The Little School-Mothers
Page 15
baby.
"Then you will do without him," said Harriet roughly. "Go back to yourplay, you little silly. Run back at once."
Curly Pate burst into loud screams and yells, and Ralph, forgetting hisallegiance to Harriet, flung his arms round her and comforted hervaliantly.
In the midst of this scene, Miss Ford hurried up.
"What is the matter?" she asked.
"Ralph and Pattie and I are going away for a little by ourselves," saidHarriet. "Curly Pate wants to come with us; but we don't want her."
"Yes, I want her," said Ralph.
"Why can't the child go with you?" asked Miss Ford.
"No, she can't," said Harriet, looking very cross. "Very well,darling," said Miss Ford, catching the child in her arms and kissingher. "I've got something so nice to show you."
She carried the weeping baby away, and Ralph, with a great pain at hisheart, followed Harriet. His school-mother! Oh, yes, she was that.But did he like her? He was not sure. She puzzled him extremely. Shewas not half as interesting as on that wonderful day when she haddevoted herself to him, and told him stories about the gipsies.
As soon as ever Miss Ford had turned the corner, and had carried theweeping Curly Pate out of sight, Harriet turned to Pattie.
"Now we must be very quick," she said. "If you don't mind, we will runall the way."
"Where is we going?" asked Ralph.
"We are going to have a jolly time," replied Harriet. "Now, Ralph, youclearly understand; you are going to be put on your honour."
"Yes," said Ralph, looking important; "Father says that sometimes."
"`Your honour' means this," continued Harriet: "You will never tellanybody what we are doing."
"Course not," replied Ralph. "I aren't a tell-tale."
"He isn't, either," said Harriet, looking at Pattie. "He is quite agood little boy, when he chooses. Well, then, we are ready, and I hope,Pattie, you are prepared to give us a very good time."
Pattie answered at once that she was. In her heart of hearts, however,she was doubtful. Her father and mother were poor. Dr Pyke's practicewas not a large one, and he found it difficult to make both ends meet.Then, there were numerous little Pykes at home--Pykes of all ages, fromPattie, whose years numbered twelve, to the baby, who was only threemonths old. It seemed to Pattie that the children swarmed everywhere.Still, she had a whole shilling stowed away in her purse in the cornerof a drawer in her bedroom, that could be spent at the fair, and it wasgrand and delightful to bring a girl from Mrs Burton's to tea with her,and she also felt sure that little Ralph would have a welcome.
When they reached the house, an ivy-covered house of old-fashioned make,which stood a little back from the village street, she found the halldoor open.
"Now, then, Harriet, come in," she said, and Harriet and Ralph entered.
An untidy-looking servant was crossing the hall.
"Anastasia," said Pattie, "will you get tea in the drawing-room,please?"
Anastasia stared at her.
"Indeed, I can't, miss. Your ma is out, and all the older children havegone to the park with Miss Fry,"--Miss Fry was the much overworkednursery governess--"and the missis told me," continued Anastasia, "thatI was to wash the handkerchiefs and things this afternoon. I have notime to bring tea into the drawing-room, and why should I do it? Youalways has it in the school-room."
"I'd much rather have tea in the school-room, Pattie," said Harriet.
"And so would I," echoed Ralph.
"You must get your own tea, miss," continued Anastasia, by no meansabashed by the sight of Harriet in her ordinary school frock, and notparticularly struck by the beauty of little Ralph.
"I am ever so sorry," said Pattie, colouring high; "but this is ratheran unfortunate day. One of our maids is out, and Mother's away; and, inshort--do you greatly mind waiting in the drawing-room while I get thetea?"
"I don't much care about tea at all," said Harriet, who was not a bitgracious, and who was rather disgusted with the appearance of PattiePyke's home. "You needn't bother, as far as I am concerned."
"And I don't want no tea," said Ralph; "I aren't a bit hungry."
He looked pleadingly and sorrowfully at Pattie, as much as to say:"Please, please, don't trouble."
Poor Pattie, whose face was scarlet with mortification, insisted onproviding a meal.
"You can't come into the school-room," she said a little crossly. "Theboys do leave it in such a mess. There is the rabbit-hutch in onecorner, and I know Jim and Davie were washing Smut there this afternoon.You must come into the drawing-room. I will manage to get you sometea. Don't stare, Anastasia. Go at once, and see that the kettle isboiling."
Pattie conducted her guests into a small, very hot drawing-room. Shethen left them, and, after about a quarter of an hour, reappeared with atray containing very poor tea and some stale cake. Oh, how hot was thatlittle room! It faced due south, and scarcely a breath of air camethrough the open bay window. Ralph felt very tired; he did not knowwhy. He had had a trying morning. Those sums had worried him, andHarriet's conduct had also worried him, although he was not aware ofthat fact at present.
When the tea had come to an end Harriet said quickly:
"Now, the fun is really going to begin; you and I will hurry off to thefair, Pattie. I can't stay late, as your know, for I must smuggle Ralphback before Miss Ford misses him. You will stay quietly here, Ralph.You will be a good boy? I couldn't take you to the fair, even if Iwished it; for, in the first place, I haven't any money."
"But I have a shilling--a whole shilling," said Pattie, feeling all of asudden quite grand and important.
"I am very sorry," continued Harriet, speaking in a firm voice; "but Ishall be obliged to borrow my entrance money from you, Pattie. I willpay you next week, when my pocket-money comes in. There will be enoughfor us both to go in and also to have a turn on the merry-go-round--"
"And we must see the fat lady and the man with two heads," said Pattie.
"But why mustn't I see them, too?" asked Ralph, whose little face wasscarlet now, and his voice quite choky with anger and disappointment.
"No, you mustn't, Ralph," said Harriet. "And now I will tell you why!I, your mother, don't choose it. You have got to obey me, you know. Iam a big girl, and you are a very little boy; you must stay herequietly, and wait for me. I will return for you before long. Now, be agood child, and don't cry: it is very babyish to cry."
Ralph stood quite still. The scarlet flush had faded from his face.After a minute, he said:
"Course it's babyish, and I aren't crying."
"Then that is all right," said Harriet. "Stay here till I fetch you.Come, Pattie."
The two little girls left the room.
Book 1--CHAPTER TEN.
THE GIPSIES.
How hot was that drawing-room to the tired little boy! His head quiteached, he did not know why; he could not understand his own sensations.There was a very ugly look-out, too, for the bay window opened into atiny garden, which was full now of clothes hanging on lines and flappingin what little breeze there was. Ralph could not see anything beyondthe white line of clothes.
He went to the window, half inclined to go into the garden; but, as itwas so uninviting, he did not venture. He returned to the ugly room,and looked at what was left of the make-shift tea. It certainly washard that he had not been allowed to go to the fair. He would so haveliked to have a ride on the merry-go-round, and to see the fat lady andthe man with two heads. How was it possible for anyone to have twoheads? He felt his own little soft neck, and wondered where the otherhead could appear. He sat down very thoughtfully to consider thisproblem. It was really more difficult than borrowing ten, and much,_much_ more interesting. It seemed to him even more interesting thanseeing gipsies: the brown, brown gipsies, with their house on wheels,had none of them two heads. He would love beyond anything to gaze atthe person who possessed such treasures.
Certainly his school-mother was not too kind. He
could not understandher to-day, but, having chosen her, he felt somehow that it was hisbounden duty to be as good as possible, and to think as kindly aspossible about her. So he very determinedly shut away from his littlemind all unkind thoughts with regard to Harriet. Of course, he was atroublesome little boy, and he ought to have known all about borrowingten, and he ought to understand now why little boys should stay in veryhot rooms while big girls went away to fairs and merry-go-rounds, anddelightful shows full of queer people. Oh, yes: of course, it was allright; only he did wish his head was not so