“Not much. Ten or twelve. Got some new golf clubs the other day. This was left and Dad said keep it. Maybe I could get them to take the clubs back. I haven’t used them yet.”
“Well, you could try. But you’ll have to see about the car. We’ll have to have one of the big ones, and not the new one, either. I should think that would be the one the relatives would try to trace. They wouldn’t know about the big sedan, the one the servants use, would they?”
“No, but the servants would. That chauffeur knows everything about the cars, of course. You can’t put anything over on him.”
“We’ll have to find some way to get rid of all the servants,” said Jennifer, with a puzzled frown. “I guess that’s my job. I hadn’t realized it before.”
“Well, say, that reminds me,” said the boy. “I just met the chauffeur down by the side door. He got back from wherever it was he went, and he asked me did I know what we were going to do, were we intending to stay here at the place? I told him we hadn’t a chance to make plans yet, and he said did I know where you were, he wanted to see you; so I told him I’d send you down there as soon as I could.”
“Yes?” said Jennifer thoughtfully. “Well, I guess I’d better go right down and see if there isn’t some way I can get rid of him without making him suspicious.”
“He’s a good sport,” said Jeremy thoughtfully.
“Yes, I know he is, but we can’t stop on that now. Besides, the aunts are hot on the warpath and they won’t let him stay here. And we don’t need him now, anyway. You and I can both drive. And we’ve got to run away. I’ll go right down and talk to him a minute and you stay here and see that the children keep quiet, and try to think out how we can get away from town without our license plates being read. Get a map and figure it out.”
“Okay,” said Jeremy, and Jennifer went swiftly and silently down the stairs and out toward the garage.
Chapter 3
The chauffeur wasn’t hard to find. He was hovering anxiously outside the garage with a troubled eye toward the house, and he looked greatly relieved when he saw her coming.
“Thank you, Miss Jennifer, I’m sorry to have to trouble you,” he said as he came to meet her. “I just thought perhaps you could tell me how things are going to be. You see, something has come up, and I was anxious to know whether you folks would go on living here at the house and would be wanting to keep a chauffeur? I know it’s a little soon for me to be putting such questions, and I’m not sure you’re the one I should ask, only you are the oldest, and I thought perhaps you would be able to give me some idea. You see, I’ve heard of a man who wants a chauffeur bad, wants him right away, and it’s a good place with an all right wage, and I thought if ’twas all right with you I’d snap it up before it was gone. But, of course, if it isn’t, I wouldn’t want to do anything to cause you inconvenience. Your father was all right and treated me fine as silk, and I wouldn’t want to do anything to his family that wasn’t right.”
Jennifer looked up with a pleasant smile, tempered by the sorrow in her young eyes.
“Now, that’s nice of you, Phillips. I appreciate that,” she said. “I know my father trusted you a lot, and we all have felt that you sort of belong to us. But, as a matter of fact, I don’t believe we are going to need a chauffeur just now, not for a while anyway, and if you’ve found a place where you think you would be happy, I think you ought to take it. When do these people want you, Phillips?”
“Well,” said Phillips, with a downcast glance, working an embarrassed toe back and forth in the gravel of the drive, “they wanted me right away. You see, they’re from out west, and they come here visiting. Their own chauffeur got drunk, and they wanted to get another one to take his place permanently. My cousin happened to hear about it. She works at the house where the man is visiting and told ’em about me, knowing my employer was dead. But, of course, Miss Jennifer, if you want me to stay awhile, I’ll manage somehow. There’ll be other jobs.”
Jennifer smiled. “No, that’s all right, Phillips. We’ll be sorry to lose you, of course, but I’m glad if you’ve found a good place right away. I know Father would have said so, too. Do they want you today?”
The chauffeur looked ashamed. “Why yes, Miss Jennifer, if I could be spared. They wanted to start on their way today, this afternoon if possible.”
“I see. Well, could you pack up and get ready to go by afternoon?”
“Oh yes, Miss Jennifer. It doesn’t take me long to pack. But I don’t want to leave you in a hole.”
“That’s quite all right,” said Jennifer. “Jerry and I can both drive. But how about your pay, Phillips? Did Father owe you anything?”
“No, Miss Jennifer. He paid us all off the day he the day it happened.” Phillips choked and looked embarrassed. “But is this all that is necessary, or should I speak to one of your uncles first?”
“No, Phillips. Don’t say anything to anybody else about it. It’s all in my hands, of course. Are the cars in order?”
“Yes, everything is okay. I went over ’em last night, just in case I got a chance to speak about going.”
“Well then, go, Phillips, and I hope you will find it a nice place. Perhaps someday we’ll send for you to come back again. Be sure to leave me your address. Good-bye.”
Jennifer fled back into the house quickly. Somehow bidding a trusted servant good-bye so definitely, and feeling that her own act had done it, was like realizing all over again the terrible disaster that had made all this necessary. She wanted to fly upstairs at once and tell Jeremy, but then she remembered the children’s lunch and went instead into the kitchen.
“I’m amusing the children up in the playroom,” she said to the cook quite calmly, “and I’ve promised them a tea party on a tray. I didn’t want them to make a noise while the relatives are here. Please make us some sandwiches, lots of them, and a pot of hot chocolate and bring up some fruit and cake or tarts or whatever you have. Make enough for us all. Jeremy is up there, too. And if the aunts ask where we are, just say we are looking after the children.”
“Why, hasn’t that nurse come back yet?” asked the cook, astonished.
“I haven’t seen her,” said Jennifer. “Where did she go? She wasn’t upstairs when I was up there.”
“Why, she said she had an errand at the store to get some garters for young Master Robin, but she’s been gone ever since breakfast. She ought to come down and help carry up, if you’re going to make all that trouble for lunch.”
Jennifer gave the cook an astonished look. It wasn’t like her to be so cross.
“Why, I’ll try and find her,” said she, “but, anyway, Jeremy and I will help carry up. I thought it was better to keep the children quiet till the aunts were gone.”
“All right, Miss Jennifer,” said the cook, “I don’t mind, only I don’t like that Mrs. Holbrook coming out and telling me what to cook. If she’s going to butt in like that I’ll be giving notice before long.”
“Oh, did she do that, Maggie?”
“Yes, she come right out here to get a drink of water, and she snoops around and pries into every corner, and she seen me getting the chickens ready for dinner and she ups and says she shouldn’t think it was fitting to have chicken on weekdays when it’s just you children and no company. The money by rights should be saved for you children when you come of age and not feeding a ‘pack o’ servants,’ she says, just like that, Miss Jennifer. Pack o’ servants! And leaving you all poor and dependent on your relatives. That’s what she said, just like that! And I’m not one to be talked to like that, Miss Jennifer. Your blessed mamma never talked to me that way, and I’m not standing for it!”
“Oh,” said Jennifer, “she had no right at all to talk to you like that, Maggie. Don’t you pay any attention to her. She doesn’t belong here.”
“Well, that’s all right if she don’t butt in and think she does, but if she does I’m leaving, and that’s the truth! I can’t bear no back talk from one that ain’t a missus.”
“All right, Miss Jennifer, I don’t mind going out of my way to do you a favor. You’re like your blessed mamma.But I ain’t pleasing the likes of that nosy Holbrook woman.”
Jennifer went on her way upstairs again thoughtfully. The servant problem was pressing upon her perplexedly. That had been a good opening to get rid of Maggie, but it wouldn’t do to suggest it until those relatives were out of the house. How was she going to do it, anyway? For it was certain they couldn’t run away and leave a lot of servants in the house. The way was clear so far as the car was concerned, now that the chauffeur was gone, but how was she going to get rid of the other servants? And do it in time to run away before morning? Stanton would be the worst. He had been so devoted to Daddy and Mother! He wouldn’t understand. How could she ever get rid of Stanton so that he would not suspect? And then there was the nurse! How could she possibly make her understand that she didn’t want her anymore? It wasn’t done, to dismiss servants without any notice, was it? But this nurse was a comparatively new institution. The old nurse who had taken care of Robin since he was born had got married and moved to the South, and this one was only on trial. Jennifer had a strange lingering feeling that she couldn’t quite trust her.
But where was she? Certainly not on her job.
Jennifer went down the servants’ hall and tapped at the door of the nurse’s room, but there was no answer, and after another tap or two she tried the door but found it locked! That was strange!
With an uneasy feeling she went on to her own room, intending to hover around until that tray was ready for her to carry. If they went away tonight there was a great deal to be done before they left, and not a moment must be wasted.
With her mind busy with possibilities she opened her bureau drawers and gathered up the few valuable trinkets that she felt she ought to take with her, stowed them in a convenient box, then went through the other drawers and laid in quick piles the garments that she would need. Nothing fancy, just the plainest things she owned. Her own personal needs were simple. The difficulty would be to remember everything the children ought to have. If only she could trust the nurse! But she didn’t! And the nurse wasn’t here, anyway. Where in the world was she?
Then she heard footsteps, a clink of dishes on a tray, and she flew toward the back hall. Ah! It was Stanton bringing the tray. How faithful and good Stanton was! How was she going to manage that they would get away without his knowledge? Almost she could trust him not to tell the relatives, but it would put him in a very awkward position. No, and he would think he ought to tell, perhaps, to protect her and the children.
But how was she ever going to approach the subject with him? She would have to leave him until the last. If she could get rid of the rest, maybe there would be a way to deal with him. But he was such a perfect servant, so utterly trustworthy, that she was almost a little afraid of him, as if he would use the spirits of her dead mother and father as a weapon to hold over her head.
“Oh, Stanton, I’m sorry to have made you extra trouble.”
“It’s all right, Miss Jennifer. I’m glad to help you. And I think you are quite wise to keep the children quiet. I think the presence of¾of”—he cleared his throat and searched for the right word¾ “of outsiders,” he went on hastily, “seems to excite them.”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Jennifer with relief. “I thought you would understand.”
Quietly he arranged the dishes on the little table, deftly he placed the cocoa pot where the little girls could pour it for themselves, tea party-fashion, and withdrew.
When he came back with the dessert tray, Jennifer had the emptied dishes on the tray at the head of the stairs and stood there smiling to thank him as he went away again.
Then she saw he was hesitating, and looking keenly at him she saw a shadow of trouble in his eyes.
“What is the matter, Stanton; has something happened?” she asked quickly, her heart contracting suddenly with unnamed apprehension.
“Well, nothing that need trouble you, Miss Jennifer,” he said apologetically. “It’s just that I had a rather disturbing letter from my sister. It just came special delivery. She tells me that my old mother is very ill indeed, and she’s been asking for me. My sister wants me to come at once. But, of course, she doesn’t know what has been happening in this house, and of course I would not be asking to be released just now when you might be wanting me special, you know. Only if there would be a time, a day or two, when you would not be needing me so much, you know, I’d be glad to get off and see my dear old mother before she goes on¾”
He hesitated, and mist gathered in his eyes. Suddenly Jennifer felt very sorry indeed for Stanton.
“Why, of course, Stanton. You ought to go at once! You mustn’t think of staying.”
“Oh, but Miss Jennifer, I wouldn’t be asking for anything like that. Not just in the midst of the day’s work as it were¾”
“That’s perfectly all right, Stanton. Just drop everything and go at once. You see, really, I’m thinking of going away myself. In fact, we all may go, only I haven’t told them yet, so you won’t say anything about it, please.”
“Of course not, Miss Jennifer.”
“You see, I was just wondering what to do about you all,” went on Jennifer. “You’ve been especially kind and faithful. I don’t like the idea of sending you away. But it will be certainly all right for you to go at once and stay just as long as you want to, Stanton. The aunts have spoken about our coming to them. But, anyway, we shall not be needing you for a time, and if I were you I’d go right away before any of them come around and go to trying to manage things. I’ll be of age in three months, Stanton, and then I’ll know better what we are going to do. But you are welcome to go now and stay as long as you like.”
“Thank you, Miss Jennifer, that’s very nice of you, and I do appreciate your kindness, but of course I’ll stay till the work is done. You might find that some of the relatives would be staying to dinner, and I might be needed.”
“No, they’ll not be staying to dinner, Stanton! I’ll see to that. And I’ll make everybody understand that I sent you away. They’ll think I sent you on an errand, if they know anything about it at all. Just you get ready at once and go. Do you need any money? I don’t know just how much I have but¾”
“No, Miss Jennifer, oh no! Your father paid me with all the others, paid us a week ahead, just before he left on that trip! You don’t owe us a thing. Your father was always so nice and thoughtful like that. If he was going to be away on our regular pay day, he always paid us ahead. He was a rare man, he was.”
“Yes,” said Jennifer with a catch like a sob in her breath. “Well then, Stanton, you just go right away. And perhaps you’d better take your things with you, because you might need to stay some time, and you wouldn’t want anybody else bothering with your things. I don’t know that they would, but I think you’d feel happier to have your things with you, in case the house should be closed up for a while, or anything, and you couldn’t get something you wanted.”
“Yes, Miss Jennifer, I’ll do that. You’re very thoughtful. I’d not care to have some of the other servants going over my things.”
“I understand,” said Jennifer. “Besides, some of the relatives might think they had the right to go in and look things over. Aunt Petra always thinks she owns the universe.”
Stanton’s face lit up with a kind of satisfaction, but he only said, “You’re very kind, Miss Jennifer. You’re very understanding.”
“And, Stanton,” went on Jennifer, “do you know where
the nurse is? If you find her, won’t you send her to me? Maggie says she went on an errand early this morning, but I tried her door and it’s locked. You don’t suppose she’s sick, do you?”
“No, I scarcely think so. I saw her when she started. She looked quite spruce and well. But she was carrying a suitcase. I thought at the time it was strange. Maybe I’d better find a key to open her door, if you say.”
“I wish you would.”
He set down the tray and hurried down the servants’ hall, Jennifer following. He pulled out a bunch of keys and selected a master key. After a minute he unlocked the door and swung it back, and they went into the room together. But it was evident at once that the occupant had fled. There were papers and trash in a pile on the floor, and the closet door was flung wide and empty. There wasn’t a sign of a trunk or anything around. The nurse was gone.
“Well, that settles it, Miss Jennifer; if the nurse has left you in the lurch, I’ll stay till you’re satisfied. I couldn’t leave you that way. I was afraid when you spoke about her that she had gone. You see, she and Mrs. Holbrook had words last night about how to manage Master Robin, and I heard her say she wouldn’t run any risks of having that woman tell her again what to do.”
“Oh,” said Jennifer, with an enlightened look. “I didn’t know that. I’m glad you told me. I’m going to take care of the children myself for a while, anyway. You know, they miss Father and Mother terribly. So you don’t need to worry. And you must go right along to your mother, Stanton. I really shall not need you. Just give me your address before you leave.”
“That I will, Miss Jennifer. And if you need me, you’ve only to let me know and I’ll come at once. And now I’ll just take my bags and trunk down to the side entrance and get the express to come after them. I know the chauffeur is gone. He told me before he left how kind you have been.”
“Why no, Stanton, I’m sure Jeremy would love to take you down. Wait, I’ll speak to him.”
Head of the House Page 4