Patty's Motor Car

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER XVIII

  MONA INTERFERES

  Patty found Kenneth in the doorway, awaiting her.

  “Here you are,” he called out, cheerily enough, and Patty hoped it wasonly her imagination that made her think his manner a littleconstrained. He was gentle and kindly as ever, but he was not in merrymood, and Patty felt this at once.

  They began to dance. Their steps suited perfectly, and, though Pattyherself was such an accomplished dancer that she could adapt her step toany one, yet she always specially enjoyed a turn with Kenneth. But nowhe seemed different, and, though he danced as perfectly as usual, and sodid Patty, there was a certain constraint in his manner and he spokeonly occasionally, and then the merest commonplaces. Patty realisedfully that there was something wrong, but she also knew she could donothing then and there to set it right. She couldn’t ask Kenneth whatElise had said to him, and she couldn’t think of any other way to openthe subject.

  So, after a few turns round the room, she was really glad that anotherpartner claimed her, for this was one of the dances that she haddivided.

  Kenneth left her, with a simple “Thank you, Patty,” and, turning on hisheel, went out of the dancing-room. In the hall he met Mona, who said,abruptly and impulsively: “Oh, Mr. Harper! I haven’t any partner forthis dance. Come for a walk round the lawn, won’t you?”

  “Wouldn’t you rather dance?” asked Kenneth, who was in no mood forconversation.

  “No,” said Mona, smiling wilfully, “I want to walk out under thelanterns on the lawn. They’re so lovely and Japanesy.”

  Mona had a wheedling way with her, and Kenneth smiled a little as heescorted her down the steps and along a side path through the grounds.

  “You think I’m a queer girl, don’t you, Mr. Harper?” she began, as theystrolled along under the trees.

  “If I did, you couldn’t expect me to tell you so, Miss Galbraith,” heparried.

  “Well, even if you haven’t thought so before, you will now;” and Monagave a determined shake of her head. “But I don’t care if you do. I wantyou to answer me a question. What did Miss Farrington tell you thatPatty Fairfield had said, and you returned that you didn’t believe Pattysaid it?”

  Now Kenneth was an exceedingly well-mannered young man, but he wascertainly taken aback by this question flung at him so suddenly by acomparative stranger, and he was tempted to reply so plainly that shemust think him rude. But, after a moment’s hesitation, he modified hisintentions, and only said:

  “I’m sorry to have you think _me_ queer, Miss Galbraith, but, even atthat risk, I must decline to answer such a very personal question. And,too——”

  “And, too,” repeated Mona, stopping and turning to look squarely at him,“you were going to say, that I’m an eavesdropper, and, except for yourinability to be so rude, you would tell me so.”

  Kenneth was amazed at the girl’s intuition, but he said honestly, “Youare very nearly right, Miss Galbraith.”

  “Very nearly right? I’m exactly right, and you know it! Now let me tellyou, Mr. Kenneth Harper, I don’t care one snip-jack for your opinion ofme, and you may think just exactly what you choose! But I have another’sinterest at heart, and I’m perfectly justified in asking you thequestion I did ask. Please tell me.”

  At the last words Mona’s voice sank to a pleading whisper, and there wassuch heartfelt urgency in her voice that he was moved against his will.

  “Why do you want to know, Miss Galbraith?” he asked, more gently.

  They were walking on again now, and Mona looked straight before her asshe replied: “I cannot tell you that, but I beg of you to tell me what Iask. Was it anything about me?” Mona had no idea that it was, and thiswas a purely strategic enquiry.

  “No, it was not about you,—and now I hope you’re satisfied.”

  “No, I’m not satisfied. Was it about you?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “And was it something mean Patty had said about you?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Mr. Harper, you are not a true friend. You know Patty Fairfieldcouldn’t say a mean thing to save her life! And especially about you,one of her best friends!”

  “Oh, I don’t think I’m that,” said Kenneth, in a cynical tone.

  “You are, too! Now, are you sure Patty said this thing?”

  “Elise said so,” muttered Kenneth, who had forgotten he was talking to astranger, because Mona had assumed such compelling intimacy.

  “And are you sure it was mean?”

  “Well, rather! You can judge for yourself!” Kenneth’s indignation gotthe better of his self-restraint, and he told Mona frankly the truth.

  “Once, when Patty went away, I gave her a little locket as a partinggift, and she thanked me and said she liked it. Now, Elise tells me thatPatty told her she didn’t care a snap about that locket, and she onlywore it once or twice.”

  “And you told Miss Farrington that you didn’t believe Patty said that?”

  “Yes; but Elise insisted that she did say it, and somehow I believeElise. Her words had the ring of truth.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Harper, for your confidence;” Mona spoke very earnestly.“Believe me, you have done no harm in telling me this. You think it isnone of my business, but it is. You think me a queer girl, and I am. Butlet me tell you one thing, Patty Fairfield is a true, sweet, loyalnature, sound to the core; and Elise Farrington is not above a triflingdeception, now and then, if she wishes to gain a point. Please take meback to the house.”

  They walked the short distance in silence, Kenneth secretly thinkingthat Miss Galbraith was certainly queer; and at the same time wonderingif Elise could have made up that story. But, as he had said, there wassomething in the tone of Elise’s voice, as she repeated Patty’s words,that convinced him they were true. With a sigh, he went up the steps byMiss Galbraith’s side, and then they separated, to join other partners.

  The dance went on, with its merriment and gaiety, and of course no onewould have known that either Patty or Kenneth had a troubled mind. Elisewas in specially gay spirits, and Mona seemed to be enjoying herselfthoroughly.

  * * * * *

  “It was a lovely party!” declared Elise, after it was over and the lastguest gone. “It was just perfect. There wasn’t a flaw! Isn’t that so,Patty?”

  “I had a good time,” said Patty, a little wearily; “but I’m awfullytired, and I’m going right straight to bed. Good-night, everybody;good-night, Roger,—good-night, Ken.”

  She nodded pleasantly to the young men, and started up the stairs atonce. Elise and Christine followed, and, when they reached the upperhall, Patty bade them a brief but pleasant good-night and went straightto her own room.

  “I don’t know what to do,” she thought to herself, as she took off herpretty blue frock. “I can’t let the matter go without saying aword,—and I can’t say anything, because that would put Elise in thewrong, and she is my guest! I’ll just have to live it down, I suppose.”

  But it wasn’t so easily lived down. The next morning, though Patty triedto be especially cordial to Kenneth, he avoided her whenever possible.Not noticeably to the others,—but Patty realised that he did not seekher company, or sit by her on the veranda, or ask to ride with her inthe motor.

  The morning dragged along, nobody seeming to have energy enough topropose any sort of fun.

  “Patty’s birthday seems to have been too much for this crowd,” said Nan,laughingly. “I propose that you men all go for a swim, and let theseexhausted girlies take a little nap. I think they danced too late, and Isha’n’t allow such dissipation again.”

  “I feel fine, Mrs. Fairfield,” declared Elise. “I never get tireddancing. Do you, Christine?”

  “No, I didn’t get tired,—I thought it was a lovely party. I very seldomhave an opportunity to be in such gaieties.”

  “But you’re tired, aren’t you, Patty?” asked Elise, as Pat
ty sat on theveranda rail, leaning listlessly against a pillar. Before she had timeto answer, however, a servant came walking along the drive, whom Pattyrecognised as one of the “Red Chimneys” footmen. He brought a note,which he handed to Patty, and then, with a deferential bow, he wentaway.

  Patty asked permission to read the note, glanced it over, and thentossed it to Roger, saying, “We seem to be especially favoured!”

  The note was an invitation for Patty and Roger to come over to “RedChimneys” at once, but no one else was asked.

  “Come on, Patty,” said Roger; “the others will excuse us for a littlewhile, I’m sure.”

  So Patty and Roger walked away by the shortcut across the two lawns, andfound Mona in the doorway awaiting them.

  She smiled as she put her arm around Patty, and said, “You’re the one Iwant,—I asked Mr. Farrington for a blind.”

  “Well, I like that!” exclaimed Roger, looking incredulous.

  “Well, I’ll tell you,” went on Mona, smiling at him; “the truth is, Iwant to see Patty privately on a _very_ important matter. I didn’t wantto send for her alone, because it looked so conspicuous. But our privateconference won’t last more than ten minutes, and, if you can entertainyourself that long, I’ll take care of you afterward. Here’s the morningpaper, and do try to be patient.”

  Mona didn’t wait for Roger’s response, but, with her arm still aroundPatty, led her to the library, took her in, and closed the door.

  “Patty,” she began, “I’m a queer girl, and you know it,—and I know it.You don’t like me very much, but I like you, and I’d do anything foryou.”

  “Good gracious, Mona! What _are_ you getting at?”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what I’m getting at,—and I’ll tell you rightnow. I may be queer, but I can see a hole through a millstone whenanybody I love is concerned. Now, you know when you and Mr. Van Reypenand I were in the little arbour last night, we overheard somebodytalking on the other side of the thick vines.”

  “Really, Mona, I must beg of you not to go too far, or I may lose mytemper!”

  “Oh, no, you won’t, Patty Fairfield! You just sit still and listen. Nowyou know, as well as I do, we weren’t eavesdropping,—any of us,—but weall heard what Mr. Harper said to Miss Farrington.”

  “Well, what of it?” Patty’s face was pale and her lips were set hardtogether. She was thoroughly angry at what she considered Mona’sunwarrantable interference, and she felt she could stand but littlemore.

  “Just this of it! I asked Mr. Harper what it was that Miss Farringtontold him about you.”

  “Mona Galbraith! You didn’t!”

  “I certainly did; and, what’s more, he told me.”

  “Kenneth told you?” said Patty, incredulously.

  “Yes, he did. And this was it. But perhaps you don’t want to know whatit was.”

  “Of course I do! Mona, tell me, quick!”

  “Well, he said that Miss Farrington told him that you didn’t care a snapabout the locket he gave you and that you only wore it once or twice.”

  “What?” exclaimed Patty. “I don’t quite understand. The locket Kennethgave me?”

  “That’s what she said.”

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake! I understand now! That locket! Why, the idea!Say, Mona, you’re a trump to find this all out!”

  “You didn’t think so at first.”

  “No, I didn’t; and I’m sorry! You have played the part of a real friend,and you’ve done more for me than you realise! But, oh, Mona! how _could_Elise do a thing like that?”

  “She’s that sort, that’s all. You know as well as I do she likes KennethHarper an awful lot, and she knows that he likes you better than he doesher, so she’s trying to set him against you.”

  “Set Kenneth against me? She couldn’t do it! Dear old Ken, we’re toogood friends for that! But, Mona, how did you find out all this? Youscarcely know these people.”

  “Oh, I sized up that Farrington girl the minute I saw her! She isn’t abit like her brother. He’s an all-round, good sort. And the poor chappieis still out there reading the paper! He must be devouring theadvertisements by this time. Now, Patty, forget _my_ part in thisaffair, skip over home, make it up with Mr. Harper, and do whatever youthink best with that Farrington girl.”

  “I can’t do anything with her, because she’s my guest; but I can make itup with Ken in just about two minutes! And, as for you, Mona, I don’tknow how to thank you!”

  “Oh, cut it out! I’d do heaps more than that for you, if I only had thechance! Fly now, for you must know how impatient I am to go and talk tomy new beau, Mr. Farrington.”

  So, after an embrace that was hearty enough at least to indicate hergratitude, Patty flew.