CHAPTER VI: DOING HER BEST FOR LUCIA
No message came from Kathryn, and Betty had scarcely time to think ofwhether "Gypsy" had had an opportunity to find out anything furtherabout Peggy's reported speech. How wonderful it was to have Mother athome again! Betty had missed her presence and advice and help so manytimes, fun though it was to take the helm herself. Still, it hadn'talways been so _much_ fun.
Now clothes for school, countless little errands, decisions, and thework of settling into the routine again engaged Mrs. Lee and the rest ofthem. Jelly and fruit canned at the farm was a great asset for thecoming season. Grandma was ever so much better; but a good stout womanwas now installed in the old home. Dick had really been of great helpand Doris had learned to do many things. Amy Lou had been a "lamb" andhad learned to read with Grandma. She was "five years old and reading ina primer!"
To tell the truth, Betty thought Doris was very cross at present, butthen she might still be resentful about her little flare-up at the lastof her stay with Betty. Betty had apologized for her own share in it,but the fact was that Doris had been most to blame. They had partedfriends, but Betty felt that her sister had certain reserves with herand was not warmly affectionate, though she had seemed glad enough tosee her on first arrival.
However, Doris would probably get over it. Betty thought that she'dbetter not pay any attention to any grumblings or cross speeches. Dearme--it was hard enough to keep patience over things at times. How didMother ever do it? She must put most of her time and thought on havingthe family machinery run smoothly. And Betty was quite right, though agreat purpose for one's children helps any father and mother through.
A telephone message from Countess Coletti to Betty that evening was onefeature of affairs. "Hello--oh--yes'm, this is Betty." Betty was wishingthat she had not said "hello" _quite_ as if she were answering a callfrom Kathryn. Betty flushed with embarrassment as she listened to thefirst few words from Countess Coletti.
"I am wondering, Miss Betty, if we stop for you with the car tomorrowmorning, you will be willing to go with Lucia and me to interview theprincipal of Lyon High a little before school begins. I should like tohave you go around with Lucia and I think I could get you excused fromyour classes."
Betty had her doubts about that, but she did not express them. PerhapsMr. Murchison's sister could manage it, but the public schools were notlike that. They went on regardless of countesses and influential peoplein general, so far as the daily schedule was concerned; and Betty hadhad reason to know how particular her principal was about the regularprogram of every student. Still, as it was a little unusual--it would befun to take Lucia in charge. Betty could imagine how eyebrows would liftat her and demure glances of her friends in classes of her own wouldmeet her.
All these thoughts rapidly ran through her mind as she listened to whatfurther Countess Coletti had to say. Oh, then Lucia's credits werealready in the hands of the principal.
"I see, Countess Coletti," Betty's clear voice made reply. "I shall bevery glad to do anything--oh, yes, I shall be ready to go with youearly. Certainly. I'll find out everything as soon as I see Lucia'sschedule, and meet her at lunch and--oh, well, that is as the principalsays, I suppose. Yes, Countess Coletti. Good-bye."
"My me!" Betty turned from the telephone to see Dick's grin.
"What do you have to do now, Betty, act as nursemaid to the countess'daughter?"
"Just about, Dick! No, I needn't say that, either. I imagine that Luciahas a lot of grit herself; though that wasn't my first impression. Butanybody would feel lost in such a big school. I did, and I hadn't beento private school all my life, either."
Betty went on into the living room and dining room from the hall whereshe had been using the telephone. Doris was busy with her lessons thereat the big table, which was usually cleared of anything else for schoolbooks and papers. Any one who wanted real privacy could go to bedroom orden, as the case might be. Dick had a small set of shelves in his den,and the girls had a similar set in their bedroom.
Doris did not look up as Betty sat down by her and took up her geometry,though Betty knew that she must have heard the conversation, or Betty'spart of it, since the wide doors between dining room and the front roomwere open, as well as the hall entrance, never closed, for the goodreason that it could not be.
Dick was calling up one of the boys now, to make sure of an assignment.Presently he, too, was back at the table. "We're in high society now,Dorry," said he. "Didja hear Betty talking to the countess?"
"Ye-ah," drawled Doris. "I think my mother is better than any countess,so we needn't get worked up about it."
Betty drew a figure on her sheet of paper. Little Dory was jealous! It_was_ a shame. Here she had been to New York and had had all the fun!
But Betty need not have felt self-reproachful. She had earned her tripto New York by her own pleasant spirit, much real effort that to somegirls would have been very trying, and by overcoming some loneliness intimes when company was lacking. Doris would have her turn, in a familywhere fairness was characteristic of its parents. But it was just aswell for Betty to be thinking about her sister now, instead of herself.
Morning came, and with it the new excitement. Dick, frankly interested,kept an eye out for the Murchison car, a beautiful thing in darkwine-color. "Gee!" cried Dick in a tone discreetly low, "that's abeauty! I'm going to have one just like it some day. There's yourcolored chauffeur, Sis, in uniform. Say, I didn't know that Dad washobnobbing with the aristocrats!"
"Hush, Dick," said Mrs. Lee, annoyed. "Mr. Murchison is a very wealthygentleman and lives in accordance with his means. Are you ready, Betty?Please answer the bell, Dick. It is the chauffeur."
"Give me an apron and cap, Mom," remarked the irrepressible Dick, "forthe maid must answer the door."
"You're wrong. Dick," said Doris, who was gathering up her books. "Thebutler should be at the door. See how elegant you can be, though I'mafraid they will think you rather young."
But the bell had rung, and Dick ran, rather too hurriedly for dignity inhis role of butler, if that suggestion by Doris was to be takenseriously. She was listening as Dick threw open the front door.
"Is you-all ready foh goin' to school with Miss Lucy an' Loosha?"
"I'll call Betty," said Dick. "Yes, she is ready." So the girl Bettycalled "Lu-_chee_-a," the chauffeur called _"Loosha_."
"Miss Lucy said that she wanted to take _all_ the children to school,foh she thought there was some o' them that went to the Junior HighSchool."
"Please thank the countess," said Dick, as properly as if it had beenhis father. "We shall be very glad to come and we can be out as soon aswe can gather up our books."
The chauffeur went back to the car, while Dick hastily called Betty andDoris, though Doris had been curious enough to stay within hearing, andif the truth were told, Doris had taken extra care with her toilet thatmorning, in case she should happen within sight of Countess Coletti andLucia, her daughter.
"She wants us all to come, Mother," excitedly she reported. "Shall we?"
"Certainly. It would be impolite to refuse. Yes, better wear your coat,though it is so warm this morning."
"Shall you go out to the car and meet them, Mother?" asked Betty,doubtfully, though that is what would have happened in their old home,if any friend had driven up, or strangers, indeed, with such aninvitation to the children.
"No," replied Mrs. Lee. "Had the countess appeared, or asked to see me,I might; but they are all in a hurry. Don't waste a moment. It is verythoughtful for the countess to include you and Doris, Dick. Just beappreciative, polite and quiet. I can trust all of you to be that, I'msure."
But Countess Coletti might be trusted also, to make the children feelcomfortable. She was smiling at the three with their books, a necessaryaccompaniment, alas, as Doris thought. "Good morning, Betty," she said,while Lucia smiled and nodded, leaving conversation to her mother. "Youare good not to keep us waiting. These are your brother and sister, I'msure. This is my daughter, Lucia Coletti
. Now you may sit here, Betty,your sister there and the brother, too. Ready, Horace."
Horace did not look around, but started the car and off they went in thefresh September morning, bright and clear. "It is Dick and Doris,Countess Coletti," said Betty, thinking that the names of the twinsshould be mentioned. The term "discretion" did not do justice to theattitude of the twins, almost too sober, Betty thought, but they _were_dear children!
Yet the experienced countess led the conversation, telling them ofLucia's troubles in arranging her schedule, some of them to be discussedwith the principal that morning, and chatting of how pleasantly Luciawas impressed with her mother's old home and how good "the old town"looked to one who had been away as many years as she herself had passedabroad. "We never could seem to find a time," said she, "when it wasconvenient to come, though my brother and his family were over often."
Betty wondered what family Mr. Murchison had. Her father probably didnot know or he would have mentioned it.
The handsome car and its occupants caused some notice among the earlyarrivals at the school. The chauffeur drove in and parked the car behindthe building on one of the drives there. Betty showed the party how toreach the nearest entrance and led them up the stairs and through thehalls to the office of the principal. He was affable but business-like.He hesitated when Countess Coletti asked that Betty be permitted to showLucia about, though she asked most prettily and with no assumption thatit must be done for her. "It would be such a favor," said she, "if Bettywill not miss anything important."
"Everything is important, Countess Coletti," smiled the principal, "butI think we shall arrange it for your daughter not to be lost. Here,Betty, is the schedule we have made out for Miss Coletti. See if youhave any classes together?"
With the principal, Betty, feeling rather important for a modest bodylike herself, worked out a program for the day. She would take Lucia toher first class, introduce her to the teacher and leave her there,stopping for her at the close of the period without losing much time,since the recitation rooms happened to be near. They had the same homeroom, which made it easy to begin the day together. Betty herself hadnot been there on the opening morning and had been forced to see herhome room teacher later in the day, to find out many things. There werepractically no recitations of any length, and periods were shortened foran assembly. Lunch, fortunately, would be prepared in the lunch roomsand the full day's schedule carried out, an unusual proceeding even forthe third day, why, Betty did not know.
"Your daughter, Madam, need not worry at all. In case she becomesconfused, there is always the office. We are ready to rescue any pupil,and without reproof in these opening days. I hope that Miss Lucia willenjoy the new experience."
With this the interview closed. Betty showed the countess how to reachher car, but with the ringing of the gongs, she and Lucia went to findtheir home room and report.
It was a home room of girls, to be sure, but Betty felt a littleself-conscious as she accompanied Lucia to the desk and introduced herto their home room teacher, not the dear Miss Heath, but a teacher towhom Betty had not happened to recite in her freshman year. Keen eyesappraised her and Lucia, who was not at all embarrassed. Lucia wasaccustomed to being stared at and to traveling around. As long as Bettykept her from being lost about places and duties, it was all right. Whatdifference did it make to her what impression she was making?
"Lucia Coletti," the teacher repeated, taking the card from Lucia andpronouncing the name correctly, as Betty had given it. She made a fewnotes on a paper at hand. "Is she a friend of yours, Betty Lee?"
"Yes'm. That is, I'm showing her around because she is new toeverything. She just came to New York on the _Statendam_ and has been toschool in Switzerland."
Miss Orme, who was accustomed to meet many Italian children in the cityschools, revised her first impression made by the name, and looked againat this easily poised girl who had been to school in Switzerland. Luciamet her gaze without interest, politely waiting directions. "Lucia isthe daughter of----"
"Count Coletti, of Milan," suddenly said Lucia, to Betty's surprise.Betty had not intended to tell the teacher who Lucia was, then thoughtperhaps she'd better, for Lucia's sake, for her relatives, theMurchisons, were well-known in the city and it would be better, too, forMiss Orme to place the girl at once in her mind. But why did Luciaforestall the introduction as her mother's daughter? Perhaps that wasit. Was there some idea of loyalty to her father, or was she just proudof it?
"Oh, yes," laconically replied Miss Orme, who had, unfortunately, arooted distaste for American women that married foreigners. "I think Ihave heard of your mother. Betty, there is a vacant seat across from youon the back row. Too bad you are both so late, but you can get from theother girls what has already been said about many of the details. ShowLucia to her seat, Betty."
As Betty went down the aisle ahead of Lucia, Peggy Pollard caught hereye and coughed discreetly. Selma grinned up at her and Kathryn widenedher big eyes purposely. This home room of sophomore girls was the limit!