, “but really, I wasn’t sure we could do it till a few minutes ago.”

“Oh yes?”

Cameron hung up with a snap and turned about angrily to collect his thoughts. He felt morally sure that Rosamond was trying to put something over on him, and yet he couldn’t figure out what it was. Was he too kindhearted? That couldn’t be, could it? Yet even as a child, Rosamond was always getting him into unpleasant situations from which he couldn’t extricate himself without appearing to be most unaccommodating.

But he had no time now to think things over. He had promised to go, and of course he had to for the sake of the kiddies. He was very fond of them. He would enjoy giving them a good time. Now, what had he been about to do when Rosamond interrupted?

He whirled around to his desk and went hard at work again. He must get things in shape. If Rosamond didn’t get home when she had said she would, there might be delay the next day, and there were some things that wouldn’t bear waiting, that were too important to leave to chance. There were a few letters to dictate, a couple of telegrams to send, and several business details that ought to be looked after in case he would be detained Friday. If he had gone to his stepmother’s as he had expected, his plan had been to start back Christmas night and be ready for work early the next morning, but now all that was upset. You never could depend upon Rosamond, nor her maids either. Ten to one they would walk out on him Christmas morning.

One of his last acts before he left his office was to call his office boy and send him with his own portable radio, a neat little affair, to Astra Everson. He had intended to take it himself and stop long enough to show her the most effective way of tuning it, but there wouldn’t be time now. And perhaps it was just as well not to go himself, when he could stay but a moment. So he wrote a few words on his card—“I thought perhaps you’d like to borrow this to cheer your holiday. Charles”—slipped it in an envelope and gave direction for the young man to leave the radio if Miss Everson was out; or if she was there, to show her how to use it. He also called up the florist and ordered three dozen crimson roses sent to her. He frowned a good deal at the telephone after he had hung up. Now, would she think that was all right? She was not a girl one presumed with on slight acquaintance. And yet was theirs a
slight
acquaintance? When one considered it, he seemed to have presumed a good deal already, from the time he had first seen her. Well, he only wished he was free for this holiday to try and help her have a pleasant day. But of course he would be tied up with those kiddies. Perhaps he could telephone her sometime during Christmas Day and give her greetings.

There was one man with whom he had important dealings he had not heard from yet, and he was all nerves watching for word from him. If it didn’t come before the afternoon was over, he would have an anxious Christmas Day, for it really meant big things for his business if he got this order.

But the afternoon passed and no word came, and Cameron grew more and more worried. He had been so sure of this order, and it was going to make such a lot of difference in his plans.

Finally, a little after five o’clock, Rosamond called up.

“Charlie, you haven’t fallen down on the job, have you?”

“No.”

“You’ll surely be here?”

“I generally keep my promises, don’t I?”

“Well, but you seemed so unwilling and so uncertain, I was afraid.”

“Sorry, sister, but this is making a lot of trouble for me.”

“Well for pity’s sake, why don’t you come? It can’t be so important to stay in an office Christmas Eve.”

“You wouldn’t understand, of course, but it is. However, I’ll be there!”

“And I can really depend on you?”

“Absolutely.”

“How soon will you be here?”

“In less than an hour now, I hope.”

“Oh
dear
! An
hour
! You know it means an awful lot to us to get started right away. It’s beginning to snow, and there may be a blizzard.”

“In that case you’d have to consider staying at home, I suppose.”

“No, indeed! It’s only snowing a little now, but we want to get well on our way before the storm really sets in. Can’t you hurry?”

“Not any more than I’m doing now. You see, what I’m doing means an awful lot to me. But you needn’t worry. I’ll be there!”

He turned back to his desk just as his secretary handed him a telegram. He tore it open frantically.

Charles Cameron sank down into his desk chair again in utter despair. Must he allow Rosamond’s whims to upset this great opportunity, which would mean everything to his business? Surely if Rosamond knew, she would be responsible and change her plans!

He sprang to his telephone and called Rosamond’s number, and as soon as he heard the receiver lifted, he shouted, “I can’t possibly make it, Roz! You’ll have to make other plans! I have a deal on that will take all tomorrow morning. A telegram just came!"

Then the nurse’s voice answered in great excitement, “Oh, is that you, Mister Charles? Why they’re
gone
! They haven’t been gone more than two minutes. They said they knew you would be here soon, and we would be all right till you got here, but the baby has been so upset to see her mommie go that she’s yelling so I can hardly hear. And both the other children are so upset to find out at this last minute that their parents are not going ta be here Christmas! What’s that? Didn’t she tell them before? No sir, she just told them as she was kissing them good-bye! I hope you’ll come soon, Mister Charles, because they are all so peevish, it seems I’ll go wild.”

Cameron sat in consternation for a moment and then in a stern voice said, “Very well, Catherine, I’ll be there very soon now. Tell Junior to come to the phone. That you, Harold? What’s the matter, pard? You feeling down? Well, cheer up. I’ll be there in three jerks of a lamb’s tail. And tell the girls to mop their eyes and be ready with plenty of smiles, and we’ll have a fine time.”

“You mean we’ll have a nice time before we go to bed, Uncle Charlie?” asked the woebegone voice of the little boy.

“Sure we will!” said the hearty voice of the dismayed uncle. “Had your supper yet?”

“No sir!”

“Well, neither have I. Just tell the cook to get a slick supper for us, and we’ll have the time of our life! And we’ll hear Christmas carols and a lot of other things. Okay, boy?”

“Okay, Uncle Charlie! That’ll be swell.”

In a daze, Charles Cameron hung up the receiver and stared around his deserted office. It was Christmas Eve, and his employees had crept by, murmuring, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Cameron,” without his hearing them. And yet he couldn’t desert the children!

A
ll the afternoon of the day before Christmas, Astra had been out shopping. She had worked hard all the morning and had her father’s article, the last one he had worked on before he died, nearly copied. She felt she had a right to go out and play at Christmas a little while herself.