Patty Blossom

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER X

  MONA'S WEDDING

  It was the night of Mona's wedding. The ballroom of the big hotelwhere Mona and her father lived was the scene of the ceremony, and thiswas already filled with guests. A temporary altar had been erected atone end of the long room, and was banked with lilies and whitehydrangeas against a background of tall palms. On either side weretall candles in cathedral candlesticks.

  To the altar led a temporary aisle, formed by stanchions of old silvercandelabra filled with ascension lilies, and joined by garlands ofwhite blossoms.

  Promptly on time, the bridal cortege appeared. First walked a vestedchoir singing a processional. Then the bridesmaids, in palest pinktulle frocks, each pair carrying between them a long garland of pinkroses, and wearing wreaths of pink roses on their hair.

  Patty and Daisy Dow were the first pair, and very lovely they looked asthey traversed the flower-hung room. Garlands of pink roses wereeverywhere, on the walls, from the doorframes and windows, andgracefully drooping from the ceiling. Next came Elise, Maid of Honor,in a gown of slightly deeper pink, and then Mona, her father beside her.

  The bride's gown was of point lace with a very long court train ofembroidered satin. Her veil, of old lace, was an heirloom from hermother, and was held by a wreath of orange blossoms. Roger's gift of adiamond pendant was her only jewel.

  After the ceremony, as the bridal party retraced their steps, thebridesmaids sang softly, "O Perfect Love," and then they took theirplaces for the reception, the orchestra's strains broke forth, and thefestivities began. Having no mother or near feminine relative, Monahad asked Nan to receive with her, and very gracefully Nan did thehonours.

  "A beautiful wedding," everybody said, and then there arrived many moreguests who had been asked to the reception only.

  The room became crowded and people wandered into the adjoining roomswhich were also for the use of the guests.

  Patty stood in the line of the bridal party and smiled and chatted withthe stream of people who drifted by, murmuring congratulatory phrases.Mona was supremely happy and she looked it. Not only was she marriedto the man she loved, but the wedding was just such a pageant of beautyand grandeur as she had wished it to be and no smallest item of thepreparations had gone wrong. She stood by Roger's side, now and thenglancing up into his face with a smile of happiness and contentment.

  The bridegroom looked proud and happy. He hadn't cared for so muchelaboration of entertainment, but Mona had wanted it, and so heacquiesced in all particulars.

  "When will it be all over and we can get away?" he whispered in her ear.

  "Oh, not for hours," returned his new wife. "There's the feast, andthen the dancing,--I don't want to miss a bit of it! Why, Roger, thisis our wedding party."

  "Yes, I gathered as much! All right, dearest, stay as long as youlike."

  "It is a pretty wedding, isn't it, Roger? You like it, don't you?"Mona looked suddenly troubled.

  "Of course I do, darling. I like it better than any wedding I everattended! I've only seen one thing, though,--that's you. Are thereother people here?"

  "Oh, a few! Three or four hundred, anyway. But where's BillFarnsworth? I haven't seen him yet."

  "He came in late. I just caught sight of him a minute ago. Probablyhe's trying to get through the crowd to us."

  Which was just what Farnsworth was doing. He had arrived during theceremony, and had not yet made his way to the bridal party.

  In fact, he was continually stopped in his progress by acquaintanceswho greeted him and held him in conversation.

  But at last he reached the bride.

  "My dear Mona," he cried, "don't look so happy! You dazzle me!"

  Mona beamed more joyously than ever, and Roger warmly welcomedFarnsworth.

  "Splendid affair," Bill went on. "Looks like Fairyland or someenchanted garden. I was wafted in on the strains of the orchestra, andI can scarcely hold myself down on terra firma. But I mustn'tmonopolise the prince and princess of this magic realm. I'll try for afew words, later, but now I must make way for the crowd behind me. Oh,how do you do, Patty? How are you? You're looking splendid. AndDaisy! Well, it's good to see you again. By the way, Daisy, I saw LouStandish last week in Arizona. He sent greetings to you."

  "Oh, did you, Bill? Did you see Lou? Tell me more about him."

  Patty turned aside, her gaiety suddenly gone. What did Bill Farnsworthmean by treating her like that? A blank stare from him would havesurprised her no more than those few careless words, flung at herhastily, as if she were the merest acquaintance. She felt as if abucket of ice water had been splashed on her head and was stilltrickling down her shoulders.

  "Come back, Miss Fairfield," she heard somebody saying gaily, and witha start she realised she had been staring blankly into vacancy sostunned was she by Farnsworth's manner.

  It was Sam Blaney who spoke, and as he had taken her hand and stillheld it, Patty suddenly recovered her poise and spirits.

  "Time's up, Mr. Blaney," she laughed. "You have had my hand fullythree minutes, and that's the limit. Somebody else may want it."

  "Possession is nine points of the law," said Blaney, still retainingher hand.

  "But appropriation isn't possession," and Patty gently withdrew herhand from his detaining fingers.

  "No, possession must be granted. Perhaps some time----"

  "Some time----" Patty assented, smiling, and dismissing Blaney, as moreand more people came along.

  But at last the reception was over, and the bridal party went to theirespecial table in the supper room.

  Mona, still resplendent in her heavy court train and bridal laces, cuther wedding cake. She had never looked more beautiful. The longreception had tired her a little, but though the animation in her facewas not so vivid, there was a lovely radiant light in her eyes, and hersmile was gentle and sweet.

  "Roger on this side of me," she said, arranging her table, "Dad onthis. The rest of you may sit where you like. I've stopped directingthis party,--or any other. I've conducted the little affair of thisevening to a successful conclusion, and now I resign all generalshipand all planning and arranging to my husband. I'm glad to give up allresponsibilities, and I'm going to lead a life of leisure while Rogerlooks after things for me."

  "Good little wife!" said Patty. "I foresee happy days and clearsailing under such regulations."

  "If you keep it up," laughed Kit Cameron. "You're pretty well tiredout now, Mrs. Farrington, but I'm not sure you're going to stand asidealways, when matters of importance arise."

  "Yes, she will," declared Roger. "You see, I shall rule her with a rodof iron, and she'll be so terrified of me, that she won't dare cross mylightest whim."

  They all laughed at this, for Roger had the most easy-going of naturesand had never been known to insist upon his own way.

  Patty sat between Van Reypen and Kit Cameron, and opposite her, acrossthe table, was Bill Farnsworth, next to Daisy Dow.

  His careless, impersonal greeting still rankled in Patty's mind, but,though it both hurt and angered her, she had no intention of showingher feelings. So, she went to the other extreme and was madly gay andmerry, laughing and jesting with everybody and enjoying herself to theutmost.

  She looked adorable. The pale pink of her bridesmaid costume was mostbecoming and her wreath of pink roses, which had slipped a little toone side, gave her the effect of a Queen Titania. Her eyes were liketwo blue stars, and a pink flush showed on her cheeks, while herscarlet lips smiled or pouted with her changing moods.

  "Did you ever see such colouring as that girl has!" murmured Daisy Dowto Farnsworth. "I never saw such truly gold hair, or such _blue_ blueeyes, or such a wonderful complexion."

  Daisy spoke whole-heartedly and generously, for she loved Patty, andshe thought her the prettiest girl she knew.

  "She is pretty," agreed Farnsworth. "Tell me about her,--about all thecrowd. I've been away a month and lots can happen in that time. IsPatty e
ngaged to Van Reypen?"

  "It isn't announced," said Daisy, "but I think she really is. Ishouldn't be surprised if they announce it tonight, after Mona goesaway."

  "Fine chap, Van Reypen. How about the others? Kit and Elise?"

  "Yes, I think so. Though that isn't announced either. Goodness, Bill,suppose they all get engaged and married and leave me to be the onlyold maid in our set!"

  "No fear of that, Daisy. Unless you prefer it so,--and I hope youwon't."

  "You hope that! Why, Bill, if I thought you hoped it----"

  Just then a commotion arose as Mona left the table.

  "Ready, girls," she cried out. "I'm going to toss my bouquet. Holdout your hands, all of you."

  Obediently, her bridesmaids stood in a row, with their hands held out.There was no question of catching the flowers, for Mona afterdeliberately looking over the lot, tossed it into Patty's hands. "Foryou," she said, and, laughing, ran away.

  "Greatness thrust upon me!" Patty laughed, looking at the great bunchof white orchids and valley lilies, with its fluttering tendrils andends of ribbon. "Must I really live up to this favour? Must I reallybe a bride myself before the year is up? Of course, if it isobligatory----"

  She looked up, half shy, and caught Van Reypen's gaze upon her. Sheturned toward Farnsworth, but he was looking another way. Plucking onestem of lilies of the valley from the bunch she tossed it to Phil, whocaught it, kissed it, and put it in his buttonhole. Farnsworth lookedround just in time to see the act, and smiled at her.

  "Didn't mean anything," said Patty, perversely, and then, pulling outhalf a dozen more sprays, she threw them indiscriminately around, toCameron, and several of the other ushers who were grouped about.Farnsworth made a slight effort to catch one, but he didn't really try,and the flower fell to the floor just beyond his reach. He shruggedhis shoulders slightly, but made no move to pick it up.

  Just then Sam Blaney came along, and Patty offered him a flower, andherself adjusted it in his buttonhole.

  "I'm crazy to talk to you," he said, "but I didn't belong at yoursupper table. Can't we go somewhere and have a bit of a chat?"

  "Yes," agreed Patty, "only not too far away from the bride's crowd.Mona will be going away soon, and I must see her go, of course. Didn'tshe look beautiful?"

  "Not in comparison with somebody else I know."

  "I'm a mind reader, Mr. Blaney, and I perceive you mean me. But you'remistaken. I'm pretty, in a doll-faced way, but Mona is reallybeautiful."

  "You know where beauty is, Miss Fairfield. In the eye of the beholder."

  "Let me see. Yes," after she had looked straight into Blaney's eyes,"yes, you have beauty in your eyes."

  "The reflection of your face," he replied, serenely. "You are aflower-face; I never saw any one who so well merited the term. I mustwrite a sonnet to Flower Face."

  "It can't be any better poetry than the verses you wrote to me atLakewood. They are exquisite. Mayn't I show them?"

  "Please not. I fancied you would like to keep them just for yourself.Stay, I have a better name for you. Flower Soul, that's what you are.That shall be the theme of my sonnet. I think your soul is made ofwhite lilac."

  "Why do you people always talk about souls?" asked Patty, gaily. "Youdon't mean souls really, you know; you mean--well, what do you mean?"

  "No, we don't mean souls in the theological sense, we mean the higherunderstanding and finer sensations."

  "Oh," said Patty, not much enlightened.

  "And you are coming to see us soon, aren't you? Alla said you promisedher you would."

  "Yes, I did. And I will come. Do you have regular meetings, like aclub,--or what?"

  "Yes, like a club, but not on set dates. I'll let you know when thenext one--or, stay, I know now. There will be a gathering at our placenext Tuesday night. Will you attend? May I come and fetch you?"

  "Yes, do, I'd love to be there. Gracious, here comes Mona. I must bewith the others."

  Patty hurried across the room to stand with the bridal attendants, and,looking very handsome in her travelling costume, Mona bade themgood-bye. There was no mad scramble as the bride and groom departed,but flower petals and confetti were showered on them, which theygood-naturedly allowed.

  "Come along, my lady," said Roger, at last, as Mona delayed to talk tothe girls.

  And then they went away, and some of the guests stayed to dance alittle longer.

  "Come, Patty," said Van Reypen, as the orchestra struck up, "this isour dance."

  Patty assented, and they went gliding over the perfect floor.

  Philip said nothing while they danced, and Patty, too, was silent.This was unusual, for Patty generally chattered as she danced.

  "Tired, dear?" said Philip, at last.

  "A little. It has been a long evening."

  "And a strenuous one. I saw you were getting weary as you stood inthat line of receiving so long. Come, let us sit down."

  Philip guided her to a pleasant settee, screened by tall palms, andseated himself beside her.

  "Poor little girl," he said, "you're all done up. You must go homesoon, Patty. You can't dance any more tonight."

  "Oh, yes, I can. I'm not really tired. It's more excitement and----"

  "And nerves. I know,--Mona getting married means a lot to you. You'revery intimate friends, aren't you?"

  "Yes; and as she has no mother, Nan and I have tried to do all we couldfor her, but she is so capable, we couldn't do much, after all."

  "No; I suppose not. Patty, why did she give you her bouquet? Ithought brides threw them, and any one caught them that could."

  "They do, usually."

  "Well, then, why didn't Mona?"

  "Oh, because,--oh, I don't know."

  "You do know, Patty. Was it because she thinks you will be the nextbride of your set? Because she thinks you will marry--me?"

  Phil's eyes were radiant, and his voice trembled as he whispered, "Andwill you, dear? Will you, my little Patty? You promised, you know, totell me tonight. So, tell me,--and tell me,--yes."

  Patty sat up very straight and looked at him. "Philip," she said, andher voice was serious; "if I have to decide now, it will be No. I didsay I'd tell you tonight, and I meant to, but I'm all tired andbothered, and if I'm not careful, I shall cry! So, if you hold me tomy promise, I'll answer you now, but it will be No. I can't sayYes,--tonight."

  "Then don't say anything. I'll wait, dearest. Oh, Patty, of course,I'll wait. You are exhausted and nervous and you want to rest. Don'tanswer me now, dear, for I don't want that answer you spoke of! Let'swait a week or so longer, and then make up our mind. Shall us?"

  "Yes, Phil, and thank you for being so good to me."