CHAPTER IX
A SHOWER
"If you ask me," Patty said to Nan, "I think these 'shower' affairs areridiculous. All the girls who are coming today will give Mona awedding present, so why add a shower gift?"
"I didn't ask you," returned Nan, "but since you raise the question,I'll just remark, in passing, that it's part of the performance, andit's no more ridiculous than lots of the other flummery that goes alongwith a this year's model wedding. _I_ didn't have any showers,--butthat was then."
"Right you are, Lady Gay, and as Mona most especially desired this markof esteem from her friends, I'm glad she's going to have it."
"But I thought showers were usually surprises,--I didn't know thebride-elect requested one, or even knew of it beforehand."
"Your think is correct. It's most unusual, but Mona is unusual, andany surprise in connection with her wedding would be impossible. Sheknows it all, and the arrangements are all under her directsupervision. It's going to be a pretty stunning affair, Nansome."
"So I gather from what I hear. While you were at Lakewood, I didn'tget much of the news about it, but since your return I've heard ofnothing else."
"And you won't until after the fifteenth. I declare, Nan, I've had notime for a real heart to heart talk with you since I got back. Ihaven't even told you about the Blaneys."
"Oh, the highbrow people? No; were they interesting?"
"Yes, indeed. You'll meet them at the wedding. Now, see here, I'veasked half a dozen of the crowd to stay to dinner tonight after theshower, so look after the commissariat, won't you?"
"With pleasure. Who's staying?"
"Oh, Mona and Roger and Elise and Kit Cameron and Phil,--that's all."
"Elise and Kit are pretty good friends, aren't they?"
"Yes, there may be another wedding in the dim future."
"Be careful, Patty. They say 'Three times a bridesmaid, never abride,' you know."
"Goodness! I must beware. I was bridesmaid for Christine,--and nowfor Mona,--then, if I'm bridesmaid for Elise, my last hope vanishes! Imight be her maid of honor, though. Does that count?"
"Yes, counts just the same. But perhaps you'll be married beforeElise. She isn't engaged yet."
"Neither am I."
"Same as."
"Indeed it _isn't_ same as! Philip made me pretty mad down atLakewood. He scorned my new friends, the Blaneys, and he was mostdisagreeable about it, too."
"All right. Far be it from me to hasten your matrimonial alliance.I'm only too glad to keep you here. It's lonesome enough, days whenyou're away."
"Nice old Nan!" and Patty gave her a whirlwind hug that nearly took heroff her feet.
Twenty girls were invited to the shower, and Mona arrived first of all.She came bustling in enveloped in furs, which she unfastened and threwoff as she talked.
"Everything's going fine!" she announced. "I've attended to the verysmallest details myself, so there'll be no mistakes. There always aremistakes and oversights at a wedding and mine is going to be the greatexception. My, but I'm tired! I've been chasing about since earlythis morning. Spent hours with the floral artist, and had a longinterview with the caterer. But I confab with him every day. I'vechanged the menu four times already."
"You're a goose, Mona," observed Patty, smiling at her enthusiasticfriend, "what do you care what people eat at your wedding, as long asit's good and proper?"
"My dear child, I only expect to get married once in my checkeredcareer, and so I want everything connected with the occasion to beperfect. I don't want to look back and regret that I didn't have asmuch of a symphony in the supper as I did in the orchestra. You don'tknow the responsibility of a girl who has to get married and look afterthe wedding both. You'll have Mrs. Nan to run the arrangements, but Ihaven't anybody but little Mona."
The bride-elect looked so radiant and capable and generally happy, thatPatty knew better than to waste any sympathy on her.
"You love it all, Mona," she said, "you're just in your elementordering decorations and deciding menus; and I suppose you'vesuperintended the hat-check people and the elevator service."
"Of course I have. I practically run the whole hotel just at present.The management have to take a back seat where anything connected withthe fifteenth is concerned."
"It doesn't seem like a wedding at all," laughed Patty. "It is morelike a pageant."
"It's a wedding, all right. You'll realise it when you see me go offwith Roger. Oh, Patty, don't think I don't realise and appreciate theimportance and solemnity of the marriage tie, but I do want theappointments to be perfect and beautiful just _because_ it is mywedding to Roger. We're very much in love, you know----"
"I do know it, Mona, and it's all beautiful, and I'm glad you're havingeverything just as you want it. You're an old dear, and nobody wishesyou more happiness than I do."
"Don't talk in that strain, or I'll weep on your shoulder. I'm allkeyed up, you know--honest, Patty, it's pretty awful to have no motheror aunt or anything. Only just a father, who's heavenly kind andgenerous, but no good for advice or consulting talks."
"All right, Mona girl, we won't indulge in real talk now, for the girlswill begin to come in a minute. Go and primp a little, and then comedown to the drawing-room."
Patty ran downstairs, Mona soon followed, and then the guests arrived.
In an effort to have a new sort of a shower, Patty had decreed a laceshower, and many and varied were the gifts. As Patty had wiselyremarked, lace gave a wide scope. One could choose valuable specimensof real lace or trifling affairs that were pretty and inexpensive.
And so, when the time for their exhibition came the score of merryyoung people sat breathlessly awaiting the fun.
In the doorway appeared Elise, in the costume of a Brittany peasant.She carried a huge white basket ornamented with orange blossoms andfluttering white ribbons.
"Laces, lady?" she said, approaching Mona. "Nice, pretty laces.Handiwork of the humble peasants for the grand lady. Accept,--please."
With bows and curtseys, Elise opened the basket and placed it at Mona'sfeet.
Delightedly, Mona examined the contents, and at each gift a chorus ofexclamations went up from all the admiring throng.
Patty's offering was a tablecloth of Filet Antique and Venetianembroidery, and was among the most beautiful in the lot.
Elise gave a berthe of rose point, and Nan a Duchesse lace fan. Butmost of the gifts were of a simpler nature, and dainty boudoir pillows,table scarfs, bags, caps, and handkerchiefs made up the filmy showerand delighted the heart of the recipient.
Mona was radiant with joy. Although a pampered favourite of fortune,she was especially fond of receiving gifts, and she loved everyindividual lace confection and warmly thanked the donors.
"The things are heavenly, girls," she cried; "perfectly darling, everyone of them! I can't thank you enough, but my heart is justoverflowing with honest-to-goodness gratitude. Oh, I _do_ love 'emso!" and gathering the whole lot in her arms, she rocked back and forthin ecstasy. "How did you ever come to think of a lace shower, Patty?I love lace more than anything on earth--except Roger,--and I shallfurnish my house with these beauty things. Oh, you are all so good tome!"
Tea was served in the dining-room, and Mona graced the head of thetable, with her bridal attendants on either side of her. The placecards and favours were all suggestive of the wedding occasion, and, fora centrepiece, two white doves perched on a basket of white roses.
Mona was in highest spirits and her eyes glistened with pleasure as thegirls assured her of their friendship and love, and wished her allsorts of future joy and happiness.
Patty looked at her a little curiously, and then she realised that thegirl had lived a loveless life, and that the sudden change to theatmosphere of love and friendship had well-nigh turned her head.
The guests departed, all but Mona and Elise, who were to stay fordinner, and the three chums went up to Patty's room to chat.
"I can't believe these things are really mine," said Mona, as shecollected and arranged her laces, preparatory to having them sent home."Why is everybody so good to me?"
"Oh, come now, Mona," said Elise, laughing, "it isn't such wonderfulgoodness. People always give things to brides. Patty, if you don'tgive me a shower like this, I won't get married at all."
"Didn't know you thought of it," returned Patty. "But I'll promise theshower all right. When shall I invite the girls, Elise?"
"Oh, I haven't picked out the bridegroom yet, so there's no hurry.I've got to get used to having my brother married, before I think of itmyself. Mona, we'll soon be sisters. Think of that!"
"I've often thought of it, Elise. I've never had a sister, and Ishan't know just how to act at first. But I hope----"
"There now, don't get sentimental! Not but what I feel that way, too,but you'll get weepy in a minute,--and then it's all up with you!"
"You're so emotional, Mona," said Patty, smiling at her, "and socapable, and so generally all-round efficient, you're just the one toget married. Now, when it comes my turn, I don't want all thishullabaloo,--I think I shall get a good old rope ladder and elope."
"What! and not have any showers and music and reception and everything?"
"Oh, well, I don't know. We'll see when the time comes. But just now,we must put this affair of yours through. I'm glad there are only afew more days. I couldn't stand this excitement very long. Come on,girls, get ready for dinner. The boys will come soon. There's thebell now. If it's Roger, let Mona go down and see him alone. I'm afine gooseberry, don't you think so?"
"It is Roger," Patty announced, a moment later, as she leaned over thebanister to see, "skip along, Mona, we'll be down in ten minutes."
"Isn't she funny?" said Elise, as Patty returned to her room. "I neversaw anybody so crazy."
"She's so excited, she doesn't know whether she's on her head or herheels," agreed Patty. "Her nature is volatile, and she has no sense ofmoderation. She wants everything and all there is of it. That's all."
"She's a good one for Roger. He's inclined to take things lazily.Mona will be a sort of spur to him."
"They're all right," agreed Patty. "It's an ideal match. Come on,Elise, we've given them enough time alone."
The girls went down, and then Van Reypen and Kit Cameron appeared.
Dinner was a gay feast, and the elder Fairfields were as muchinterested in the chatter as the young people.
"Assert yourself, Roger," said Mr. Fairfield. "Don't let these girlsmonopolize the conversation, with their feminine fripperies andmillinery muddles."
"Models, Dad, not muddles," laughed Patty. "But we don't talk aboutthose much now, they're all finished. Oh, Mona, Genevieve's skirt hadto be all made over----"
"Oh, no," said her father, "you don't talk about them much! Only allthe time, that's all!"
"Let 'em," said Roger, magnanimously; "I've learned in the last fewdays, that the hang of Genevieve's skirt is a matter of enormousmagnitude."
"Good!" cried Patty, "Mona has begun training you already. When isyour Bachelor dinner, Roger?"
"Not till Wednesday night. I put it off so Farnsworth could get here."
"Oh, is he coming? I didn't know he was East."
"He wasn't. He's coming on on purpose for the event. I wanted himespecially. At least, Mona did."
"All the same," said Mona. "Oh, yes, of course I wanted Big Bill here.We've been friends for years, and he must dance at my wedding."
It was the first time Patty had seen Van Reypen since her return fromLakewood, and, during the evening, he drew her away from the others andleading her to the semi-privacy of a big davenport in the library, heannounced he was going to talk to her.
"Talk away," said Patty, "but I warn you, I've no time or attention foranything not connected with wedding bells."
"But this is connected with wedding bells," and Philip's dark eyessmiled into her own, "only, not Mona's chimes. Our own."
"Don't, Phil," said Patty, gently, noting his serious look and tone."I've got four days yet till the fifteenth, and,--oh, pshaw, I might aswell tell you now, that I'm not going to be engaged to you."
"Patty!" and Van Reypen's face went white. "You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do. I've had so much wedding doings for Mona, I'm sick andtired of it. I don't want to be engaged myself, or hear of anybodyelse being engaged, until I forget all about all this fuss andfeathers."
"There does seem to be an awful lot of fussy feathers, or whatever youcall it, about the affair, doesn't there?"
"Yes; and I'm glad to do all I can for Mona. I'm enjoying it, too, butI don't want any wedding of my own for years and years and years."
"By that time you'll be a pretty old bird. You ticked off a goodlynumber of years just then. But, seriously, Patty, I don't want tobother you----"
"Well, you _do_ bother me. Why, Phil, every single chance you get, youtalk about----"
"About my love for you? I mean to, Patty, but you don't give me achance. When I try to tell you of my love and devotion, you breakloose about not wanting to be engaged----"
"Well, of course I do. A girl doesn't want to hear of love anddevotion from a man she isn't engaged to, does she?"
"I don't know. I hope so, in this case. That is, I hope I'm the manyou're going to be engaged to, and soon, so I can tell you of my loveand devotion. They're deep, Patty, deep and true, and----"
"Then why did you treat me so horridly down at Lakewood, just because Ienjoyed having to do with people who had some brains and weren't of thesilly, addle-pated type we meet mostly in our own class of society?"
"But, Patty, dearest, those Blaneys aren't the real things. Theyhaven't education and genius,--they only pretend they have."
"Phil, I think you're horrid. They have so. Why, Sam Blaney wrote apoem that's the most beautiful thing I ever read!"
"Let me see it."
"I can't. I promised I wouldn't. It's--it's sort of sacred----"
"A sacred poem! Blaney?"
"No, I don't mean religious. But it's sacred to me,--it's--it's a realpoem, you see."
"Well, he isn't a real poet, by a long chalk! I did think, Patty, thatwhen you came home from Lakewood you'd forget all that rubbish bunch."
"How you do love to call them names! I don't think it's nice of you,one bit. They're going to be at the wedding, and I hope you'll bedecent to them then, as they're my friends."
"Oh, I'll be decent to them, but I shan't have any time to waste onthem. I've a matter of my own on hand for that night. A girl I wot ofhas promised to give me her answer to a question I asked, and, when thetime comes, I can't help thinking that that girl is going to be kind tome."
"I dunno," said Patty.