CHAPTER XVIII
THE PARTY
Very early, on the morning of the day of the party, Nancy and AuntMilly and B'lindy and Jonathan and Nonie and Davy and Peter Hyde, each,scanned a sunny, cloudless sky with relief and joy.
"Well, it isn't going to rain, anyway," each thought.
Even Miss Sabrina, lifting her shade slowly, felt her pulse beat morequickly as a sunbeam danced into her face. This day was a new day forHappy House; she could not count the years since a "party" had beengiven in her home; her old hands trembled now as she dressed hurriedly."_What_ if something goes wrong!" she thought. Had they forgottenanything?
A little later Nancy, standing with her arms full of girlish finery ofthirty years ago, voiced the same fear to Aunt Milly.
"_What_ if something should go wrong!" But there had been a giggle inher voice as she had said it. This was the most delightfully funnyparty she had ever known, and it was going to be the very jolliest, too.
Directly after breakfast Nonie had run home with the made-over whitedress. She thought it much lovelier than velvet and in her joy over apair of Nancy's slippers the child forgot her cherished dream of atrain.
What Miss Milly should wear to the party was a matter that demandedmuch thought. "You see, I want you to look _happy_," Nancy explainedto Aunt Milly. She had dragged down from the attic a little trunk inwhich, after the accident, many of Aunt Milly's girlish possessions hadbeen packed. It was great fun taking them out and selecting from themwhat Aunt Milly should wear. There were not many things--compared toNancy's own wardrobe it was pitifully small and spoke eloquently of thelimited pleasures of Aunt Milly's girlhood.
"This will be lovely," Nancy held out a flowered silk. "And you canwear these darling beads. And this," picking out a shell comb, "inyour hair. And I will send Jonathan over to Judson's for a bunch oftheir lovely roses. I _know_ they have some!"
"But isn't this--queer--and out of date? I'm old now, Nancy!"
"You dear, funny Aunt Milly! Don't you know that you're not a bit old?All this time you've been shut away the years have been rolling rightpast you and have left you untouched. You're going to be the sweetestpicture and you're going to be a--surprise, too!"
She was a picture when Nancy's eager fingers had finished with her.The pink of the quaintly fashioned dress was not more pink than thecolor that flushed her delicate cheeks; into her soft hair Nancy hadthrust the shell comb and around her neck hung a chain of tiny corals.Jonathan had returned from Judson's with four bunches of roses and oneof them now adorned Miss Milly.
"You're just _lovely_," Nancy had cried, imprinting a warm kiss uponthe blushing cheek.
She awarded the same stamp of approval upon Aunt Sabrina, too, who wasvery stately in a black silk with one of the Judson roses pinned in thenet fichu about her throat.
"And I shall kiss you, too," Nancy called out to B'lindy, catching,through the open door a glimpse of marvellously starched calico.
"You go 'long and keep out from under my feet," had been B'lindy'sretort as she retreated from Nancy's threatened attack. "I guessthere's work has to be done before _this_ party's over!" But thegrumbling in her voice could not conceal her pride and satisfaction.
"Oh, _everything_ is just lovely," Nancy exclaimed, tiptoeing about toadd a finishing touch here and there. And indeed, some magic wandseemed to have scattered gladness everywhere about the old place; thegreat rooms, open now to the sunshine, radiated it in the fragrance ofthe flowers that Nancy had heaped everywhere.
"I wish it would stay like this," was her unspoken thought.
But in her plans for the party which was to show all Freedom that HappyHouse _was_ a happy house, Nancy had reckoned without Mrs. Cyrus Eaton.
Since trouble had shadowed Happy House and shut its hospitable doors,time had brought changes to Freedom just as it had to every place onthe globe; commerce, trade, politics, a certain democratizing of thestandards of living had made their inroads even upon the littlevillage; new families came and old ones died out. And new influenceschallenged and threatened the old Island aristocracy.
Not the least of these was the influence of trade. When Cyrus Eatonbought and rebuilt the general store next to the post-office he madefor himself--or for his wife--a social prestige that was beyonddispute. As the years had gone by he had strengthened this materiallyby certain credits which he extended to different families in thevillage.
Webb had gone to Mrs. Eaton's first with his invitation and his story.That lady had flipped the little card upon the table with a snort. DidMiss Leavitt or anyone _else_ think she'd go anywhere where thoseHopworths were? Was it not her duty, too, to warn her friends as towhat this party would be like--to tell them of this hoydenish,impertinent girl, "of the bad branch of the family," who seemed to havehypnotized Miss Sabrina?
By the time Mrs. Eaton had finished her baking, put on her best purplepoplin and started out in Webb's trail, her rage had carried her tosuch heights of eloquence that it was not difficult for her to convinceher neighbors that some "hoax" was about to be played upon the goodfolks of Freedom and that each one must show her pride by remainingaway from the party. She talked so fast, and repeated her stories sooften, that she digressed, quite unconsciously, from the truth and, atthe last few calls, made Nancy out a most shocking young person!
"I _can't_ tell you--I _wouldn't_ tell you--all the goings _on_ at thatCove," was her favorite introduction. "And in the orchard, too!_Anyone_ could have told Sabrina Leavitt she was a _fool_ bringing thecreature here--that branch of the family, _everyone_ knows, wouldn't beabove doing _anything_!"
So while happy Nancy arranged flowers for the party the expected guestsentrenched themselves behind their closed blinds, their righteoussatisfaction tinged the very least bit by regret born of immensecuriosity.
However, there were two exceptions. Samuel Todd, the postmaster, wasan aspirant for a seat in the State Legislature. His ancestors hadnever lived anywhere else but on the Island and he had inherited awholesome respect for the Leavitt name. He was enough of a politician,too, to know that, even though she was an old woman, he might sometimeneed Miss Sabrina's good-will.
"You go 'long and keep your eyes open and your mouth shut," he hadadvised his wife when, after Mrs. Eaton's hurried call, she had soughthis counsel. "You women talk too much, anyway."
Mrs. Todd, for once, was delighted to do his bidding; Carrie Baker,over at North Hero, had made over her yellow muslin so that it was"better'n new--and just lyin' up there in the closet catchin' dust,"she explained to Mrs. Sniggs. Mrs. Sniggs promptly offered toaccompany her.
"I'm that _curious_ to see that mantel--and the girl, too!"
So that, when the hour of the party struck and found Nancy, like aflower, with Miss Sabrina and Miss Milly, on the lawn, ready to receivetheir guests, the only guests (excepting Peter Hyde and the Hopworthsand Miss Sabrina and B'lindy, peeking from the door, did not countthem) were Mrs. Sniggs and Mrs. Todd.
Liz Hopworth with Nonie and Davy had come early. Davy shone as to faceand feet; the grandeur of the new shoes Peter Hyde had given him quitemade up for the small things lacking in the rest of his appearance.Liz was trying not to pant in a plum-colored cashmere that was manysizes too small for her gaunt frame. Nancy had managed to place hernear Aunt Milly--Aunt Milly was sure to be cordial and gentle with herand put her at her ease.
Webb and Peter Hyde had come early, too. Nancy had caught herselfwatching for Peter Hyde. She had given a little involuntary gasp whenshe saw him--he was resplendent in immaculate white flannels!
"Of course he _bought_ them--just for this!" she thought regretfully.However, she had a moment of delicious satisfaction when she took himto Miss Sabrina; they should all see that a hired man could be verymuch of a gentleman.
"Peter," she managed to whisper to him, "I have a feeling thatsomething _awful_ is going to happen!" Then Mrs. Todd and Mrs. Sniggshad come through the gate and she had gone forward to meet them.
It wa
s Webb who gave Nancy a hint of the real truth. He was, as heexpressed it, "so gol darn flubberin' mad at the hul parcel ofwomenfolks he'd liked to burst!" Gossip had crept to the post-officestoop and Webb had sensed what was going on. "Skunks--beggin' yourpardon, Miss Anne, but that's _what_!"
Nancy had a moment of panic; her eyes sought wildly for Peter Hyde.Then her fighting blood stirred. "Thank you, Webb," she said withwell-assumed calmness. "Don't worry a bit! We'll show them--we'll actjust as though we hadn't invited anyone else!"
But her nonchalant manner cloaked real distress. There was MissSabrina, proud Miss Sabrina who had opened the doors of her trouble forall Freedom to come and gape at--Nancy knew it had not been easy!There was pretty, fluttering, expectant Aunt Milly in the dress she hadhad made when she was eighteen; Nonie who had dreamed of throngs ofguests paying homage before her; and B'lindy, who had made a cake thatwas "like as a twin to the one my mother made for the Gov'nor!" Whatwould _they_ say?
Was she not, indirectly, the cause of the humiliation that threatenedthem?
Nancy hurried to Peter Hyde where, in a corner of the garden, he stoodpaying court to Nonie. In answer to his pleasant nonsense Nonie'sdelighted laughter was rising shrilly. Nancy sent Nonie back to AuntMilly. Then she caught Peter's arm.
"Peter! _Pe-ter_! Quick--come behind this bush! I'm--I'm--I've gotto cry----"
And to Peter Hyde's consternation Nancy _did_ burst into tears.
"For Heaven's sake, Nancy, what----"
"I'm just--_mad_," Nancy blurted from behind a handkerchief. "The--the_cats_!" She lifted her head, relieved by her sudden outburst. "It'sthat Mrs. Eaton again! She's--just--getting even!" She told what Webbhad said. "And here's the--party--and no one will come! Aunt Sabrinawill never, never get over it. And B'lindy--I _wish_ I could run away."
Peter Hyde wanted very much to laugh, but the real distress in Nancy'sface touched him. He patted her consolingly.
"Can't I do something? Can't Webb and I round 'em up at the point of agun?"
"N-no, it's too late! We've just got to act as though the--the gardenwas _full_ and make the best of it! I wanted it to be _such_ asuccess. I wanted it to be a party that Nonie 'd never forget. And Iwanted everyone to see Aunt Milly! Oh, why, oh, _why_ doesn'tsomething happen!" For Nancy had suddenly remembered the huge pails ofice-cream and the cake that was "like as a twin to the one my mothermade for the Gov'nor."
At that moment the loud whirring of an automobile caught theirattention. Nancy, red-eyed, peeped from behind their bush.
"It's at our gate!" she cried. "_Peter_----" she clutched his arm.From the tonneau a tall man was alighting. To Nancy there wassomething vaguely familiar in the sharp-featured, clean-shaven face andin the mass of wavy white hair that fringed his coat collar.
"_Peter, it's--it's--Theodore Hoffman!_"