Nancy and Plum (18 page)

Nancy said, “She even makes children with curly hair wear pigtails.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Well, Marybelle Whistle certainly has a head loaded with corkscrews.”

Both children giggled at this description and Plum told Mrs. Campbell how she used to call Marybelle Woodenhead with shaving curls.

Mrs. Campbell said, “I’ve always wondered why Marybelle lives with her aunt. She has parents, hasn’t she?”

Nancy said, “Oh, yes, she’s got a mother and father but her mother has sick headaches.”

Plum said, “Probably got them from looking at Marybelle.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Well, now we can’t sit around here talking all day. Plum, you go down and gather your eggs and tell Mr. Campbell that we’re going to have chicken pie for dinner and I need a nice fat hen. Also tell him I want some peas and carrots, a head of lettuce and some radishes and onions from the garden.”

Plum said, “Don’t you want me to help you with the dishes?”

Mrs. Campbell said, “My goodness, no, honey, you go help Mr. Campbell and Nancy will help me.”

Plum jumped up and was just skipping out the door when Mrs. Campbell called her back. “Just a minute, Plum,” she said. “Let me take a look at those shoes.”

Plum slipped off her shoes and handed them to her and when Mrs. Campbell turned them over and saw the huge holes she said, “Tsk, tsk,” and with the kitchen shears and some heavy cardboard, set about making insoles. When they were finished, Plum slipped them on, said, “Wow! Just like new shoes,” thanked Mrs. Campbell and went racing off to the barn.

Mrs. Campbell said to Nancy, “Now let me have yours, honey. I fixed Plum’s first because it’s very dangerous to be around the barns in bare feet.”

Nancy said, “Do new shoes cost very much?”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Not very much.”

Nancy said, “Well, when I get a job and earn some money, that’s the first thing I’m going to buy.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Speaking of jobs, we’d better get the dishes done or we’ll never get at that chicken pie.”

It was while Mrs. Campbell and Nancy were upstairs making the beds that Old Tom drove into the yard. He drove the black truck right up by the back porch, got out and knocked on the door. Nancy ran into a closet and hid behind the clothes but Mrs. Campbell said, “Come on, Nancy, hiding won’t do any good at all. Let’s go down and see what he has to say.”

Old Tom said, “She doesn’t know Nancy and Plum are here, Mrs. Campbell, but I knew because I told them to sleep in your haystack. What I stopped in to tell you is that Mrs. Monday has called their Uncle John and he is on his way out. Shall I have him come up here?”

Mrs. Campbell said, “By all means. I’d like to talk to him.”

Nancy put her arms around Mrs. Campbell, buried her head in her apron and said, “No, please don’t. We’ll have to go back to Mrs. Monday’s. Please don’t.”

Mrs. Campbell patted her head and said, “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll watch out for you.”

Mr. Campbell and Plum came up from the barn carrying the fat red hen. Mr. Campbell said, “What is it, Tom?”

Old Tom said, “Mrs. Monday doesn’t know the girls are here but she has called their Uncle John and I want to know if I should bring him up here.”

Mr. Campbell said, “Of course, I want to talk to him.”

Plum threw her arms around Mr. Campbell’s legs, buried her face in his overalls and cried, “No, please, don’t. He’ll send us back to Mrs. Monday’s. Please don’t send us back to Mrs. Monday’s.”

Mr. Campbell patted her head and said, “Don’t you worry, honey, I’ll take care of you.”

Old Tom rubbed his forehead and said, “Nancy and Plum, I’m only trying to help you. This will be your chance to talk to your uncle and tell him about Mrs. Monday.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “If he has the gumption of a rabbit he’ll see how skinny and undersized they are.”

Plum said, “And how worn out our shoes are.”

Old Tom said, “How was that haystack anyway, girls?”

Nancy wiped her eyes on Mrs. Campbell’s apron and said, “Oh, it was wonderful, Tom. Like sleeping on a cloud.”

Plum said, “A cloud made of splinters.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “What time do you think their uncle will get here?”

Old Tom said, “Well, she just got hold of him and Central City’s a long way off.”

Plum said, “Come on, Uncle Angus, let’s hurry and pick that chicken. If I have to go back to Mrs. Monday’s I’m going to eat that chicken pie first.”

Nancy said, “Uncle Angus?”

Plum said, “Yes, he asked me to call him that, didn’t you, Uncle Angus?”

Mr. Campbell said, “Certainly did. Wish you’d call me Uncle Angus, too, Nancy.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “And I’m Aunt Mary Ann from now on.”

Plum said, “I think I’ll call Uncle John Mr. Remson.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Now listen. This is what I think we’d better do. We’ll all go about our business and enjoy ourselves as much as possible. Then when Uncle John and Mrs. Monday get here we’ll talk things over in a nice sensible way, without getting angry. I’m sure everything will turn out for the best.”

Plum said, “What if Mrs. Monday lies? She always does, you know.”

Mr. Campbell said, “We’ll handle that when the time comes. Now come on and let’s see how fast you can get the feathers off that chicken.”

The chicken pie was perfection. Little bubbles of gravy came up through the pricks on the golden flaky crust. The inside was all big pieces of tender chicken, sweet new peas, tiny whole carrots, little white onions and rich fragrant gravy.

Plum took her first bite and said, “Now I’m madder than I ever was at Mrs. Monday and Marybelle.”

Mr. Campbell took his first bite and said, “I hate to say this, Nancy, but you’re a better cook than Mary Ann.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “Good cooks are born that way, I always say, and Nancy is certainly one of the best.”

Nancy was so happy and proud she glistened.

It was unfortunate that just at this moment Uncle John, Marybelle and Mrs. Monday should have arrived.

With a moan Plum looked out the window, saw Uncle
John’s big car and began stuffing the chicken pie in her mouth. It was scalding hot and after each bite she had to gulp a swallow of ice-cold milk.

Nancy said, “Plum, you’re being disgusting.”

Plum said, “I dod care. Nobody’s goig to keep me frob eatig this chicked pie.”

Mr. Campbell said, “That’s right, Plum, now is no time to stand on ceremony. Choke it down before they get here.”

Mrs. Campbell said, “I’ll heat up what’s left and you can have it for supper, Plum.”

Nancy pushed her plate away and said, “I feel kind of sick.”

Mrs. Campbell kissed her cheek and said, “I know just how you feel, honey, but don’t you worry. Everything’s going to be all right.”

Uncle John was very cool to Nancy and Plum and Mrs. Monday didn’t speak to them at all. Marybelle hissed at Plum, “Boy, you’re going to get it,” and Plum said, “So are you,” and stamped on her toe.

Marybelle gave a shriek and said, “Aunty Marybelle, Plum stepped on my toe.”

Plum said, “I’m terribly sorry, Mrs. Monday, I must not have been looking where I was going.”

Mr. Campbell winked at Plum as they all filed into the parlor.

When they were seated, Uncle John said, “Nancy and Pamela, I was very distressed to hear of your running away. Most inconsiderate of you. You have caused Mrs. Monday
worry and you have certainly upset me. I trust such a thing will never happen again.”

Plum said, “It certainly won’t because we will never go back to Mrs. Monday’s.”

Uncle John said, “You will go back to Mrs. Monday’s.”

Nancy said, “But, Uncle John, you can’t send us back there! You don’t know how awful she treats us.”

Uncle John said, “All children must have discipline. You know that, Nancy. Discipline is part of training and I am paying Mrs. Monday to train you.”

Plum said, “Is taking away our supper and making us wear shoes with holes in them training?” She held up her foot for Uncle John to see.

He looked at the hole and turned to Mrs. Monday.

She laughed and said, “I told you, Mr. Remson, that Nancy and Plum chose special little costumes for this act they are putting on. You saw their lovely clothes, and their many pairs of new shoes.”

Plum said, “That’s not true, Mrs. Monday. We don’t have any lovely clothes or new shoes and you know it.”

Uncle John said, “Pamela, I will not tolerate such impudence. With my own eyes I saw yours and Nancy’s entire, very complete wardrobes. Now I am tired of this nonsense. Get in the car and we will go!”

Mr. Campbell said, “Mr. Remson, are you sure of your facts?”

Uncle John said, “I certainly am.”

Mr. Campbell said, “Has it occurred to you that well-cared-for children are not as thin and undersized as Nancy and Plum?”

Mrs. Monday said, “Nancy and Pamela are extremely spoiled children, Mr. Campbell. They like to eat nothing but sweets, which accounts for their slight bodies.”

Uncle John said, “Their mother was also small and very slender. Size is hereditary.”

Nancy said, “Uncle John, did you look at the other boarders at Mrs. Monday’s? They are all little and skinny, too.”

Uncle John waved his hand in the direction of fat Marybelle and said, “That is an obvious untruth, Nancy. Now I have had quite enough of this arguing. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, I will send you a check for your trouble.”

Mrs. Campbell, her cheeks flaming and her eyes flashing, said, “We don’t want anything from you, Mr. Remson. Nancy and Plum were no trouble.”

Mr. Campbell said, “You must be very anxious to be rid of your nieces, Mr. Remson.”

Uncle John said, “I know very little about children but I have spared no expense in caring for Nancy and Pamela. It is my opinion that Mrs. Monday is doing everything in her power to give them a good, normal home.”

Plum, who was crying, said, “If good, normal homes were like Mrs. Monday’s every child in the world would run away.”

Mr. Remson said, “Pamela, you are not only ungrateful but very rude. Apologize to Mrs. Monday.”

Plum said, “I won’t apologize to Mrs. Monday and the next time I run away I’m going to Africa.”

Mrs. Monday turned to Uncle John and said, “You see, Mr. Remson, I have a real problem in these children.”

Nancy, who was also crying, her head buried in Mrs. Campbell’s lap, looked up and said, “Mrs. Monday, you don’t tell the truth and your heart is going to turn pure black.”

Plum said, “What heart?”

Uncle John said, “I’ve had enough of this and I must get back to the city. Nancy and Pamela, go out to the car. You will sit in front with the driver.”

Nancy and Plum threw their arms around Mrs. Campbell and said, “Good-bye, Aunt Mary Ann.”

Mrs. Campbell patted them and whispered, “Don’t you worry. We’ll work this out some way. Go along with them quietly now and remember we’ll help you.”

Nancy said, “You keep our treasures, Aunt Mary Ann.”

Plum said, “And save my chicken pie for me.”

Then they hugged Mr. Campbell and he patted them and whispered, “Don’t worry, we’re smarter than Mrs. Monday. We’ll figure something out.”

Plum wailed, “But I never got to milk the cow.”

Mr. Campbell said, “You will, Plum. Soon, too.”

After they were settled in the car and were driving along toward the Boarding Home, Nancy said to Plum, “Remember yesterday morning how beautiful we thought this road was?”

Plum said, “It looks ugly and dreary now.”

And it did, too. Dark clouds had gathered and hung low, their black shadows lying on the valley like shrouds. The wild roses had hidden their heads, the buttercups had closed up tight and even the black-eyed Susans turned their faces away as the long black car went past. By the time they reached the Boarding Home, a wind had come up, big splatty drops of rain were falling and the day had turned to dusk.

As they got out of the car, Uncle John said, “I understand you won the spelling match at school, Pamela.”

Plum did not answer.

Mrs. Monday said, “Sulking. Another one of their bad habits.”

Uncle John said, “Did the new dress I sent you fit all right, Nancy?”

Nancy said, “We have never gotten anything from you, Uncle John. Not even a letter.”

Mrs. Monday said, “Nancy, it is wicked to tell falsehoods to your uncle. Now, my dear, dear Mr. Remson, I know how eager you are to get back to the city, so we won’t take up any more of your time.”

Uncle John said, “Good-bye, Nancy and Pamela.”

Nancy and Plum turned and looked at him. Their eyes were as cold as frost and they said not one word as they turned and went up the steps of the Boarding Home.

Mrs. Monday shook hands with Uncle John and then hurried through the rain and into the house. Uncle John’s car drove off, its red taillights in the gloom like two evil eyes.

Nancy and Plum were waiting for Mrs. Monday in the hall. She said, “Come along with me. I have moved you. I’ll show you to your new room.”

She took them to the third floor and down the hall to the trunk room.

“I had Tom move all the trunks and boxes to the attic,” she said. “From now on this will be your room and you will be locked in.” There was a large new lock on the door. Mrs. Monday unlocked it with a little key she wore fastened to a slender silver necklace.

The trunk room was very dark and their little iron bed against the brown wall looked like a prison cot.

Mrs. Monday said, “Because of the sloping ceiling, your bureau wouldn’t fit in here, so you will use that box.” She pointed to a plain wooden box in which Nancy and Plum’s meager collection of clothing had been dumped carelessly.

She said, “I think it would be a good idea for you to stay up here and think about what naughty and inconsiderate little girls you have been.”

Nancy and Plum just looked at her. She went out, closing and locking the door after her.

Nancy walked over and stood by the window. A jagged flash of lightning pierced a black cloud like a flaming dart. Big fat clouds bumped into each other and grumbled menacingly. The rain on the roof sounded like hundreds of woodpeckers. Raindrops hit against the window and rolled down the glass like tears. Nancy watched them and as she watched matching tears rolled out of her eyes and down her cheeks.