CHAPTER VIII
A DELIGHTFUL INVITATION
Patty was singing softly to herself, as she fluttered around herboudoir at a rather late hour the next morning. Robed in a soft bluesilk negligee, with her golden curls tucked into a little lacebreakfast cap, she now paused to take a sip of chocolate or a bit of aroll from her breakfast tray, then danced over to the window to lookout, or back to her desk to look up her calendar of engagements forthe day.
"What a flutter-budget you are, Patty," said Nan, appearing at thedoorway, and pausing to watch Patty's erratic movements.
Patty flew across the room and greeted her stepmother with anaffectionate squeeze, and then flew back and dropped comfortably onthe couch, tucking one foot under her, and thereby dropping off alittle blue silk boudoir slipper as she did so.
"Oh, Nan!" she began, "it was the most exciting party ever! What _do_you think? Christine and Mr. Hepworth are engaged!"
"Christine! and Gilbert Hepworth!" and Nan was quite as surprised atthe news as Patty could desire.
"Yes, isn't it great! and oh, Nan, what _do_ you think? Christine wasall broken up,--crying in fact,--because,--did you ever know anythingso ridiculous?--because she thought she was taking him away from me!"
Nan looked at Patty a little curiously. "Well; you must know, Patty,he certainly thought a great deal of you."
"Of course he did! And of course he _does!_--You speak as if he weredead!--and I think a great deal of him, and I think a heap ofChristine, and I think they are perfectly suited to each other, and Ithink it's all just lovely! Don't you?"
"Yes," said Nan, slowly. "Then, you didn't care for him especially,Patty?"
"Good gracious, Nan, if you mean was I in love with him, I sure was_not!_ Little girls like me don't fall in love with elderly gentlemen;and this particular little girl isn't falling in love anyway. Why,Nan, I'm only just out, and I do perfectly adore being out! I wantthree or four years of good, solid outness before I even think offalling in love with anybody. Of course I shall marry eventually, andbe a beautiful, lovely housekeeper, just exactly like you. But, if youremember, my lady, you were some few years older than nineteen whenyou married my revered father."
"That's true enough, Patty, and I can tell you I'm glad I didn'taccept any of the young men who asked me before Fred did."
"I'm jolly glad, too; and father was in luck when he got you. Butyou're not going to be rid of me yet for a long time, I can tell youthat much. Well, more things happened last night. Philip and I made upour quarrel,--which wasn't much of a quarrel anyway,--and Roger andMona are pretty much at peace again; though, if Mona keeps on withthat Lansing idiot, Roger won't stand it much longer. And I'm going tothe opera to-night in the Van Reypen box, and I'm going skatingto-morrow,--oh, there's the mail!"
Patty jumped up and ran to take the letters from Jane, who brought ina trayful.
"Quite a bunch for you, Nansome," and Patty tossed a lot of letters inNan's lap. "And a whole lot of beautiful, fat envelopes for me. 'Mostall invitations, as you can see at a glance. Two or three requests forcharity,--they show on the outside, too. A few bills, a few circularsand advertisements, and all the rest invitations. Isn't it gorgeous,Nan, to be invited to such heaps of things?"
"Don't wear yourself out, Patty," returned Nan, a littleabsent-mindedly, being absorbed in a letter from her mother.
Having weeded out the more interesting looking letters, Patty returnedto her sofa, and curled up there with both feet under her, lookinglike a very pretty and very civilised little Turk. With a slenderpaper cutter she slashed all the envelopes, and then went through themone by one, making running comments of delight or indifference as sheread the various contents.
But suddenly a more excited exclamation broke from her. "Oh, mygoodness, gracious, sakes alive!" she cried. "Nan, _will_ you listento this!"
"Wait a minute, honey, till I finish this letter," and Nan went onreading to herself.
Patty dashed through eight pages of sprawly penmanship, and as soon asshe finished she read it all over again.
"Now, Miss Fairfield, what's it all about?" and Nan folded her ownletter and returned it to its envelope.
"Well, in a nutshell, it's a Christmas Country House Party! Couldanything be more delightfuller?"
"Who, where, what, when?" And Nan patiently awaited furtherenlightenment.
"Oh, Nan, it's _too_ gorgeous!" And Patty's eyes ran through the letteragain. "You know Adele Kenerley, who was down at Mona's lastsummer,--well, she and Jim have bought a place at Fern Falls,--whereverthat may be,--somewhere up in Connecticut,--in the Berkshires, youknow. Heavenly in summer, dunno what it'll be in winter. But all thesame that's where the house party is, Christmas,--stay two or threeweeks,--all our crowd,--oh, Nan! isn't it beatific!"
Patty bounded to her feet, and gathering up the sides of heraccordion-pleated gown, she executed a triumphant dance about theroom, winding up by kicking her little blue silk slipper straight overNan's head.
"Moderate your transports, my love," Nan said, calmly. "I don't wantconcussion of the brain, from being hit by a French heel."
"Not much of a compliment to my skilful ballet dancing," and Pattyflung herself into the cushions again. "But, Nan, you don't understand;everybody's going! Elise and Mona and the boys, and oh, gracious, _do_show some enthusiasm!"
"Don't have to," said Nan, smiling, "when you show enough for adozen."
"Well, I'll call up Mona, she'll have something to say."
Patty reached for the telephone, and in a few moments both girls weretalking at once, and the conversation ran something like this:
"Yes, I did, and, Patty----"
"Of course I am! Oh, I don't know about that! If I----"
"But of course if Daisy is there----"
"Well, we can't help that, and anyway----"
"Tuesday, I suppose; but Adele said----"
"No, Monday, Mona, for us, and the boys----"
"I'm not sure that I'll go. You see----"
"Now, stop such nonsense! Of course he isn't invited, but I'll neverspeak to you again if----"
"Oh, of course I will, but I'll only stay----"
"Yes, all our best frocks, and lots of presents and, oh, Mona, come onover here, do. There's oceans of things to talk about!"
"All right, I will. Good-bye."
"Good-bye." And Patty hung up the receiver. "She's coming over here,Nan; there's so much to plan for, you know. Do help me, won't you? Aregular Christmas tree, and all that, you know; and presents foreverybody, and a dance at the country club, and I don't know whatall."
"Yes, you will have a lovely time." And Nan smiled with sympathy atthe excited girl, whose sparkling eyes and tumbled hair betokened herstate of mind.
Mona came over and spent the rest of the day, and plans were made andunmade and remade with startling rapidity.
Mona began to voice regrets that Mr. Lansing was not invited to thehouse party, but Patty interrupted at once:
"Now, Mona Galbraith, you stop that! Adele has a lovely party madeup, and you're not going to spoil it by even so much as a reference tothat man! Roger will be there for Christmas, and if that isn't enoughfor you, you can stay home!"
"Isn't Elise going?"
"No, she can't. She's going South next week with her mother, and Idoubt if Philip Van Reypen will go. His aunt won't want him to leaveher at the holidays. Do you know, I'm a little sorry Daisy Dow is upthere."
"You don't like her, do you, Patty?"
"I would, if she'd like me. But she's always snippy to me."
"'Cause she's jealous of you," observed Mona, sapiently.
"Nonsense! She has no reason to be. I never interfere with her."
"Well, never mind, don't let her bother you. Hal Ferris will be there.You don't know him, do you? He's Adele's brother."
"No, I never met him. She wrote that he'd be there."
"He's the dearest boy. Well, he's older than Adele, but he seems likea boy,--he's so full of capers. Adele says it's a beautiful
bighouse, just right for a jolly, old-fashioned Christmas party."
* * * * *
The days simply flew by as Christmas drew nearer. There was so much todo socially, and then there were the Happy Saturday Afternoons to beplanned and carried out, and the Christmas shopping to be done.
This last was greatly added to because of the house party, for Pattyknew the generosity of her hosts, and she wanted to do her share inthe presentation festivities.
She undertook to dress a huge doll for baby May. Nan helped her withthis or she never could have finished the elaborate wardrobe. Sheselected a beautiful doll, of goodly size, but not big enough to becumbersome to little two-year-old arms. With her knack for dressmakingand her taste for colour, she made half a dozen dainty and beautifulfrocks, and also little coats and hats, and all the various accessoriesof a doll's outfit.
She bought a doll's trunk and suit-case to contain these things, andadded parasol, furs, jewelry, and all the marvellous little trinketsthat the toy shop afforded.
"I spent so much time and thought on this doll," said Patty, one day,"that I shall have to buy things for the others. I can't sew any more,Nan; my fingers are all like nutmeg graters now."
"Poor child," sympathised Nan. "You have worked hard, I know, butAdele will appreciate it more than if you had made something forherself. By all means buy the rest of your gifts."
So Patty bought a beautiful luncheon set of filet lace and embroideryfor Mrs. Kenerley, and an Oriental antique paper cutter for herhusband.
She bought a handsome opera bag for Mona and a similar one for DaisyDow, that there might be no rivalry there. She bought a few handsomeand worth-while books for the men who would be at the party, andattractive trinkets for the house servants.
Of course, in addition to these, she had to prepare a great many giftsfor her New York friends, as well as for her own family and many ofher relatives. But both Patty and Nan enjoyed shopping, and went aboutit with method and common sense.
"I can't see," said Patty, as they started off in the car one morning,"why people make such a bugbear of Christmas shopping. I think it'seasy enough."
"Perhaps it's because you have plenty of money, Patty. You know, notevery one has such a liberal father as you have."
Patty looked thoughtful. "I don't think it's that, Nan; at least, notentirely. I think it's more common sense, and not being fussy. Now, Igive lots of presents that cost very little; and then, of course, Igive a lot of expensive ones, too. But it's just as easy to buy thecheap ones, if not easier. You just make up your mind what you want tospend for a certain present, and then you buy the nicest thing you seefor that amount. It's when people fuss and bother, and can't make uptheir minds among half a dozen different things, that they get worriedand bothered about Christmas. I do believe most of their trouble comesfrom lack of decision, which is only another way of saying that theyhaven't common sense or even common gumption!"
"Well, Patty, whatever else you may lack, you certainly have commonsense and gumption; I'll give you credit for them."
"Thank you, Nan; much obliged, I'm sure. I wish I could return thecompliment, but sometimes I think you haven't much of those thingsyourself."
Nan flashed a smile at Patty, entirely unmoved by this criticism; forshe knew that she was vacillating and sometimes undecided, as comparedto Patty's quick-witted grasp of a subject and instantaneous decision.
"Have I told you," said Patty, "what we're going to do next Saturdayafternoon? I do think it's going to be lovely. And I do hope it won'tmake the girls mad, but I don't think it will. You know, Nan, what anawful lot of things we all get every Christmas that we don't want andcan't use, although they're awfully pretty and nice. We just lay themaway in cupboards, and there they stay. Well, on Saturday, we're goingto take a lot of these things and give them to people."
"For Christmas presents? Why, Christmas is two weeks off yet."
"That's just it! Not for presents to themselves, but presents for themto give to other people."
"Oh, I begin to see."
"Yes; it isn't the least bit _charity_, you see. Why, one of the peopleI'm going to give things to, is Christine. With her work, and beingengaged and all, she hasn't any time to make things, or even to goshopping, and she can't afford to buy much, anyway. So I'm going to giveher one or two beautiful silk bags that were given to me two or threeyears ago. They're perfectly fresh, never been out of their boxes. AndI'm going to give her one or two beautiful, fine handkerchiefs in boxes,and two or three lovely books, and two or three pieces of bric-a-brac,and a Japanese ivory carving. Don't you see, Nan, she can give these toher friends for Christmas, and it will save her a lot of trouble andexpense. And dear knows, _I_ don't want them! My rooms are chock-a-blockwith just such things, now. And I know she won't feel offended, when Itell her about it straightforwardly."
"Of course she won't be offended with you, Patty; and I think the ideais lovely. I've a lot of things put away I'll give you. I neverthought of such a thing before."
"The girls thought at first that maybe it might not work, but I talkedthem around and now they're all in for it. I'm going to take somethings to Mrs. Greene. I've quite a lot for her, and I'll tell her shecan give them all away, or keep some herself, just as she likes. AndI've things for Rosy, that freckled-faced boy, you know. I have gamesand picture-puzzles and books that I used to have myself. Of coursethey're all perfectly new. I wouldn't give anything that had been usedat all. And we're going Saturday afternoon to take these thingsaround. Mona has lovely things, and so has Elise. You see, we get somany Christmas and birthday presents, and card party prizes, and suchthings, and I do think it's sensible to make use of them forsomebody's pleasure instead of sticking them away in dark cupboards.And, Nan, what do you think?--with each lot of things we're going togive a dozen sheets of white tissue paper and a bolt of holly ribbonand some little tags so they can fix up real Christmassy presents togive away."
"Patty, you're a wonder," said Nan, looking affectionately at the girlbeside her. "How do you think of all these things?"
"Common sense and general gumption," returned Patty. "Very usefultraits, _I_ find 'em. And here we are at our first shopping place."
Assisted by Patty's common sense and expeditious judgment, theyaccomplished a great deal that morning, and returned home with theirlists considerably shortened.
"It does seem funny," said Patty, that same afternoon, "to be tying upthese things almost two weeks ahead of time. But with all thenewspapers and magazines urging you to do your shopping early, andsend off your parcels early, you can't really do otherwise."
Patty was surrounded by presents of all sorts, boxes of all sizes,pieces of ribbon, and all sorts of cards and tags.
"I'm sick and tired of holly ribbon and red ribbon," she said, as shedeftly tied up her parcels. "So, this year, I'm using white satinribbon and gilt cord. It's an awfully pretty combination, and theselittle green and gilt tags are lovely, don't you think?"
Her audience, which consisted of Elise and Mona, were watching herwork with admiration. They had offered to help, but after anineffectual attempt to meet Patty's idea of how a box should be tiedup, they abandoned the effort, and sat watching her nimble fingersfly.
"You ought to get a position in some shop where they advertise, 'onlyexperienced parcel wrappers need apply,'" said Elise. "I never sawsuch neat parcels."
"You're evidently going to be an old maid," said Mona, "you're sofussy and tidy."
"I do like things tidy," admitted Patty, "and if that interferes withmy having a husband, why, of course I'll have to give him up. For Ican't stand not having things neat about me."
"Do you call this room neat?" asked Elise, smiling as she looked aboutat the scattered boxes and papers, cut strings, and little piles ofshredded tissue.
"Yes, I do," declared Patty, stoutly. "This kind of stuff can bepicked up in a jiffy, and then the room is all in order. This istemporary, you see. By untidiness, I mean dirt and dust
, and bureaudrawers in a mess, and desks in disorder."
"That's me," confessed Mona, cheerfully. "Not the dirt and dust,perhaps,--the maids look after that. But I just _can't_ keep mybelongings in their places."
"Neither can I," said Elise. "I don't see how you do it, Patty."
"Oh, pshaw! it's no credit to me, I just can't help it. I'd have a fitif they weren't all nice and in order. And if that means I'm going tobe an old maid, I can't help it,--and I don't care!"
"Hoo-hoo!" said Elise.