The Mandie Collection (22 page)

“Oh, and the twins from Italy are also going,” Mandie added.

“And Mary Lou Dunnigan, but she will be a day student because she lives in Charleston,” Celia added.

“Well, well,” Mrs. Taft said. “So many out of Miss Prudence’s school. The college is much larger, of course, and you girls won’t be having to see those girls very much, I wouldn’t suppose, so maybe they will stay out of other people’s business.”

Mandie quickly thought about the journey to Europe in the summer and she smiled big and asked, “Grandmother, when we go shopping in New York, will that be before the voyage to Europe, also?”

Mrs. Taft quickly looked at her and then, with a big smile, she finally replied, “Yes, I suppose you have learned about our plans to go back to Europe. I wanted it to be a surprise for your graduation.”

“I’m sorry, Grandmother, to ruin your surprise, but everyone is talking about it and I was the only one who didn’t know about it until some of the girls told me,” Mandie said.

“I should have gone ahead and told you, too,” Mrs. Taft said. “I should have known it would get back to you somehow before graduation.”

“But I need to know now, Grandmother, because I have to make plans, too,” Mandie said. “Otherwise, I would have been planning other things for the summer. Oh, Grandmother, I am so excited about going to Europe again. And this time taking all my friends. It’s going to be a wonderful summer.”

“We will meet all the others at Lindall Guyer’s house in New York a few days before time to sail and we’ll do up the town.”

“Mrs. Taft, I appreciate your asking me, too,” Celia said. “And I’m glad Aunt Rebecca and Mollie will be able to go with us. I just wonder what Mollie will do when she finds herself back in Ireland. Do you think she might not want to come back home with us?”

“Your mother and your aunt and I have discussed that and we’ve decided the child will want to come back with us. And of course we can’t take her over there and leave her with no family. I believe your aunt Rebecca has pretty good control of her now.”

“She was really wild when we found her, wasn’t she?” Mandie said.

“And she still wants to chase leprechauns,” Celia said.

“We will have to change her mind about believing in leprechauns,” Mrs. Taft said. She rose from her chair. “Now, you girls go up to your room and freshen up for supper and I will do likewise. I’ll be back down in about an hour. You will spend the night here because of the weather.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the girls chorused.

Mandie had her own room at her grandmother’s house and kept clothes and personal belongings there. And since they visited Mrs. Taft so much, Celia had also over a period of time brought some of her things and left them there. It solved the problem of having to bring clothes when they came to visit. In the room upstairs that Mandie called her own, the girls went through their clothes hanging in the wardrobe and decided to change into something a little warmer.

“I’m so glad Grandmother got everything straightened out down at the college. I knew she would,” Mandie remarked as she quickly removed her dress and slipped into a heavy blue woolen one.

“Yes, I knew she would, too,” Celia agreed as she changed into a green woolen dress. “I understand the weather is not so cold in the wintertime in Charleston. I suppose we’ll be shopping for something suitable for down there.”

“I’m excited about going to school there now and also about the trip to Europe,” Mandie said, brushing her blond hair. “I am very thankful for all of this. I remember how poor we were when my father was living and I only had two or three dresses a year for school, and that’s because I was growing and outgrew them so fast.”

“Yes, Mandie, I am very grateful for all the good things that are happening, too,” Celia agreed, coming to join her at the bureau.

“It’s going to be a wonderful summer this year.”

So many wonderful things were happening that Mandie hoped they would last and her plans would not get changed.

Time passed swiftly and Mandie and Celia kept finding their hair brushes and combs moved on their bureau but could not locate the source of the trouble.

Mary Lou kept reporting that April Snow, Polly Cornwallis, and the twins remained close friends. And Mandie could not figure why.

And finally spring break arrived, warm, gloriously beautiful with flowers blooming all over and birds chirping in clusters.

On a Saturday morning Mandie woke up, sat up in bed, looked at Celia who had also risen, and said, “New York next week.”

“Yes, New York shopping trip next week,” Celia repeated, swinging her feet to the floor.

“Yes, and my mother and Uncle John, and your mother should have already gone up there this week,” Mandie said, standing up to stretch and going over to the open window where the curtain fluttered in the morning breeze.

Celia came to join her and to look out at the new leaves sprouting from the trees. “I hope we don’t stay very long up there. I’d like to spend some time at home with my mother,” she said.

“Yes, and so would I,” Mandie agreed. “With Grandmother to supervise everything, maybe she will hurry and get the shopping done. I have so many clothes already I don’t know what I need with any more anyway.”

“I do, too. Mother is going through my things and will donate a lot of it to The Salvation Army,” Celia replied.

“I’ll ask my mother to do the same, then,” Mandie said. “I’m anxious to get this New York trip over with and get home while we still have time on our spring break to get my graduation dress. I know Aunt Lou must have it hemmed by now.” She turned to look at her friend. “You know we never did find out what happened to the dress when we couldn’t find it in Aunt Lou’s sewing room.”

“I imagine she knew where it was and will have it finished. Otherwise there would be a big fuss going on because she knows you have to have it for graduation.”

Mandie turned to walk over to the wardrobe to pull down a dress. “And you know I’ve been lonesome all this time without Snowball here. I’m going to bring him back when we go home on our break. I’m sure Grandmother will agree to at least let him stay at her house until we graduate.” She started dressing.

Celia also took down a dress. “Do you think she will allow you to take him to Europe with us on the boat?” Celia asked with a big grin.

Mandie frowned for a moment as she paused in buttoning her waist. “I think she will. Remember he didn’t really cause much trouble on our other journey to Europe. In fact, he was the cause of our making friends with Lily Masterson and her little sister, Violet. And I wonder how they are. I’m not very good at letter writing.”

“I imagine Lily realizes you are terribly busy getting an education, and she’ll probably be in touch later,” Celia said, fastening her long skirt band and shaking out the folds.

“Celia, you just gave me an idea,” Mandie said, stopping halfway across the room. “I’m going to ask Grandmother if I can invite Lily and Violet to go to Europe with us.”

“Oh, Mandie, that would be wonderful. I’d like to see them, too,” Celia replied.

“We’d better hurry with breakfast because you know Grandmother is having Ben pick us up right after that to go to her house so we’ll be ready to leave for New York from there on Monday,” Mandie reminded her. “And I do have to pack some clothes.”

“Yes, you are right. We need to hurry,” Celia agreed. “And I imagine a lot of the girls are leaving today for break.” She quickly brushed her long auburn hair. She turned to look at Mandie and asked, “Mandie, how in this world are we ever going to get everyone together for the trip to Europe when everyone lives in so many different places?”

“I asked Grandmother about that but I suppose I forgot to tell you. She said it was up to everyone else to get to New York to Jonathan’s house. That’s where everyone will meet after we graduate in May,” Mandie explained.

Celia blew out her breath and smiled as she said, “I’m sure glad Jonathan has such a huge house, with all the people who are going to Europe staying there.”

“Let’s go,” Mandie said, going to open the door.

Downstairs, when they got in line for breakfast, they didn’t see Polly, April Snow, or the twins. Mandie watched and then whispered to Celia as they arrived at their chairs, “They must have left yesterday, but I wonder if they left together.”

“Maybe,” Celia whispered back.

As soon as the meal was over, Mandie and Celia rushed back to their room and quickly packed everything they would need to go to New York and then to their homes for the rest of the spring break. They were just finished when Ben came to take them to Mrs. Taft’s house.

Miss Prudence found them in the front hall. “Ben is here for you young ladies to go to Mrs. Taft’s,” she said. “I hope you have nice holidays.”

“Thank you, Miss Prudence. This is one time when a telephone would have been convenient. Grandmother could have called and told us Ben was on his way,” Mandie said with a big smile at the lady.

“Yes, yes, I know,” Miss Prudence said. “It seems the telephone company will never get the wires in place for our telephones, however . . .”

Aunt Phoebe, the school housekeeper, came down the hall toward them.

“Good-bye, Aunt Phoebe, see you in two weeks,” Mandie told her.

“You young ladies act like young ladies now on de big trip to de big city. We don’t want dem Noo Yawkers saying we’se heathens down south heah now.” She smiled as she hugged Mandie and then Celia.

“No one would ever think these two girls were heathens, Aunt Phoebe,” Miss Prudence said, smiling. “I’m right proud at how they’ve turned out since enrolling here.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Mandie quickly told the two women as she hurried toward the front door. She was always uncomfortable with compliments.

The girls’ trunks had been brought down and Ben was loading them on the rig. The girls waved good-bye as they got into the rig and Ben drove the vehicle out into the street.

They spent the weekend with Mrs. Taft discussing the upcoming shopping trip to New York and their graduation and then their journey to Europe. The girls were becoming more and more excited as those things came closer to being realities.

Mandie remembered Lily in the middle of their conversation with Mrs. Taft in the parlor. “Grandmother, I was wondering if I might ask Lily Masterson and her little sister, Violet, to go to Europe with us. Remember them?”

“Oh, yes, I remember them,” Mrs. Taft agreed. “But, Amanda, you don’t know what Lily is doing these days because you haven’t been in touch with her in a long time. She’s old enough now that she might have even gotten married.”

“Married? Lily?” Mandie repeated in surprise. “Well, I suppose I had not thought about that. But, Grandmother, I could write to her and find out what she and Violet are doing now.”

“All right, that will take a while. I wish that telephone company would hurry up and get the wires in for our telephones.”

“I’ll write a note this afternoon and get Ben to mail it for me,” Mandie said. “And, Grandmother, I don’t believe anyone from the school is going except Mary Lou.”

“I invited everyone, dear,” Mrs. Taft said. “But I suppose all the others already had plans. However, I told everyone they had until the first of May to let me know whether they were going or not, so we may have others coming with us.”

“Thank you, Grandmother,” Mandie said with a big smile.

Ben posted Mandie’s note to Lily Masterson that afternoon.

Monday morning they were all up and ready to get the train to New York. And when they got to New York the next day, Jonathan and his father, Lindall Guyer, and John Shaw met them at the depot. Celia’s mother, Jane Hamilton, and Mandie’s mother, Elizabeth Shaw, were waiting for them at the Guyer mansion. Since this was strictly a hurried shopping trip, no one else was coming to New York this time.

And Mandie and Celia were happy two days later when all the shopping had been done and they all started home—Mandie and her mother and uncle to their home in Franklin, and Celia and her mother to their home in Virginia. Mrs. Taft came home with the Shaws.

Snowball was waiting at the front door when Mandie arrived. He growled, purred, swished his tail, and made circles around Mandie’s feet. She stooped down to pick him up. “I suppose you must have missed me, Snowball,” she said.

He purred loudly in her ear and tried to lick her face.

Aunt Lou came down the front hall. “Lawsy mercy, heah’s my chile,” she said, rushing forward to embrace Mandie, cat and all.

Mandie hugged her back. “I’m glad to be home, Aunt Lou. I’ve been worried about—”

Aunt Lou cut her short as she said, “Don’t worry ’bout dat graduation dress. It’s all done and hanging in my sewing room ready to go to Asheville when you go back, my chile.”

“Now how did you know I was going to say I was worried about my dress?” Mandie asked with a big grin.

“ ’Cause you been worrying ’bout dat dress ever since we planned to make one fo’ you, my chile,” Aunt Lou said. “And now it’s done and ready.”

Mandie quickly squeezed Aunt Lou’s hand with her free hand as she held Snowball. “Thank you, Aunt Lou. I can always count on you. I love you.” She bent forward and planted a quick kiss on the old woman’s cheek.

“Now, now,” Aunt Lou said, flustered as always when anyone tried to love her. She quickly turned away and started back down the hall. “Got to see ’bout dinner now.” And stopping to glance back, she added, “I be thinkin’ we’re havin’ chocolate cake for dessert tonight.” She walked on toward the kitchen door.

“Oh, thank you, Aunt Lou,” Mandie called after her.

Mandie went up to her room, deposited Snowball on the big bed, and plumped up a pillow to sit beside him.

“You know, Snowball, you were too young to remember, but I remember the day you and I came here to Uncle John’s house. He was out of town but Mr. Jason invited us in and Aunt Lou gave us this room here to stay in until Uncle John would come home. I only had two dresses, both of them cheap, country clothes that I had had back home at Charley Gap when my father was living. Aunt Lou decided to make me all these wonderful dresses and everything. Oh, how I loved her for that.”

Snowball moved closer and rubbed his nose against her arm.

“Snowball, you and I were orphans. We didn’t have anyone at all who loved us, except my father’s old Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned. And bless his heart, Uncle Ned has always looked after me since my father went to heaven, just like he promised my father he would do.”

There was a knock on the door, the door opened, and Liza, the maid, came in with a sandbox for Snowball.

“Aunt Lou say to bring dis heah box up heah since you at home now and Snowball won’t be staying in de kitchen no more,” the girl said, going to the far corner of the room and placing the box for the cat.

“Oh, thank you, Liza,” Mandie said, straightening up.

Liza stood there a moment looking at Mandie and then she asked, “You been up to see dat new dress for de school thing?”

“No, Liza, I haven’t yet,” Mandie said. “Have you seen it?”

“I sho’ has and it’s beautiful,” Liza said with a big grin.

Mandie quickly stood up and said, “Come on, let’s run up to Aunt Lou’s sewing room and look at it.” She started toward the door. Liza followed.

Once in the sewing room, Mandie reached for the dress and took it down as she held it up before Liza. “I do believe we are about the same size except you may be an inch or two taller than I am.”

“Dat’s right. Dat dress it jes’ fit me only it’s a little short,” Liza agreed with a big grin.

“This dress fits you? Did you try it on, Liza?” Mandie asked.

Liza walked around in circles in the room and wouldn’t look at Mandie for a few minutes.

Mandie began thinking about the missing dress. Had Liza “taken it,” maybe to try on, or look at, or something? Was that where it was when she couldn’t find it?

“Liza?” Mandie asked as she took Liza’s hand to stop her from walking around the room. “Liza, answer me. Did you try this dress on?” she asked.

Liza stomped her feet, dropped her gaze, and mumbled, “I’se sorry. I didn’t do it no harm. I jes’ wanted to see how I feel all dressed up like dat.”

Mandie drew a deep breath and said, “All right, Liza, you are forgiven. But you should have asked me if you could try it on. The dress was missing and I was worried about it.”

“I won’t be doin’ dat agin never,” Liza told her.

“Liza, I’m going to get Aunt Lou to make you a real fancy dress,” Mandie said. “You can wear it to church. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yessum, Missy, I’d like dat sho’ nuff,” Liza replied. “Does you really mean it?”

“Sure I mean it, Liza. I’ll speak to Aunt Lou as soon as I get a chance while I’m home for the holidays.” She reached to hang the dress back on the hook.

“Thank you, Missy Mandie, I’se got to go now, ’fo Aunt Lou be lookin’ fo’ me,” she said and quickly ran out the door.

Mandie breathed a sigh of relief. That mystery was solved. She picked up Snowball, who had followed her up there, and said, “Come on, Snowball, let’s go downstairs.”

Mandie enjoyed her time with her mother during the holidays. School took so much of her time away from home. And she was overjoyed when her mother told her that this time she and Mandie’s uncle, John Shaw, whom Elizabeth had married when Mandie’s father died, would be going to Europe with the group.

“Oh, Mother, I am so thrilled. Last time you couldn’t go,” Mandie said as they sat alone in the parlor one afternoon.

“I don’t get enough time with you, Amanda, but school is definitely necessary,” Elizabeth told her, reaching to squeeze her hand.

Mandie smiled and said, “Well, just as soon as I get finished with my education I am going to come home and spend all my time with you, Mother.”

“By that time you will probably have other things you will be involved in, that is, if my mother has her way about things,” Elizabeth said, smiling at her.

Mandie quickly shook her head. “No, Mother, by that time I will be a grown woman with a mind of my own. Grandmother won’t always be the boss,” she said, grinning at her mother. “She’s your mother. You know how overbearing, bossy, protective, or whatever you want to call it, she is. And I think she is beginning to realize I won’t always be a child at her beck and call. I love her with all my heart. But you come first, Mother.”