CHAPTER VI
CONFIDENCES
Mona went home with Patty to dinner, as she often did when the girlshad been together during the afternoon.
At the dinner table the elder Fairfields were greatly entertained bythe account of the first Happy Saturday Afternoon.
"But aren't you afraid," Mr. Fairfield asked, "that such unaccustomedluxuries will make those people discontented with their own conditions?"
"Now, father Fairfield," exclaimed Patty, "you ought to know betterthan that! you might as well say that a man in a prison ought never tosee a ray of sunlight, because it would make him more discontentedwith his dark jail."
"That's true," agreed Nan; "I think it's lovely to give these peoplesuch a pleasure, and if I can help in any way, Patty, I'll be gladto."
"And then it's the memory of it," said Mona.
"You know yourself how pleasant it is to look back and remember anypleasure you may have had; and when it's only one, and such a big one,the pleasure of remembrance is even greater."
"That's good philosophy, Mona," said Mr. Fairfield, approvingly, "andI take back what I said. I think the plans you girls have made areexcellent; and I, too, will be glad to help if I can."
"Other people have offered to help us," began Mona, but Pattyinterrupted her, saying: "We don't want any help from peopleindividually. I mean, father, if you will lend us the car, and thingslike that, we'll be glad, of course. But we don't want any personalassistance in our plans."
"All right, chickadee; far be it from me to intrude. But I thoughtperhaps if you wanted to make a little excursion, say, to see theStatue of Liberty, or even to go to the circus, you might like a manalong with you as a Courier General."
"That's just what Mr. Lansing said!" exclaimed Mona, which was thevery remark Patty had been fearing.
"That's just what we're _not_ going to do!" she declared. "We're onlygoing to places where we can go by ourselves, or if we need achaperon, we'll take Nan. But we don't want any men in on this deal."
"I don't see why," began Mona, but Patty promptly silenced her bysaying, "You _do_ see why. Now, Mona, don't say anything more aboutit. There isn't any circus now, and it's time enough when it comes, todecide about going to it; and I don't want to go, anyway. There arelots of things nicer than a circus."
"Mr. Lansing said he'd send us a box for the Hippodrome, some Saturdayafternoon," said Mona, a little diffidently.
"That's awfully kind of him," said Nan. "I should think you girlswould be delighted with that."
"A box," and Patty looked scornful. "Why, a box only holds six, sowith us four, we could only invite two guests. I don't think much ofthat scheme!"
"I'll donate a box also," said Mr. Fairfield. "You can get themadjoining, and with two of you girls in one and two in the other, youcan invite eight guests."
Patty hesitated. The plan sounded attractive, and she quickly thoughtthat she could invite Rosy for one of the guests and give the boy aHappy Saturday Afternoon. But she didn't want to accept anything fromMr. Lansing, though she couldn't quite bring herself to say so,frankly.
"What's the matter, Patty?" asked Nan. "You don't like the idea of theHippodrome, though I don't see why."
"I _do_ like it," said Patty, "but we can't decide these things in aminute. We ought to have a meeting of the club and talk it over."
"Nonsense," said Mona. "You know very well, Patty, it isn't a formalclub. I'm going to accept these two Hippodrome boxes, and tell thegirls that we can each invite two guests. The Hippodrome show islovely this year, and anybody would like it, whether children orgrown-ups. And we're much obliged to you, Mr. Fairfield."
"You're taking a great deal upon yourself, Mona," said Patty. "You'renot president of the club."
"Neither are you."
"Well, _I'm_ not dictating how things shall be run."
"Well, I _am_! So all you'll have to do, is to run along with me."
Mona was so laughingly good-natured that Patty's serious face brokeinto a smile, too. She was annoyed at the idea of being underobligation to Mr. Lansing, but, after all, it was hardly fair to standin the way of eight people's pleasure. So she surrendered gracefully.
"All right, Mona," she said; "we'll have the Hippodrome party. I knowone guest I shall invite, who's sure to enjoy it. He's a boy aboutfourteen, and the funniest thing you ever saw."
"I'd like to take children, too," said Mona; "but I don't know many. Ithink I'll ask Celeste's two little sisters."
It was characteristic of Patty not to dwell on anything unpleasant, sohaving made up her mind to accept Mr. Lansing's favour, she enteredheartily into the plan for the next party.
But after dinner, when the girls were alone in Patty's boudoir, shesaid to Mona, seriously, "You know I didn't want to take that box fromMr. Lansing."
"Of course I know it, Patty," and Mona smiled, complacently. "But Imade you do it, didn't I? I knew I should in the end, but your fatherhelped me unexpectedly, by offering a second box. Now, Pattikins, youmay as well stop disliking Mr. Lansing. He's my friend, and he's goingto stay my friend. He may have some faults, but everybody has."
"But, Mona, he isn't our sort at all. I don't see _why_ you like him."
"He mayn't be your sort, but he's mine; and I like him because I likehim! That's the only reason that anybody likes anybody. You thinknobody's any good unless they have all sorts of aristocratic ancestry!Like that Van Reypen man who's always dangling after you."
"He isn't dangling now," said Patty. "I haven't seen him since myparty."
"You haven't! Is he mad at you?"
"Yes; he and Roger are both mad at me; and all on account of your oldMr. Lansing!"
"Yes, Roger's mad at me, too, on account of that same poor,misunderstood young gentleman. But they'll get over it. Don't worry,Patty."
"Mona, I'd like to shake you! I might just as well reason with theRock of Gibraltar as to try to influence _you_. Don't you know thatyour father asked me to try to persuade you to drop that Lansing man?"
Patty had not intended to divulge this confidence of Mr. Galbraith,but she was at her wit's end to find some argument that would carryany weight with her headstrong friend.
"Oh, daddy!" said Mona, carelessly. "He talks to me by the hour, and Ijust laugh at him and drum tunes on his dear old bald head. He hasn'tanything, really, against Mr. Lansing, you know; it's nothing butprejudice."
"A very well-founded prejudice, then! Why, Mona, that man isn't fitto--to----"
"To worship the ground I walk on," suggested Mona, calmly. "Well, hedoes, Patty, so you may as well stop interfering."
"Oh, if you look upon it as interfering!"
"Well, I don't know what you call it, if not that. But I don't mind.Go ahead, if it amuses you. But I'm sorry if my affairs make troublebetween you and your friends. However, I don't believe Mr. Van Reypenwill stay angry at you very long. And as for Roger,--well, I wouldn'tworry about him. Of course, you're going to Elise's dance on Tuesdaynight?"
"Yes, of course. And I've no doubt I'll make up with Roger, then; butI don't know about Philip. I doubt if he'll be there."
"I haven't the least doubt. Where you are, there will Mr. Van Reypenbe, also,--if he can possibly get an invitation."
* * * * *
Mona was right in her opinion. At Elise's dance on Tuesday night,almost the first man Patty saw, as she entered the drawing-room, wasPhilip Van Reypen. He greeted her pleasantly, but with a certainreserve quite different from his usual eager cordiality.
"May I have a dance, Miss Fairfield?" he said, holding out his handfor her card.
Quick-witted Patty chose just the tone that she knew would irritatehim. "Certainly, Mr. Van Reypen," she said, carelessly, and as shehanded him her card, she turned to smile at another man who was justcoming to speak to her. When Philip handed back her card, she took itwithout looking at it, or at him, and handed it to Mr. Drayton,seemingly greatly interested in what dances he might select.
Van Reypen looked at her a moment in amazement. He had intended to becool toward her, but the tables were turned, and she was decidedlycool toward him.
However, his look of surprise was not lost upon Miss PatriciaFairfield, who saw him out of the corner of her eye, even though shewas apparently engrossed with Mr. Drayton.
And then, as usual, Patty was besieged by several men at once, allbegging for dances, and her card was quickly filled.
"What _can_ I do with so many suitors?" she cried, raising her handsin pretty bewilderment, as her card was passed from one to another."Don't take all the dances, please; I want to save some for my specialfavourites."
"Meaning me?" said Kenneth Harper, who had just joined the group intime to hear Patty's remark.
"You, for one," said Patty, smiling on him, "but there are seventeenothers."
"I'm two or three of the seventeen," said Roger, gaining possession ofthe card. "May I have three, Patty?"
One look flashed from Roger's dark eyes to Patty's blue ones, and inthat glance their foolish little quarrel was forgiven and forgotten.
Roger had a big, generous nature, and so had Patty, and with a smilethey were good friends again.
Patty's mind worked quickly. She had no intention of giving Rogerthree dances, but she saw that he and Mona were not yet on speakingterms. So she nodded assent, as he scribbled his initials in threeplaces, thinking to herself that before the evening was over, two ofthem should be transferred to Mona's card.
Patty was looking lovely in pale blue chiffon with tiny Frenchrosebuds of pink satin adorning it here and there. Her golden hair wasclustered in becoming puffs and curls, tucked into a little net ofgold mesh, with coquettish bunches of rosebuds above each ear.
But, though Patty was pretty and wore lovely clothes, her chief charmwas her happy, smiling face and her gay, good-natured friendliness. Shesmiled on everybody, not with a set smile of society, but in a frank,happy enjoyment of the good time she was having, and appreciation ofthe good time that everybody else helped her to have.
"You are all so kind to me," she was saying to Robert Kenton, who hadjust come in; "and I want to thank you, Mr. Kenton, for the beautifulflowers you sent. I do love valley lilies, they're so--so----"
"They're so sentimental," suggested Rob Kenton, smiling.
"Well, yes,--if you mean them to be," said Patty, dimpling at him."Any flower is sentimental, if the sender means it so."
"Or if the receiver wants it to be. Did you?" and Kenton smiled backat her.
"Oh, yes, of _course_ I do!" And Patty put on an exaggeratedly soulfullook. "I'm _that_ sentimental you wouldn't believe! But I forget thelanguage of flowers. What do lilies of the valley mean,--especiallywith orchids in the middle of the bunch?"
"Undying affection," responded Kenton, promptly. "Do you accept it?"
"I'd be glad to, but I suppose that means it lasts for ever andever,--so you needn't ever send me any more flowers!"
"Oh, it isn't as undying as all that! It needs to be revived sometimeswith fresh flowers."
"It's a little too complicated for me to think it out now," and Pattysmiled at him, roguishly. "Besides, here are more suitors approaching;so if you'll please give me back my card, Mr. Kenton,--though I don'tbelieve there's room for another one."
"Not one?" said the man who took it, disappointedly; for sure enough,every space was filled. "But there'll be an extra or two. May I haveone of those?"
"Oh, I never arrange those in advance," said Patty. "My partners taketheir chances on those. But I'll give you half of this dance," and shecalmly cut in two the one dance against which Philip Van Reypen hadset his aristocratic initials.
Then the dancing began, and what with the fine music, the perfectfloor, and usually good partners, Patty enjoyed herself thoroughly.She loved dancing, and being accomplished in all sorts of fancydances, could learn any new or intricate steps in a moment.
After a few dances she found herself whirling about the room withRoger, and she determined to carry out her plan of reconciling him andMona. Mr. Lansing was not at the dance, for Elise had positivelydeclined to invite him; and so, though Mona was there, she was rathercool to Elise, and favoured Roger only with a distant bow as agreeting.
"You and Mona are acting like two silly idiots," was Patty's somewhatdefinite manner of beginning her conversation.
"You think so?" said Roger, as he guided her skilfully round anothercouple who were madly dashing toward them.
"Yes, I do. And, Roger, I want you to take my advice and make up withher."
"I've nothing to make up."
"Yes, you have, too. You and Mona are good friends, or have been, andthere's no reason why you should act as you do."
"There's a very good reason; and he has most objectionable manners,"declared Roger, looking sulky.
"I don't like his manners, either; but I tell you honestly, Roger,you're going about it the wrong way. I know Mona awfully well,--betterthan you do. And she's proud-spirited, and even a little contrary, andif you act as you do toward her, you simply throw her into the arms ofthat objectionable-mannered man!"
"Good Heavens, Patty, what a speech!"
"Well, of course, I don't mean literally, but if you won't speak toher at all, on account of Mr. Lansing, why of course she's going tofeel just piqued enough to smile on him all the more. Can't youunderstand that?"
"Let her!" growled Roger.
"No, we won't let her,--any such thing! I don't like that man a bitbetter than you do, but do you suppose I'm going to show it by beingunkind and mean to Mona? That's not tactful."
"I don't want to be tactful. I want him to let her alone."
"Well, you can't make him do that, unless you shoot him; and thatmeans a lot of bother all round."
"It might be worth the bother."
"Don't talk nonsense, I'm in earnest. You're seriously fond of Mona,aren't you, Roger?"
"Yes, I am; or rather, I was until that cad came between us."
"He isn't exactly a cad," said Patty, judicially. "I do believe inbeing fair, and while the man hasn't all the culture in the world, heis kind-hearted and----"
"And awfully good to his mother, let us hope," and Roger smiled, alittle sourly. "Now, Patty girl, you'd better keep your pretty littlefingers out of this pie. It isn't like you to interfere in otherpeople's affairs, and I'd rather you wouldn't."
"Oh, fiddle-de-fudge, Roger! I'm not interfering, and it _is_ myaffair. Mona is my affair, and so are you; and now your Aunt Patty isgoing to bring about a reconciliation."
"Not on my part," declared Roger, stoutly;
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