CHAPTER XIV
The Mermaid Shop
For the next few days Miss Mehitable had no time to worry overlove-affairs. No matter how early she arose in the morning she foundPete arrayed in overalls sitting on the stone step of Upton's FancyGoods and Notions, and when by the evening of the third day all hergoods, wares, and chattels were deposited in the little shop atKeefeport, she wondered how she had ever got on without him.
On that very day Ben Barry received a threatening letter from RufusCarder demanding the return of Pete, and he knew that no more time mustbe lost. He flew over to the Port that afternoon, and alighting on thelanding-field which had been prepared near his cottage walked to thelittle shop near the wharf. Here he found Pete industriously obeyingMiss Upton's orders in company with his idol, the whole quartet gay amidtheir chaos. Even Mrs. Whipp had postponed the fear of rheumatism andhad learned how to laugh.
They had formed a line and were passing the articles from boxes toshelves when the leather-coated, helmeted figure stood suddenly beforethem.
The effect of the apparition upon Geraldine with its associations was soextreme as to make her feel faint for a minute, and Ben saw her facechange as she leaned against the counter.
Miss Mehitable saw it too. "Aha!" she thought triumphantly. "Aha! Itisn't so funny to break a body's heart, after all."
"Well, Ben Barry," she said aloud, "why didn't you wait till we gotsettled?"
The aviator stood in the doorway, but came no farther.
"Because I have to take Pete away. I've had a _billet doux_ from RufusCarder and he wants him."
The dwarf rushed to his new master on quaking legs. "Oh, Master! I won'tgo! I can't go." He looked off wildly on the big billows rolling in."I'll throw myself in the sea."
Ben put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Of course you won't go," he said; "but you want to brighten up yourwits now and remember everything that will help us. We're going to thecity to-night and begin at once to settle that gentleman's affairs." Hegave Geraldine a reassuring look. "I should like to take your father'sletter with me," he added quietly.
"But we mustn't get Pete into trouble," she replied doubtfully.
"I'm not intending to show it. I want to familiarize myself with hishandwriting. I expect to have an interview and perhaps there will benotes to examine."
"But not at the farm," protested the girl quickly. "You'll not go nearthe meadow?"
"No; the cows have nothing to fear from us this time."
"And you'll"--Geraldine swallowed--"you'll be careful?"
Ben nodded. "All my promises hold," he replied, looking straight intoher eyes with only the ghost of his old smile, as Miss Upton noticed.
Geraldine ran upstairs, brought down her father's letter, and gave it tohim.
He took it with a nod of thanks. "How do you think you will like tofly, Pete?" he asked. "You can go home with me, or, if you prefer it, inthe trolley."
"Anywhere with you, Master," returned the boy. He felt certain thatRufus Carder would not be met among the clouds, but who could be surethat he would not pop up in a trolley car.
"Very well, then. Good-bye, everybody, and expect us when you see us."
"Good-bye, you dear boy," cried Miss Mehitable. _Somebody_ should callhim "dear." She was determined on that. "Always workin' for others," shecontinued loudly, "and riskin' your life the way you are." She moved tothe door, and raised her voice still higher as the strangely assortedpair moved away up the road. "I hope you'll get your reward sometime!"she shouted; then she turned back and glared at Geraldine.
The girl put her hand on her heart. "It startled me so to see him--justas he looked on that--that--dreadful day," she was going to say, but howcould she so characterize the day of her full joy and wonder? So hervoice died to silence, and Miss Upton began slamming articles up on theshelves with unnecessary violence, while Geraldine, smiling into thepacking-boxes, meekly set about helping her.
Pete, like Geraldine before him, was in such terror of his former masterand so full of trust in his present one, that he swallowed his fears asthe plane rose for its short trip, and he found the experienceenjoyable. Ben, when they reached the house, sought his mother. She waswalking on the piazza.
"You didn't tell me you were off for a flight," she said in an annoyedtone.
"Well, it was now you see me and now you don't this time, wasn't it? Youhad hardly time to miss me. I flew over to the Port to get Pete. We haveto go to the city to-night. I'll be gone a few days, Mother, perhaps aweek."
"On some disgusting business connected with that unspeakable man, Isuppose."
"Verily I believe it will be very disgusting; but it has to be gonethrough with."
"Why does it?" His mother stood before him and spoke desperately. "Whycan't you let it alone?"
"I've told you--because it affects the happiness of my future wife."
Mrs. Barry's eyes were hard, though her cheeks grew crimson. "Youhaven't announced your engagement to me. Don't you think I should be oneof the first to know?" she said.
"I'm not engaged." Ben smiled into her angry, hurt eyes. "Somethingstands in the way as yet."
"What?"
"Can't you guess?"
They continued to exchange a steady gaze. She spoke first.
"Do you mean to say that anyone concerned in the affair still considers_me_?"
Her boy's smile became a laugh at the deliberate manner of her sarcasm.
"Oh, cut it out, Mother mine," he said. And though she tried to holdstiffly away from him, he hugged her and kissed her and pulled her downbeside him on a wicker seat.
She could not get away from his encircling arm and probably she did notwish to.
"Ben, I've had a most disagreeable day," she declared. "Everybody withinfifteen miles knows that you flew into the village with a strange girl."
"They said she was pretty, didn't they?"
"I can't leave the house without somebody stopping me and asking meabout it, and I'll have to order the telephone taken out if this goeson. I can hardly bear to answer it any more. I called on Miss Melody,but she had gone to town, and that hopeless Mrs. Whipp babbled aboutyour attentions. I don't want you to break the apple blossoms anyway."
"All right, honey, I won't. They're nearly gone; but I shall always loveapple blossoms. They're fragrant like her spirit, pink and white likeher, wholesome like her, modest like her. You see she has always beenkept in the background. No one has taken the bloom from her freshness.She has had blows, has come in contact with some of the world's mud, butit washed away and disappeared under her own purity."
Mrs. Barry looked into the speaker's flashing eyes. "My poor boy," shesaid at last. "I wonder whether you're crazy or whether you're right.What am I going to do!"
"Of course I don't know what you're going to do," he returned, his lipsand voice suddenly serious. "It depends largely upon whether you wantmy future wife to hand out ice-cream cones to the trippers atKeefeport."
"What do you mean now?" Mrs. Barry asked it severely.
"Why, the little girl is going to try to earn her living, of course, andshe will be slow to leave Miss Upton's protection, for she has proved,that a girl's beauty may be her worst enemy. Miss Upton will do a biggerbusiness than ever, that is easily prophesied. The hilarious, rowdyparties that come over in motor-boats will pass the word along thatthere is something worth seeing at Upton's this year. They will cracktheir jokes, and Miss Melody will be loyal to her employer. She won'twant to discourage trade. They will make longer visits than usual andthe phonograph will work overtime."
Mrs. Barry had risen slowly during this harangue and now looked downupon her son with haughty, displeased eyes.
"I shall speak to Miss Upton," she said.
"I advise you not to," returned Ben dryly, crossing one leg over theother and embracing his knee. "I don't think you are in any position todictate. I left a merry party down there just now. Mrs. Whipp crackingthe air with chuckles, Mehitable rocking the store with her act
ivities,Miss Melody enveloped in a gigantic apron and with a large smudge acrossher cheek, having the time of her life unpacking boxes. I was sorry tobereave them of Pete, but it won't take them long now to be ready forbusiness."
Mrs. Barry did not speak. A catbird sang in an apple tree, a call tovespers.
"This won't do for me," said Ben, suddenly rising. "I'll go up and throwa few things into my bag. Give us a bite to eat, Mother dear, and tellLawson to bring the car around. We must get the seven-thirty."
After her boy and his humble lieutenant had left for the train, themother sat a long time on the piazza thinking. The telephone rang atlast. She sighed, went to its corner, and sat down to stop its annoyingperemptoriness. For days it had reminded her of an inescapable, buzzinggnat, a thousand times magnified.
"Oh, Mrs. Barry," came a girlish voice across the wire. "Don't think metoo inquisitive, but we're all dying to know if that beautiful girl,Miss Melody, is going to live with Miss Upton? Mrs. Whipp said they weregoing to take her to Keefeport with them, and somebody said they didmove to-day and that she did go with them. We thought she was visitingyou and I wanted to ask when we might come to call. We're all dying tomeet her. You know Ben has been a sort of brother to us all, and we'resimply crazy to know this girl and hear about her rescue."
While this speech gushed into Mrs. Barry's unwilling ear, her martyredlook was fixed upon the wall and her wits were working. It was AdeleHastings talking. She had always liked Adele. In fact this young girlhad been her secret choice for Ben in those innocent days when shesupposed she would have some voice in the most important affair of hislife. She could not turn Adele off as she had other questioners.
"I suppose this is Adele Hastings speaking."
"Oh, didn't I say? I do beg your pardon. I just saw Ben on the stationplatform with the queerest little bow-legged boy. Ben looked like agiant beside him. I just flew home to the telephone to ask how you wereand--and--about everything."
"That is just a servant Ben has picked up." ("A member of our newmenagerie," Mrs. Barry felt like adding, but held her peace andcontinued to look at the wall.)
"Well, Mother wanted me to say to you that if you were house cleaning,or there was any other reason why it was inconvenient for you to haveMiss Melody with you, she would be so glad to have her come to us tillyou are ready. I told Mother she had probably gone to Keefeport torecuperate in the quiet before the season really begins. I haven't seenMiss Upton or that cross thing that tends store for her, but some peoplehave, and we've heard such fairy tales about that lovely creature--I sawher on the train with Miss Upton--about her being shut up with a madmanand Ben literally flying to her rescue and carrying her off under thecreature's nose. Why, it's perfectly wonderful! I can hardly wait tohear the truth about it. Talk about the prince on a milk-white steedthat always rescued the princess--Ben in his aeroplane makes _him_ looklike thirty cents."
"Tut, tut," said Mrs. Barry; "you know I don't like slang."
The girlish voice laughed. "But, dear Mrs. Barry, 'marry come up' and'ods bodikins' were probably slang in the day of the spear and shield.When may I see you and hear about it?"
This direct question forced Mrs. Barry to a decision. The impossibleCharlotte Whipp, who had not hesitated to tell her regal self of herson's attentions to the waif, had doubtless poured enough of the yeastof gossip into eager ears to set the whole village to swelling withcuriosity, and her dignity as well as Ben's depended on the attitude shetook at the present moment.
Her rather stiff and formal voice took on a more confidential tone. "I'mgoing to ask you to wait a few days, Adele. We have been passing throughrather stirring times. I thank your mother very much for her kind offer,but it seemed best for Miss Melody to go to the sea, at least for a fewdays. You know what an excellent soul Miss Upton is. Miss Melody knewher before, and as the girl was a good deal upset by some excitingexperiences, and as I was a complete stranger, Miss Upton stepped intothe breach. Please don't believe the exaggerated stories that may begoing about. Ben was able to do the young lady a favor, that is all. Asyou say, she is very charming to look upon. We shall all know her betterafter a while."
"Well, just one thing before you hang up, dear Mrs. Barry. I know youwill excuse my asking it, because I know your standards, and you havebeen an even stronger influence upon me socially than my own mother; butis--is Miss Melody the sort of girl you will entertain as an--an equal?or does she--it sounds horrid to ask it--or does she belong more in goodMiss Upton's class?"
Mrs. Barry ground her teeth together, and luckily the wall of herreception room was of tough stuff or her look would have withered it.She had a mental flashlight of Geraldine serving trippers with ice-creamcones behind Miss Upton's counter.
"My dear," she said suavely, "do you sound a little bit snobbish?"
"No more than you have taught me to be," was the prompt reply. "I wantto behave toward Miss Melody just as you wish me to. It looks to us all,of course, as if she were Miss Upton's friend and not yours."
Mrs. Barry's cheeks flamed. This dreadful youngster was forcing her,hurrying her, and she would be spokesman to the village. Ben'sinfatuation left her no choice.
"Oh, quite in ours, quite, I judge," she said graciously. "Ben thinksher quite exceptional."
The girlish voice laughed again: not so gleefully as Mrs. Barry couldhave wished. She hoped they were not sister-sufferers!
"I should judge so, from what Mrs. Whipp has told people. Well, I willbe patient, Mrs. Barry. We want to show all courtesy to Ben's friendwhen the right time comes. Good-bye."
"Good-bye," replied Mrs. Barry, and hung up the receiver.
She sat a few minutes more without moving, deep in thought.
"I have no choice," she said to herself at last. "I have no choice."
The next day she moved about restlessly amid her accustomed occupationsand by evening had come to a conclusion and made a plan which on thefollowing afternoon she carried out.
After an early luncheon she set forth in her motor for Keefeport. MissUpton's little establishment was in nice order by this time and the signhad been hung up over the door: "The Mermaid Shop." By the time Mrs.Barry's car stopped before it, the three residents had eaten theirdinner and the dishes were set away.
"There's so few folks here yet, there's hardly anything to do in thestore," said Miss Mehitable to Geraldine. "Now's the time for you to goout and walk around and see the handsome cottages and the grand rockyshore. This wharf ain't anything to see."
"Do you think Pearl would like to go to walk?" said the girl, picking upthe handsome cat, while Charlotte looked on approvingly.
"Pearl does hate this movin' business," she said. "It'll be weeks beforeshe'll find a spot in the house where she can really settle down."
Geraldine was burying her face in the soft fur when the motor flashed upto the grassy path before the shop, and stopped.
"For the land's sake!" said Miss Mehitable. "It's the Barry car." Shehurried forward, and Geraldine, still holding the cat against her cheek,saw the chauffeur open the door and Mrs. Barry emerge.
Ben's assurance flashed into her thought. "Whatever she may dohereafter, remember it is of her own volition."
The lady came in, and, smiling a return to Miss Mehitable's welcome,looked at the girl in the blue dress. She liked the self-possessedmanner with which Geraldine greeted her.
"I'm trying to make Pearl feel at home, you see," said the girl. "Mrs.Whipp says it is very hard for her to move."
"Yes, I know that is a pussy's nature. I like cats, but I like birdsbetter, so I don't keep any. How nice you look here. Oh, what charmingroses!" going to the nodding beauties standing in a vase on the counter."Are those for sale? If so they're going home to Keefe."
"No, Mrs. Barry, they ain't for sale," replied Miss Mehitable. "I'm soproud of 'em I can hardly stand it. Ben sent 'em to me. Wasn't he thedear boy to give the Mermaid such a send-off?"
"He is a nice boy, isn't he, Miss Upton?" returned the visitorgraciously. "I'm glad
to see you looking so well, Miss Melody."
Geraldine certainly had plenty of color and she held to the cat as anembarrassed actor does to a prop. "I tried to see you one day at Keefe,but you were out."
"Yes, I was dressin' the doll that day," said Miss Mehitable, smiling.She discerned friendliness in the air and was elated.
"The result is very nice," said Mrs. Barry graciously.
"Yes, I think blue serges are about the best thing at the seaside. Iwanted to get her one o' these here real snappy sailor dresses, but shekept holdin' me back, holdin' me back, till it's a wonder we got anyclothes at all!" Miss Upton laughed, and as Geraldine turned toward herwith a smile, Mrs. Barry was conscious of a faint echo of that smile'seffect upon her son.
Charlotte stood at the back of the shop looking on and reflectivelypicking her teeth with a pin. "She's a real good worker, Geraldine is,"she remarked with a sniff, "I'll say that for her."
An angry flash leaped up Mrs. Barry's spine. That settled it. Thisexquisite creature must not stay where that charwoman could speak of herso familiarly.
"Certainly there has been a lot of good work done here," she said,looking about, "but it is a little early to come down yet. I have a lotof curtains to make for my cottage. Miss Melody"--turning to the girlwith her most winning look--"you have these people all settled, don'tyou want to come home with me and help me make my curtains?"
Geraldine's heart leaped in her throat. Although she had put up a bravefront she was terribly afraid of the queen of Keefe.
"Why, that would be fine!" exclaimed Miss Mehitable, her optimisticspirit at once seeing her clouds roll away and disperse in mist.
"I don't think everything is done here," said Geraldine; "I don't thinkyou can spare me."
"Of course I can," returned Miss Mehitable vehemently. "You can go justas well as not." She perceived that this was not at all the answer thegirl wanted, but she was determined to override all objections and evenGeraldine's own feelings.
The latter looked at Mrs. Barry with a faint smile. She only hoped thatMiss Upton's mental processes were not such an open book to the visitoras they were to herself. She saw plainly that if it came to thenecessity Miss Mehitable would throw her into the motor with her ownhands.
"She is not very complimentary, is she?" she remarked. "I thought I wasso important."
"She hain't seen the Port yet either. Have you, Gerrie?" came from theback of the store.
Miss Mehitable turned on the speaker. "As if there was any hurry aboutthat!" she said, so fiercely that Charlotte evaporated through the backdoor of the shop into the regions beyond.
"I'm sure you were important," said Mrs. Barry, "but it is I who needyou now."
"I'll help you get your things," said Miss Upton, moving to the stairswith alacrity.
Geraldine dropped Pearl. She could not defend her any longer.
"Wait, Miss Upton," said Mrs. Barry. "How would it be for you to packMiss Melody's trunk and express it after we are gone?"
Miss Mehitable's face was one broad beam. A trunk!
"She hasn't got any," she replied. "Of course hers was left in that NoMan's Land and we just brought things down here in suit-cases andboxes."
"Very well, then, we can take them with us."
"But I shan't need--" began Geraldine.
Mrs. Barry interrupted her. "It is always hard to foresee just what onewill need even in a week's time. We may as well take everything."
"Such a small everything," added Geraldine.
A little pulse was beating in her throat. She dreaded to find herselfalone with this _grande dame_. She believed that Ben had kept hispromise and that this move of his mother was being made of her ownvolition, but in what capacity was she being invited? Was it a case ofgiving a piece of employment to a needy girl in her son's absence, orwas she being asked on the footing of a friend? In any case, she knewher lover would wish her to go, and as for Miss Upton she would useviolence if necessary.
She went upstairs and came down wearing the black sailor hat of theKeefe brand, and carrying a suit-case. Miss Mehitable followed withsundry boxes which she took to the motor. Lamson jumped out and came tothe shop to get the suit-case.
"One moment more, please," said Miss Upton, and vanished upstairs. Shereturned bearing a large hatbox.
"Oh, no, Miss Upton!" exclaimed Geraldine as Miss Mehitable had knownshe would. "Keep that till I come back. It's a seashore hat."
"It is not," said Miss Mehitable defiantly. "It is a town hat. She gotthe present of a beautiful hat, Mrs. Barry--"
"Dear Miss Upton doesn't say that she gave it to me herself," put inGeraldine.
No, dear Miss Upton did not; for she had a New England conscience; butshe continued firmly:
"She may want to wear it; she's got a white dress."
Geraldine colored. Mrs. Barry had seen her white dress.
"By all means let us take the hat," said that lady, and Lamson bore offthe box.
"_Au revoir_, then," said Geraldine, trying to speak lightly, andkissing Miss Mehitable. "I'll let you know what day I am coming back.Say good-bye to Mrs. Whipp for me."
Mrs. Barry's face became inscrutable as Geraldine spoke. She had seenthe counter, and the phonograph, and in fancy she could see theimpending excursionists.
"Good-bye, Miss Upton." And the shining motor started. "To Rockcrest,Lamson."
Miss Mehitable went back into the house. She suspected she should findCharlotte weeping, and she did.
"I s'pose I can't never say anything right," sniffed the injured oneupon her employer's entrance.
"Never mind _us_, Charlotte," responded Miss Upton. "That's a very bigthing that's just happened. I'm so tickled I'd dance if I thought thehouse would stand it."
"I don't see anything so wonderful in that stuck-up woman givin' thegirl a job o' sewin'," returned Mrs. Whipp, blowing her nose. "When willGerrie come back? How we'll miss her!"
"I think," said Miss Upton, impressively--"I think it is very safe tosay--Never!"
"Why, what do you mean!"
"I mean Mrs. Barry ain't goin' to let that girl stand behind my counterthis summer." Miss Mehitable gave a sudden, sly laugh. "I wasn't goin'to let her anyway," she added, in a low tone as if the walls might haveears, "but Mrs. Barry don't know that, and I'm glad she don't."
Miss Upton sat down and laughed and rocked, and rocked and laughed untilMrs. Whipp began to worry.
"Thumbscrews," said Miss Mehitable, between each burst, "thumbscrews!"
"Where shall I git 'em?" asked Charlotte, rising and staring about hervaguely.
"Nevermind. Let's have some tea," said Miss Mehitable, wiping her eyes.
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