CHAPTER XV
AN INVITATION
Notwithstanding the experience of the evening, Patty slept dreamlesslyall night, and was only awakened, when Jane came in the morning withher breakfast tray.
"Hello, Jane," she said, sleepily, opening her eyes, "will you ask Mrs.Fairfield to come up here right away?"
"What is it, Patty?" said Nan, appearing a moment later; "are you ill?Jane said you wanted me right away."
"No, I'm not ill," and Patty gave her stepmother a quizzical glance."Sit down, Nan, and brace yourself for a shock. In me you behold acharming young debutante who has received her first proposal from amost worthy young man."
"Good gracious, Patty! Kenneth?"
"None other!" And Patty waved her hand dramatically.
"Naturally, I'm not overcome with amazement, as he spoke to Fred aboutit first. Kenneth always has good manners. Well, and what did you say,Patty?"
Patty eyed Nan, provokingly. "What do you think, Nancy?"
"Honestly, Patty, I haven't the slightest idea. Ken is splendid, Ithink,--but----"
"But what, Nan?" And Patty looked deeply interested.
"First, what did you say?"
"I won't tell you, until you tell me what you meant by 'but.'"
"Why, I only meant that Kenneth is,--well he's a dear and all that, buthe's so----"
"Oh, fiddlesticks, Nan, say it out! Dull, prosaic, old-fogy, poky,slow."
"Patty, Patty! those words are too strong! Ken isn't all those things!He's only,--just a little bit----"
"Just a day and a half behind the times. Or else I'm a day and a halfahead of them. Well, Nan, that's what I told him."
"What! that he was dull and old-fogy?"
"Not exactly those terms; but in a few well-chosen words I gave himthat impression, or tried to. By the way, Nan, I danced all round theroom while he was proposing. Was that correct?"
"Patty, stop your nonsense! Will you never be grown-up? You shall notmake fun of Kenneth."
"Oh, Nan, I only wish I could! You might as well try to make fun of thePublic Library. Kenneth is an institution. I always feel like saying tohim, 'Sail on, sail on, oh, Ship of State!' or something like that.Now, wait a minute, Nan; don't you think I don't appreciate hissterling qualities. Like a Ship of State, he's made of puregranite,--oh, NO, they don't make ships of granite, do they?--I meanlike the Public Library, you know. And he has solidfoundations,--mental, moral, and physical. But he hasn't any fancy workabout him. Even the Public Library has flags flying,--but Ken neverthinks of anything as gay as a flag."
"Patty, you're talking a lot, but I do believe you know what you'resaying;--it's true, dear. And are you going to marry him?"
"Marry him!" And Patty looked distinctly aggrieved. "Why, Nan, do youthink for a moment I'd accept my first proposal? No, sir-ee! After I'vehad half a dozen, I may take one seriously, but not before. How can Itell until I've seen various sorts? Why, Nan, Kenneth didn't go down onhis knees at all! I thought they always did. Didn't father, when heasked you?"
"Oh, Patty, I thought you were up-to-date! Kneeling proposals went outwith the Colonials! It's only a tradition, now."
"Gracious, Nan, how experienced you are! But I don't think I shallaccept anybody until he kneels to me. But don't tell anybody that, forI don't want them all doing it on purpose."
"Patty," and Nan spoke seriously, "it's all very well for you to rattleon like this, but you mustn't treat Ken's proposal lightly. He's asplendid man and he's terribly in love with you----"
"Wait a minute, Nan," and Patty was quite as earnest as the other. "Kenisn't TERRIBLY in love with me. I'd like it better if he were. He'sdeeply in love, even earnestly,--almost solemnly, but----"
"That's the best sort, Patty. Remember, dear, flirtation is all verywell; but in the man you marry you want those qualities you've justmentioned."
"Oh, Nan, don't you be serious, too! Ken's seriousness almost finishedme. And I suppose father will take the same tack! Oh, I don't want tobe grown-up,--I think it's HORRID!"
Nan looked sympathetically at Patty.
"I suppose, right here," Patty went on, "I ought to burst into tears.Don't girls always cry over their first proposal? But, Nan, I feel morelike giggling. I can't help it. It seems so ridiculous for Kenneth andme to go through that scene we had last evening. We've been friends solong, and then for him, all of a sudden----"
"It wasn't sudden with him, Patty. He's been in love with you foryears."
"Yes, so he says. Well, Nan, I don't HAVE to marry him, do I?"
"No, of course not."
"Well, then, I'm not going to! And I don't want to be treated as if Iwere an ingrate because I don't! Ken is a splendid man, noble souledand all that, but I don't love him and never shall. Now please, Nan, benice to me."
"Why, Patty, dear, I never dreamed of NOT being nice to you! I do wantyou to realise what you're throwing away, but if you couldn't be happywith Ken, of course, you mustn't marry him. He's a very differenttemperament from you, and I think myself he would be a sort of a weighton your buoyant nature. And if you're sure of your own heart, that'sall there is about it. But you must tell Ken so, just as kindly aspossible, for I know it will be an awful blow to the poor fellow. Didyou tell him?"
"Yes, I did, but he insisted that I should think it over."
"Well, think it over. It won't hurt you to do that. And if you keepgetting more and more certain that you don't love Kenneth and neverwill, then you'll know you're right in your decision. You're a deargirl, Patty, and I want you to marry some time, and just the right man."
"As you did."
"Yes, as I did," and Nan gave a happy smile. "You will probably marrysome one nearer your own age, Patty, but you can never be any happierthan Fred and I are."
"I believe you, you dear old thing! Oh, here's the mail, and I have nottouched my breakfast yet."
Jane came in with a lot of letters, and Patty pounced upon one inparticular.
"Here's a letter from Adele," she cried. "I hope she's coming to thecity, she's been talking of it."
But instead of that news, the letter contained an invitation for Pattyto come up to Fern Falls for a visit.
"Come to spend May-day," Adele wrote. "I'm having a small house party;in part, a reunion of our Christmas crowd. Daisy is here and Hal, ofcourse, and we all want you. Invite one or two of your beaux, if youlike, but don't bring any more girls; for we have two or three newneighbours with a superfluity of daughters. Come as soon as you can,and stay as long as you will, and bring your prettiest frocks. Oceansof love from me and Jim. Adele."
"That's good," said Nan, as she read the letter. "Why don't you startright off, Patty? Adele says to invite some young men if you like. Youmight ask Kenneth!"
"No, thank you. I don't want any of the boys. I'll be glad to get awayfrom them for awhile. I must have some new frocks, Nan. SomethingSpringy, you know."
"Yes, we'll go and order them to-day. I'd love to." Nan spokeabsentmindedly, for she was reading her own letters, and Pattyproceeded to open the rest of her mail.
That evening Kenneth came for his answer.
Patty had talked it over with her father, and had concluded the kindestthing was to tell Kenneth frankly, no.
The scene was not as difficult as Patty had feared, for Kenneth tookthe cheerful attitude of believing that she would yet relent.
"So long as there is no one else, Patty, girl," he said, very gently,"I'm going to hope that you will yet learn to love me. I shall neverdespair, until you tell me yourself that you have given your heart tosome one else."
"And we'll be good friends, Ken?"
"You bet we will! You needn't think I'm down and out because you'vesaid no, once! I'm not awfully swift, Patty, but I'm terriblypersistent,--and I'm just going to keep on loving you, in hope thatsome day you'll come to me because you want to."
"But there's no promise, Ken."
"No, dear, no promise. Only a hope in my heart, too deep to be rootedout, that some day--"
"So--me day! So--ome day!" chanted Patty in a trilling voice, and Kensmiled in his old, friendly fashion.
"He is awfully nice," Patty said to Nan, afterward, "when he isn'tproposing. There's something about Ken you can't help liking."
And Nan smiled and said, "That's so."
The days flew along, the spring frocks materialised and the grass andflowers began to be beautiful up at Fern Falls.
Patty went up there a few days before the first of May, and waswelcomed by the Kenerleys with vigorous and jubilant greetings.
"You dear!" exclaimed Adele, as after a rapturous hug she held Pattyoff to look at her. "I do believe you're prettier than ever!"
"It's the happiness of coming up here," said Patty, smiling. "I'm soglad to come, Adele. The country in spring,--and all that, you know."
"Yes," said Adele, laughing. "You know what the Boston girl said: 'Oh,I just LOVE nature! It ADDS so!' You're like that, aren't you, Patty?"
"Exactly! but spring is all over the city, too. They're selling flowerson every street corner, and all the pedestrians wear big bunches ofviolets or daffodils or magnolias or something. Daisy, you're lookingfine! How long have you been here?"
"I came last week," said Daisy Dow, "and I'm awfully glad to see youagain, Patty."
And then Patty was whisked off to her room, and not until tea-time didshe see the rest of the house party.
Then her host, Jim Kenerley, appeared, and Hal Ferris, Adele's brother,and, greatly to Patty's surprise, Philip Van Reypen.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Phil," said Patty, after she hadgreeted the men of the house.
"I'm only here for a short time," returned Philip; "Mrs. Kenerleyinvited me to stay as long as I behaved myself; but you know, Patty, Ican't do that very long."
"No, indeed! You'll be starting to-morrow morning at that rate!"
"Now, Patty, that's unkind of you. However, under your angelicinfluence, I may behave well enough to stay till the afternoon train."
"You're a beautiful behaver, Mr. Van Reypen," declared his hostess,"and I shan't let naughty Patty cast aspersions."
"What are those things, Adele?" asked Patty; "I'm sure I never castanything like that at anybody, and I wouldn't hit him if I did. I can'thit the side of a barn."
"I know they say that about women," said Hal Ferris; "but I believeit's a base libel. At least, I think they could be taught to accomplishsuch a feat. I believe I'll organise a class of young ladies and teachthem how to hit the side of a barn."
"But why hit it at all?" asked Daisy; "what has the poor barn done tobe hit?"
"Lots of people get hit when they don't deserve it," said Kenerley."But don't use our barn, Hal, use the neighbour's. Because under yourtuition, your pupils might get proficient enough to hit it."
"I'm so glad to be here when it isn't winter," said Patty, lookingaround her. They were having tea on one of the wide verandas, which,though still enclosed with glass, had many panes open to the spring air.
"From now on, it's lovely here," said Adele; "almost every day we haveone more sash open and then pretty soon we take them all out."
"It was lovely last winter, when we had tea by the hall fireplace, butthis is better still," and Patty leaned back in her Japanese wickereasy-chair and nibbled contentedly at her plate of little cakes.
The tea hour at the Kenerleys' was always a pleasant affair, and inwarm weather neighbours from the nearby country houses were apt tostroll over. On this occasion two or three came and Patty becameacquainted with several young ladies.
"You know what I told you," said Adele to Patty, after they had left."We have plenty of girls around here, but not many men. So for theMay-party, I want you to ask a few of your friends to come up."
"All right, I will; the boys will all be glad to come. Which ones doyou want?"
"I've already asked Roger Farrington, and we'll see about the otherslater."
"All right," said Patty, carelessly; "I've one or two new friends whomI'm sure you will like."
The next day Patty had a brilliant idea for a joke on Kit Cameron. Itpopped into her head quite suddenly, and she gleefully told her schemeto Adele and Daisy, as they sat together in Adele's own pleasantsitting-room.
"Doesn't Mr. Cameron know you're up here?" asked Adele.
"No; I haven't seen him for a week or two. He went South with theHomers and only came home the day I left."
The plan was carefully thought out, amid giggling and laughter, and thefinal result was achieved by Patty in the form of a much scribbledletter.
"Now I'm going down to copy this on Jim's typewriter," she said. Andshe flew downstairs to the library, from which opened a small officefitted up for Mr. Kenerley's home use.
Jim Kenerley had gone to business, and Van Reypen and Hal Ferris wereplaying golf, so Patty had the place to herself; and by dint of slowbut persevering pounding on the typewriter, she picked out thefollowing missive:
"Mr. Christopher Cameron: DEAR MR. CAMERON,
A few weeks ago I heard you play the violin at a concert! Oh, if Icould tell you the raptures that thrilled my soul at the floods ofmelody you drew from the insensate strings! Only a poet's spirit, onlya high-strung heart could accomplish such strains! I, too, am of amusical spirit; I, too, thrill to the notes of the great masters, ifinterpreted as they are by you! May I hope that you will not spurn thisoutburst of a sympathetic nature, and accept this tribute to yourgenius? Could I look for a line,--just a word,--in response to this,saying that you are glad of my appreciation? Never before have Iwritten to a stranger. That is why I dare not use my own penmanship.Please do not seek to find out who I am, but send just a line that Imay know you do not scorn my praise. Address Miss Belle Harcourt, MapleBank, Conn."
The conspirators had decided upon the Maple Bank Post-office as beingsafer than Fern Falls, if Kit should by any chance hear that Patty hadgone to the Kenerleys'.
"You know," said Patty, as she sealed the letter, "it might be mean toplay this trick on anybody else, but Kit plays so many jokes on otherpeople, he deserves it. And while he's not over-conceited, yet he'sjust vain enough to be tickled to death with this appreciation of hismusic. 'Miss Harcourt' will get an answer, all right! Come on, girls,let's get ready to go to Maple Bank."
And in a short time the three plotters were motoring over to theadjoining village to post the precious document.
Of course, they did not tell the men about this, and the three kept itan inviolate secret.
"We can hardly expect an answer for two days," said Patty, "but if Iknow Mr. Kit, he'll reply about as quickly as possible."
And sure enough, when the next day but one the three again invaded thelittle Maple Bank post-office, there was a letter from New York Cityfor Miss Belle Harcourt.
"Read it, read it!" cried Daisy as they started homeward with theirprize.
The three sat side by side in the motor, with Patty in the middle, andthey all giggled, as Patty read the letter aloud.
"DEAR MISS HARCOURT:
I cannot tell you what pleasure your letter gave me. It is sodelightful to learn that a stranger is interested in my poor attemptsat making music. And--may I say it?--the personal charm of your letterhas thrilled my heart! Only a pure, sweet, young nature could write asyou do. May I not see you? Or at least will you not send me yourphotograph? I know I have no right to ask this, but I would so love tomeet one so sympathetic and appreciative of the great art which is theideal of my life.
With many, many thanks for your welcome letter, I am,
Very sincerely yours, CHRISTOPHER CAMERON."
"I knew he'd do it!" cried Patty. "I knew he'd fall for that flattery!Kit's a perfect dear, but he IS vain of his music, and I don't blamehim. He's a wonderful violinist."
"What are you going to do next, Patty?" asked Adele. "Answer thatletter?"
"Sure!" returned Patty; "but I'm not running this thing alone. We mustall help make up the letter. And, Adele, haven't you some photographthat will be just right to send?"
As soon as they reached home they hunted over Adele's collection ofphotographs, and finally found one that Patty declared just right.
It was a picture of one of Adele's cousins, a girl of about sixteen,whose sweet young face wore an expression so soulful and languishingthat it was almost comical.
"Hester hates that picture," said Adele; "she never looks that wayreally,--like a sick calf,--but somehow the photographer managed tocatch that expression."
"She wouldn't mind if she knew, would she?" said Patty.
"Oh, mercy, no! She'd think it the best joke in the world. She lives inCalifornia, so there's little chance of Mr. Cameron ever seeing her.Now let's write the letter."
After much agony of composition and much gay fooling, the plottersproduced this:
"DEAR MR. CHRISTOPHER:
I must modify your more formal name a little,--for it seems now as if Ialmost knew you. I tremble with fear lest some one should discover thatI write to you. But I cannot help writing. I am impelled by a feelingin my soul. I send my picture and I wish it were more beautiful. For Iknow you love only what is good and beautiful. We must not meet, thatwould be TOO dangerous. But will you not write me one more preciousletter that I may keep it forever?
BELLE."
There had been much discussion over the signature. Adele preferred"Yours devotedly"; Daisy wanted "Yours adoringly"; but Patty stood outfor the name alone, saying that it meant more that way.
And so the letter enclosing the picture was despatched to Kit, whoreceived it duly.