GI Brides (5 page)

For answer she reached down and enfolded him in a grip such as he had seldom encountered. Lexie was indignant enough to hold even that fierce young animal quiet for the moment.

“You lemme alone!” he shrieked, and his voice rang out to the mother and nurse and driver in the taxi—and beyond to the whole neighborhood.

“Stop!”
said Lexie in a low, tense voice. “Stop, do you hear me! If you don’t stop this instant I shall spank you.”

“You shan’t spank me. You ain’t my mother. She never spanks me! You
couldn’t
spank me. I dare y’ to!”

Lexie bore down upon him again, taking him by surprise, turned him firmly around and laid several smart spanks on the young bare legs below the abbreviated trousers. Sharp, stinging slaps they were, cutting into the soft young flesh and bringing quick color to the surface.

The older girl suddenly rose from her literary pursuits and went over to her brother. She lifted her skinny little fists and struck at Lexie’s face, an ineffectual blow.

“You stop that! You just let my brother alone!” she shrieked. “Don’t you dare touch my brother. My mother’ll kill you if you lay a hand on my brother. My mother don’t believe in spankings. You stop, or I’ll
bite
you!” and she sprang at Lexie’s wrist. But Lexie drew back just in time and administered a sharp slap on the little girl’s open mouth, which sent the child roaring out to her mother, with great, angry tears rolling heavily down her thin little face.

This was a bad beginning, but Lexie knew that she must take her stand, right at the start, if she had to live with children like this, and she couldn’t have them wrecking everything in the house just in the first few minutes, whether they stayed or not.

“Now,” she said as she drew a deep breath and tried to stop trembling, and to talk gently but firmly. “You can sit there and think about what you have done. You’re not going to be allowed to break things here! You’ve got to act like a little gentleman if you want to be treated like one. Otherwise I shall spank you. I won’t have this kind of thing going on. If you behave yourself we can have a pleasant time together, and there will be things you will enjoy, but if you act like a naughty boy you’ll have to be treated like one.”

She turned and swept the table back into its place, took the clock from the mantel, and locked it inside the bookcase out of reach. Then catching up her purse she hurried out to the group at the gate.

The little girl was engaged in giving an account of the altercation in the house: “That lady in the house is spanking Gerald. She took him up in her arms and held him tight and slapped him awful hard on his bare legs! She’s a hateful old thing! Don’t let’s stay here in this dump, Elaine. Let’s go back to our home! She’s a wicked old woman!”

And from the house there issued such young masculine roars of rage as made the whole neighborhood ring and echo, and brought every householder to the doors and windows to see what had happened to their usually peaceful community.

To this accompaniment Lexie hurried out, counting out her money as she came.

“I have five seventy-five,” she said as she handed out the money, distress in her face.

“Shut up, Angelica!” said the mother fretfully. “Why bring that up now? Wait until I get into the house and I’ll settle with your aunt. And you, Lexie, go on back to the house with your stingy pocketbook. I’ve settled with these two. They are getting me to bed and then they’re going. I found I had a little change left in my purse, and I was tired of waiting on you. Now, Nurse, lift me up and help me get on my feet. Then I can manage to walk between you and the driver. Lexie, suppose you go into the house and get me a cup of coffee. I’ll need it after walking so far. Perhaps you can make yourself that useful. And for heaven’s sake, keep your hands off my children. If you can’t control your temper, I don’t see how we are going to stand having you around.”

Lexie wanted to tell her sister that she wouldn’t have to stand having her there, that she was going back to college, but she shut her gentle lips firmly and hurried into the house.

A moment later she met her sister at the door with a good, cold glass of water.

“I’m sorry, Elaine, there isn’t a bit of coffee in the house. I thought perhaps this glass of water would help.”

Elaine looked at the water with disdain.

“Water!”
she said with contempt. “How does it happen there is no coffee in the house?”

“I found a little box of tea in the pantry,” said Lexie. “Would you like a cup of tea? I put the kettle on. It will be ready very soon.”

“Tea!”
said Elaine contemptuously. “You know I never could abide tea. You certainly are about as little help as anybody I ever saw. Get out of my way. I can’t stand here forever!” And she edged her way slowly and ostentatiously into the house. Then with many sighs and groanings she was helped up the stairs to the bed Lexie had prepared for her. Even then it was some minutes before the unhappy invalid was settled on the bed, her hat off, her shoes unfastened, and the two assistants departed, thanking their stars that they did not have to stay around that unpleasant woman any longer.

Lexie came hastily up the stairs after watching them depart, and felt that her war had begun.

“You’ll simply
have
to help me get into bed!” said her sister sharply. “I’m not able to sit up here another minute.”

“Of course,” said Lexie gently, bringing skillful hands to the task. “I’m sorry you’re feeling so miserable. Would you like me to go out and try to find a doctor?”

“Mercy no, not out here. You’ll have to telephone to the city for a doctor. I don’t let every Tom, Dick, and Harry doctor me. I’ve been under a specialist, you know. Can’t you find me a nurse before dark? I’ve simply
got
to have a nurse. I’m scarcely able to lift my hand to my head. The journey has been so hard on me—and the anxiety about Dick. It’s been awful! I’m sure I thought my own sister would be sympathetic enough to provide a nurse for me and have a heartening meal ready.”

“I’m sorry, Elaine,” said Lexie sadly. “I did all I could in the time you gave me. But you said you were bringing a nurse. I didn’t know you would need one, you know. But wait until we get you comfortable in bed and then we can talk over what to do.”

“Talk over!” said Elaine with a rising voice. “What is there to talk over, I’d like to know? I should think you’d have all you could do to get us some supper and fix beds for the children, and find a nurse for me. You’ll have to call up and get a servant, too, I should think. With three children we can’t get on without at least one servant.”

“Elaine, we’ll have to consider how we can do all that,” said Lexie firmly but sorrowfully. “As I told you I have only enough money to barely exist until I get my job, and even that isn’t here. I’ll have to go back to college and graduate first. Have you money to hire a nurse and a servant and let me go to my work?”

“Well, I should say not,” said Elaine. “I’m down very nearly to the last cent as I told you. I expected you to finance that nurse and driver, but since you shirked out of that you’ll certainly have to get the nurse and servant.”

“That I can’t do,” said Lexie. “I simply haven’t got the money!”

“Oh, very well,” said the older sister coldly. “Have it your own way. We’ll send for my lawyer in the morning and get hold of the money that belongs to me that your mother hoarded away, or I’ll know the reasons why. Just suppose you go out and get some supper ready.”

Elaine dropped down with a sigh on the pillows and closed her eyes, and Lexie, with a hopeless look at her sister, turned and went downstairs wondering how she was going to work out this problem in a good and righteous way. How could she ever go through all this future that had suddenly spread itself out before her shrinking feet? This torture! Why did it have to come to her? Wasn’t it hard enough without all this?

L
exie cast a helpless look around the neat little kitchen and began rummaging in the pantry. Obviously the first need of the invalid was something to eat. Could she find anything?

There was half a loaf of bread left, and a little butter. She could make some toast. If she could only find some coffee! Then suddenly she remembered a canister up on the top shelf where her mother used to keep coffee. Maybe there would be a little in it. She climbed up and took it down, and rejoiced to find two or three teaspoonfuls of coffee left. It must have been there some time, and probably wouldn’t be as good as freshly ground coffee, but at least it was something. Hurriedly she went about making it, and soon had a little tray ready. Toast and coffee and a bit of jam from a jar in the preserve closet. There was not much of anything left since her mother was gone, but she was glad to find even a little that was edible.

As she started up the stairs she sent a glance out-of-doors. The three children were out on the sidewalk watching the neighbors’ children who had come home from school and were playing hopscotch. Thankful that for the time being they were occupied, she hurried up with the tray.

“I found a little coffee in Mother’s old canister,” she announced cheerfully as she came into Elaine’s room. “I made you a cup, a little toast, too. There isn’t much butter, but it’s better than nothing.”

Elaine turned over and scanned the tray scornfully.

“That the best you can do?” she said hatefully. But she reached for the cup and drank the coffee thirstily.

“I despise coffee without cream,” she announced when she put down the cup.

“Well, there wasn’t any cream.” Lexie smiled. “Of course there was nothing to do but bring what I had. And now, Elaine, if you’re going to stay here for the night I’ll have to go down to the store and get a few things. There isn’t even an egg in the house, and there are only three slices of bread left.”

“Well, for mercy sake! Why don’t you telephone for supplies? You can’t be spared to go down to the store. Somebody needs to look after those children! And they’ll be howling for food pretty soon. Be sure you get a lot of sweet things or Gerald won’t eat a thing. Get cookies. And that butter wasn’t so good. Get a better quality, even if you have to pay more. I can’t eat strong butter.”

“Well, I’m sorry, Elaine, but that butter was some Mrs. Spicer gave me when I came yesterday, and I’m not sure I can get butter. You know we haven’t any ration cards here, and you can’t eat butter without points. The war is upsetting a good many old habits, but I suppose we have to be patient till things right themselves.”

“The perfect idea!” said Elaine. “Of course I brought my ration books along, but they are in the trunks. They won’t come till tomorrow. It’s outrageous! Can’t you tell the storekeeper we have just arrived and I am sick?”

“I can
tell
him, yes,” laughed Lexie, “but I’m sure from what Mrs. Wilson told me the other day that it won’t do any good. He is not
allowed
to sell butter without coupons. However, I’ll find something somehow. Now lie still and take a little nap. Will the children be all right playing by themselves?”

“Well, I’m sure I don’t know. I certainly can’t look after them,” said the indifferent mother. “For pity’s sake, don’t stay long! And Lexie, while you’re out, telephone my lawyer and ask him to come over right away, this evening if possible; if not, early in the morning. You’ll find his address in my bag. I think I dropped it on the table in the living room as I came by. His name is Bettinger Thomas.”

“Elaine! You don’t mean Bett Thomas! The boy you used to go to high school with!”

“Why certainly!” said Elaine getting into her high, shrieking tone, prepared for an argument. “What’s the matter with that?”

“But, Elaine! My dear, perhaps you didn’t know, but he’s scarcely considered respectable. He’s been connected with several shady cases the last few years. I don’t suppose you’d heard.”

“Oh fiddlesticks! What difference does that make? He’s a
friend,
and he’s promised to see me through. I wrote to him. He was recommended to me out where I lived as being one who would carry his case no matter what, and that is what I want.”

“But, Elaine, he’s unspeakable! You wouldn’t want to talk to him. You can’t ask him to come here!”

“Can’t I? Watch me! If you won’t telephone him, I’ll find somebody who can. Go hunt that nurse for me. She’ll do what I ask her, and get her mighty quick, too!”

Lexie stood at the foot of the stairs for a moment speechless, too angry to dare to utter a sound. Then she turned silently and went out of the house and down the street. Wild thoughts were rushing through her mind. How was she going to endure this? How could she go on? Was there any reason why she should?

By the time she had reached the corner, and passed several smiling neighbors who greeted her cheerily, she had so far recovered her normal temper as to be able to smile, at least faintly. After all, why should she be so angry? Just because Elaine was determined to secure an unscrupulous lawyer to try to hunt out a flaw in her dear mother’s dealings? Well, why should she be so upset? They certainly couldn’t find any evidence. But a lawyer like Bett Thomas could
make
evidence even if there wasn’t any; he could get low-down people to swear to things that counted for evidence. She had heard of some of his dealings. Oh, what
should
she do? She couldn’t have her dear dead mother’s honorable name blackened by being dragged through a court trial. And yet—well, there was a God! Her mother believed that. And deep in her heart she did, too, although she had never paid much heed to Him, except that she had always tried to order her life in a good and right way as her mother had taught her.
God, oh God, why did You let all this come to me? Didn’t You want me to succeed, and graduate, and get that job, and take care of myself in a good, respectable way? So why did I have to go through this fire?

Lexie arrived at the store just before it closed for the evening. She hurried in and began to look around. What could she get without ration stamps? Of course Elaine had said her ration books were in her trunk and would be there in the morning. Of course there were cereals, but Elaine never had liked them, and would her pestiferous children scorn them, too? If she had the opportunity she would like to teach them to like them, but that really wasn’t her present duty. She had hard problems to settle at once, and her immediate necessity was to get something they would all eat happily, and it wasn’t going to be easy, either. Of course there were eggs, and she purchased a supply of those. They kept milk at the store, and she got a couple of bottles. No butter or meat because they were both rationed. No sugar either. How would Elaine stand that? Well, she would have to settle that difficulty with the government, although she would probably act as if it were all her sister’s fault. Well, cookies and cakes! They would supply sweetness for the children. There were apples and pears and a few bananas, but there was no telling what the spoiled youngsters would condescend to eat.