CHAPTER IX
THE FLEMINGS
The messenger-boy rang the door bell, and a white-capped maid opened thedoor. When she saw the uniformed youth, she held out her hand for his book,signed it and dismissed him.
Then turning to Patty, she said, "This way, miss," and ushered her into asmall reception room.
As Patty wrote to her father afterwards, she felt like a package sent froma department store, and she looked down, almost expecting to find herselfwrapped in paper and tied with a string.
After she had waited about ten minutes, a tall young woman came quicklydown-stairs and passed along the hall. She had on a hat and jacket, and wasevidently going away in a great hurry.
As she went by the reception room, she caught sight of Patty through theopen door, and stopped in surprise.
"Good-morning," she said, in a quick, hurried way. "Did you wish to seeme?"
"I don't know," said Patty, uncertain whether this was a cousin or avisitor at the house. "I am Patty Fairfield."
"Oh, yes, of course,--our cousin from the South. I'm so glad to seeyou,"--she shook Patty's hand hastily,--"but I must ask you to excuse methis morning, as I am just going to a meeting of the 'Current Events' Club,and I am already five minutes late."
With an apologetic smile she hastened away, and Patty waited again.
Then she heard another step on the stairs, and another lady entered theroom. This time it was Aunt Hester. She was a delicate looking little womanwith silver hair, but Patty knew her at once from her resemblance to herfather, who was Mrs. Fleming's brother.
"My dear child," said her aunt, as she kissed Patty, affectionately, "weare very glad to have you with us. But where is Tom?"
"He met a friend, Mr. Harding, and went away with him on very importantbusiness. He said to tell you he would be home to-night, and he sent mehere by a messenger-boy."
"Very well; I am glad you reached here safely. Are you hungry? Have youbreakfasted?"
"I had coffee and rolls on the boat, but I _am_ hungry," said Patty,frankly.
"Of course you are; well, you shall have something to eat. Let me look atyou. Yes, you do look a little like brother Fred. How old are you?"
"Fourteen," replied Patty.
"Ah, just the age of Ruth Fleming, who lives with us, and who will bepleasant company for you. I hope you will be happy with us, my dear, andyou mustn't mind being left to yourself a bit, for we are very busy people.Life is too short to be wasted in idleness."
"Yes," assented Patty, thinking that this aunt was indeed very differentfrom Aunt Isabel.
"And now," continued Mrs. Fleming, "I am going to send Molly to you, andshe will show you to your room, and afterwards give you some breakfast. Imust ask you to excuse me this morning, as I have to go to thesewing-class. Ruth is at school, but we will all meet at luncheon which isserved promptly at one."
Mrs. Fleming went away, not hurriedly, but with a quick, decided step, andin a few moments Molly, the maid appeared.
She was a merry-looking Irish girl, and her pleasant smile was such acontrast to the preoccupied manners of the ladies, that Patty felt friendlytowards her at once.
"Come with me, Miss Fairfield," she said, and taking up Patty'shand-luggage, she led the way to a room on the third floor. It was agood-sized room, very neat and well-furnished, but with none of the luxuryand beauty of Patty's room at Villa Rosa.
There was a square dressing-table and exactly in the centre of it was asquare pincushion, with a glass toilet bottle on either side and behind ita smaller glass bottle to match. The chairs were stiff and straight, andthere was a haircloth sofa with a small, square pillow at each end and onein the middle.
In the centre of the room was a table with books on it, and writingmaterials, and a drop-light hung over it from the chandelier above.
Though plain in its appointments, the room was light and airy andexquisitely neat and well-kept.
Molly deftly unfastened Patty's bag and shawl-straps, and then said:
"Now, miss, I'll go below, and when you're ready, come down three flightsof stairs to the dining-room, and I'll give you some breakfast."
Patty thanked her, and when she had left the room, Patty sat down in thesmall, straight-backed rocking-chair to "think herself out," as shesometimes expressed it.
She felt a little homesick for the warm-hearted friends at Villa Rosa, andyet she felt sure her Boston relatives were going to be very nice, if onlythey could ever find time to talk to her.
She wondered if the ladies were always hurrying off to club-meetings, andif Ruth were always studying. She would be glad when Cousin Tom came home,for she was very sure she liked him.
She looked critically at her surroundings and decided that when her trunkscame, and she could put the pretty things that she owned all about, theroom would look much more cozy and attractive, and so, though her receptionhad chilled her a little, she thought that perhaps she would have a goodtime in Boston after all.
She jumped up and began to arrange such things as she had brought with her.
Her pretty silver brushes and trays looked somewhat out of place on theprim dressing-table, but Patty thought them a decided improvement. Then sheunwrapped her mother's portrait, and placed it on the writing-table.
"It's a funny place, this, motherdy," she whispered to the picture, "and Idon't know whether we'll like it or not; but we'll be happy together, youand I. And I think we'll like Aunt Hester, for she's papa's sister, youknow, so she must be nice."
Then Patty went down the three flights of stairs, as directed, in search ofMolly.
"It's funny," she said to herself, "to go down cellar to breakfast. But I'msure she said three flights," and sure enough, when she reached thebasement, Molly met her with a kindly smile, saying,
"Come this way, miss," and Patty found that the front basement was thedining-room.
Its large windows were protected by iron railings, and the whole room hadan air of solemn dignity rather than cheerfulness, but Molly was sopleasant and cordial that Patty felt cheerful at once.
The smiling Irish girl brought her some fruit, an omelet, hot rolls anddelicious coffee, and after she had finished her solitary meal, Patty feltbetter able to cope with whatever might be awaiting her.
But apparently, nothing awaited her.
It was about ten o'clock, and as luncheon was announced for one, Pattywondered what she was expected to do in the meantime.
She asked Molly where Miss Elizabeth Fleming was.
"Laws, miss," said Molly, rolling her eyes, "don't make no attempt for tosee her. She's writin' a novel, and she's up in her den on the fourthfloor. We don't even call her to her meals. If she wants to come, shecomes; and if she don't, I takes a few things up and sets 'em outside herdoor."
"Oh," said Patty, with great interest, "can't you speak to people whenthey're writing novels?"
"Indade, no, miss. It spiles the whole thing, and they has to begin allover again if a word is spoken to them."
"I think that's wonderful," said Patty, much impressed, "and I'm just crazyto see my Cousin Elizabeth. And Ruth, where is she?"
"Miss Ruth, she's at her school, miss, around on the next block. She'll behome at one o'clock and then you'll see her. Now why don't ye go and liedown and rest yerself?"
"But I'm not tired," said Patty, "I just want to get started; get to livinghere, you know. Can't I go into the library and look at some of the books?"
"Yes, miss, sure, if there's nobody there. I'll shlip up an' peep."
Molly went softly up-stairs, and Patty followed on tiptoe. It seemedstrange to be so quiet, for at Villa Rosa everybody seemed to try to makeall the noise possible.
"You can go in," said Molly, after her peep, "nobody's there; but thechairs is all settin' in rows, so I guess a club or somethin' is comin'.But go in, miss, dear, an' amuse yerself."
So Patty went in the library, which was a large back room on the mainfloor.
It has been said that a house without a library is like
a body without asoul, and surely the library was the soul of the Fleming home. It was abeautiful room, built out behind the rest of the house, with a largeskylight of stained glass, and a wide bay window whose cushioned seatslooked very attractive.
Patty sat down and looked about her. The room was furnished with manywell-filled bookcases, several small desks and tables, and a number ofreading-chairs, whose broad arms held books and magazines.
Patty began at once to examine the titles of the books, and was delightedto find a large case full of children's books, containing all her oldfavorites, and many more that she had never read.
She selected "The Water Babies," which belonged to the latter class, andcurling herself up on the window-seat, was soon absorbed in the story.
A little later, she heard the street door open and shut, and then CousinBarbara whisked hurriedly into the library. She didn't see Patty at first,but sat down at a desk at the other end of the room, and hastily sortedover some papers.
"Ten-thirty to eleven-thirty, pigs," she murmured; "eleven-thirty totwelve, write paper on Choctaw costumes; twelve to one, attend Bootblacks'dinner. Ten-thirty! Why it's time for the pigs now."
"Will I interfere with the pigs if I stay here, Cousin Barbara?" saidPatty, curious to see the animals appear, but not wishing to intrude.
"What! are you there, Patty? Yes, you may stay if you like, but make nonoise or disturbance of any kind."
"I won't," said Patty, and then Miss Barbara proceeded to ignore her smallcousin's presence, and in her hurried way, prepared her books and papers,and laid small slips of paper and pencils in various chairs, andoccasionally jotted down something in a small note-book which she took fromher pocket.
Soon several strange ladies were ushered into the room by Molly, and Pattywas much disappointed by the fact that they brought no pigs with them, andwas just hoping that they would arrive later, when the meeting was calledto order, and she learned that it was a committee from the Town ImprovementAssociation, to consider ways and means for the amelioration of the generalcondition of the Common Pig.
Patty thought this was very funny, and wanted to laugh when the ladiesdiscussed it seriously and with great enthusiasm. Sometimes several talkedat once, and then Cousin Barbara rapped on her desk with a little hammerand they began all over again.
At half-past eleven, they all went away, and Cousin Barbara whipped out herpackets of papers once more. Then she selected several books from theshelves, and sat down to write. Presently she looked up, bewildered.
"Can I help you, Cousin Barbara?" said Patty, eager to be of assistance.
"No,--yes,--" said her cousin, absent-mindedly. "Yes--if you will pleasehand me the encyclopedia--the one labeled cho--"
Patty easily found the desired volume and carried it to her cousin, whosaid, "Thank you," and then scribbled away as fast as she could until theclock struck twelve.
"Now," she said, thrusting her papers in her desk, "I must go to theBootblacks' Dinner," and hastily putting on her jacket and gloves,--she hadkept on her hat,--she flew out of the room, and almost instantly the streetdoor closed behind her.
Then Patty resumed her book and read until one o'clock, when a great gongthat could be heard all over the house announced luncheon.
Delighted at the thought of seeing the family at last, Patty skippeddown-stairs.
Aunt Hester was in the dining-room and greeted her niece cordially.
"Well, my dear," she said, "I hope you found something to amuse you thismorning. To-morrow, if you wish, you may go to school with Ruth. Ah, hereshe comes now. Ruth, this is Patty Fairfield, my brother's child, fromRichmond."
"I am very glad to see you," said Patty pleasantly. "Cousin Tom told me youwere here, and I hope we shall be good friends."
"I hope so," said Ruth, a little awkwardly, for she was a trifle confusedby the graceful elegance of Patty's manner.
Ruth Fleming was a thin slip of a girl, with a very pale face, large grayeyes, and light brown hair which was smoothly brushed back, and tightlybraided. She wore a gray dress and her whole effect was plain andcolorless.
Her face was pure and intellectual, but so calm and expressionless thatPatty wondered if she ever laughed aloud, and if she ever enjoyed herselfvery much in any way.
Ruth took her place at the table without another word, and Patty sat downbeside her determined to make her say something, if she had to pinch her.
But just then Cousin Elizabeth came in, and Patty rose to greet her.
Miss Elizabeth Fleming was a large, handsome woman with black hair, andsnapping black eyes, and such a winning smile that Patty liked her at once.
"Well, Patty cousin, have you come at last?" she said. "I've been waitingfor you several years, and I'm very glad to see you." She gave Patty anaffectionate caress, and kept on talking as she seated herself at thetable. Patty afterwards discovered that Cousin Elizabeth always kept ontalking, no matter what happened, or who else was talking at the time.
"Yes," she said, "we've all wanted to see our Southern cousin, and now thatI have seen you, I think you are delightful. Mother, Geraldine has been thehatefullest thing this morning; she just sat down on a blue satin sofa, andshe wouldn't move, nor she wouldn't say a word. I declare I've lost allpatience with her."
"Who is Geraldine?" said Patty, "is there any one else in the family?"
"Geraldine is the heroine of my new novel," said Cousin Elizabeth, "and sheis lovely, but so intractable. You wouldn't believe how sulky and stupidshe gets at times. Ah, Barbara," as her sister bustled into the room, anddropped into a chair at the table, "how are the bootblacks?"
"Oh, they're lovely," said Barbara, "they ate all the dinner, and thenstole the forks. I rescued some of them, though--Elizabeth, can't you go tosee the Common Council this afternoon about that Statue Fund? I have aMothers' Meeting at two, and after that we rehearse the Greek pantomime,and oh, mother, did you keep that Greek robe of mine, or did you give itaway?"
"I gave it to a peddler," said Mrs. Fleming; "it was full of moth holes,and soiled besides. He gave me two saucepans for it."
"Never mind, sis," said Elizabeth, "you can borrow a Greek robe from MarthaFowler; she has one, I know, and I'll stop there for it, as I return fromthe Authors' Tea. Ruth, what have you on hand for this afternoon?"
"I practice until three, Cousin Elizabeth, then 'The Golden Branch' fromthree till four, and after that my French lesson and the Physical Cultureclass."
"H'm, well,--somebody ought to entertain Patty. Mother, what are yourplans?"
"I have to go out to Cambridge this afternoon to collect for the Dorcas AidSociety. Patty can go with me if she likes, but I'm afraid she wouldn'tenjoy it very much."
"No, I'll take Patty with me," said Cousin Elizabeth, very decidedly."She'll like the Authors' Tea, I know, and if we have time, we'll look inat the Library."
When luncheon was over, they all flew away on their respective errands, andCousin Elizabeth told Patty to put on her hat and coat, and meet her in thereception-room in ten minutes.
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