Mandie Collection, The: 8 (37 page)

“Oh, anyone could tell that if they were around you and him long enough,” Mandie said with a big grin, swallowing a bite of her food.

Snowball suddenly decided he didn’t want to stay tied up. He began meowing and trying to pull loose from the post.

“All right, Snowball, you’re hungry. Sorry, but I forgot to give you anything,” Mandie told him. She started to take a bite of food from her plate when Juan suddenly handed her a small plate of food for the cat. She looked up at him and smiled again, saying, “Thank you.” She took the plate and placed it where Snowball could reach it.

Watching from under lowered eyelids, Mandie saw Juan return to his spot on a rock nearby to finish his food. She felt like she was continuously saying thank-you to the man. Even though he couldn’t hear, he always seemed to understand.

After everyone had eaten, Senator Morton led them around the area, and they investigated various old buildings along the way. But finally it was time to return to his house because Mrs. Taft was tired and wanted to rest.

Mandie was tired of being around Juan and wanted to get away from him. Snowball seemed tired, too, so she picked him up as they returned to the carriage.

“It’s not time for supper yet, so what are we going to do in the meantime?” Celia asked as they followed the adults to the vehicle.

“When we get back to Senator Morton’s, maybe we can stay outside and walk around a little,” Mandie suggested.

“All right, provided we don’t get lost,” Celia agreed.

“This town is so small. How could we get lost?” Mandie asked.

“It’s bigger than you think, Mandie,” Celia replied.

“All right, we’ll just walk all the way around the town and see how big it really is,” Mandie said as they stopped by the carriage. Senator Morton helped Mrs. Taft step up into it and followed her inside. Then Juan, who was standing by, walked over to the girls and made a motion that he would assist them into the carriage.

Mandie quickly pulled away from him and rushed inside. Celia was right behind her. As they sat down on the seat, Mandie whispered, “I’m glad that’s over with.” She held Snowball in her lap.

“Yes,” Celia agreed.

When Juan pulled the carriage up in front of Senator Morton’s house, he stood back and watched the girls. He did not offer to help them from the carriage. Mandie was anxious to get away from him and hurried into the house right behind the adults.

Mrs. Taft turned to speak to the girls. “We will rest a little, Amanda, and be refreshed for the evening meal,” she said.

“Grandmother, would it be all right if Celia and I walk around outside while you rest?” Mandie asked, setting Snowball down at the end of his leash.

Mrs. Taft looked up at Senator Morton without replying, and he said, “I will ask one of the maids to go with them if you like.”

“But, Senator Morton, we don’t need anyone to go with us,” Mandie protested. “Celia and I walk around all the time without adults escorting us.”

“Amanda, this is a strange town to you, and I won’t have you going off by yourselves and getting lost or into some kind of predicament,” Mrs. Taft quickly told her. “Senator Morton has graciously offered the services of a maid, and if y’all want to go on a walk, then you must allow the maid to accompany you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mandie replied, and then looking up at the senator, she asked, “Do you think we could have Maria go with us, then?”

“Maria?” the senator questioned. “Well, normally that’s not her position, but I’ll ask her to walk with y’all.”

Mandie smiled and said, “Thank you, Senator Morton.”

“All right, I’m going up to my room. I want you girls to be on your best ladylike behavior,” Mrs. Taft said, walking toward the staircase.

“Yes, ma’am,” both girls chorused.

“And I’ll get Maria,” the senator said, going down the hallway. But when he returned to the parlor, he had the younger maid with the long, shiny black hair with him. “Maria is not here, but Lolly will go with you young ladies. She will walk with you wherever you wish to go, but I have told her to be sure you are all back in time for supper.”

The girls thanked the senator, and he left the room as Lolly stood waiting.

Mandie looked at Lolly and said, “We would just like to walk around to see how big this town really is.”

“I see,” Lolly agreed, going toward the front door. “Then we go.”

As they stepped outside, they met Juan, who was coming toward the house. Mandie noticed that Lolly seemed to be all smiles for the man, and he smiled back at her.

“Back soon,” Lolly said to Juan as she passed him.

He smiled back again.

Mandie looked at Celia as they followed the girl. Catching up with her, Mandie said, “But Juan can’t speak or hear, and you spoke to him.”

The girl seemed to be completely flustered as she looked at Mandie. “Juan cannot speak or hear, but we all talk to him. He knows what we say,” she said, leading the way to the street.

“How can he know what you say if he can’t hear you?” Mandie insisted.

Lolly shrugged and said, “He knows. He just knows.”

Mandie looked at Celia and rolled her eyes. This seemed to be a dead-end explanation. She thought the girl must be infatuated with Juan.

Celia smiled and said, “I believe we’re headed for the park that we can see from our room.”

Mandie looked ahead and agreed. “Yes, we are,” she said. Turning to the maid, she asked, “Where does this park go?”

“Go?” Lolly asked in puzzlement.

“Yes, if we go through this park, where will we come out?” Mandie asked.

“Lots of things on other side of park,” Lolly replied. Then turning to smile at Mandie, she said, “Ghosts live in the park at night. Never come here then.”

“Ghosts? You believe in ghosts?” Mandie asked in surprise.

“Believe in ghosts?” Lolly questioned her as they entered the pathway through the park. “I know ghosts live here.”

“How do you know ghosts live here?” Mandie asked.

“I see ghosts. I know ghosts when I see ghosts,” Lolly insisted, glancing at Mandie with a deep frown.

Mandie was surprised at the girl’s statement. “You’ve seen ghosts?” she questioned her. “What did they look like?”

Lolly frowned again and replied, “Different ghosts look different. I see different ghosts.”

“Mandie, Senator Morton did say some people here believe in ghosts,” Celia reminded her.

“Would you come back here with us after dark so we could see the ghosts, too?” Mandie asked the girl.

Lolly said, “Ghosts may not like you. You not from St. Augustine.”

“Well, what would they do if they don’t like us?” Mandie asked.

Lolly shrugged and said, “Do not know. Ghosts like me.”

“Do the ghosts like Juan? Does he see ghosts in this park, too?” Mandie asked.

“Yes, big ghost with beard Juan see,” Lolly said.

“How do you know that? Does he tell you that?” Mandie asked.

“Yes, he tell me,” Lolly replied.

“Now, if he can’t talk, how did he tell you that?” Mandie quickly asked, watching the girl closely.

“He ... he tell me on paper,” Lolly explained.

“On paper? You mean he writes it down?” Mandie asked.

“Yes, he write down,” Lolly said and blew out a breath.

Mandie didn’t believe the girl. She doubted that Lolly knew how to read and write. She would test her and see what happened.

Looking across the park, Mandie could see a Flagler Hotel sign. She put her hand on Lolly’s arm to stop her and pointed at the sign. “Can you see that sign over there? What does it say? What’s over there?”

“That is Flagler Hotel,” Lolly immediately told her, smiling, and added, “Big place. Lots of people. Lots of money.”

“Well, Mandie,” Celia said, “that didn’t work.”

“No, but I’m not giving up,” Mandie replied. She put Snowball down to walk at the end of his leash.

Mandie tried other places for Lolly to identify, but she knew every one of them. Evidently, she had everything memorized. They passed many beautiful buildings and eventually came to the other side of town. Then they turned back, and Lolly took them on different streets back to Senator Morton’s house.

“Well, I’m tired now,” Mandie said as they entered the front door. “Thank you, Lolly, for going with us.”

Lolly smiled at her and continued down the hallway. The girls went up to their room.

“I suppose we have to change clothes to go down and eat tonight,” Mandie said after putting Snowball down and unfastening his leash. “What will I put on? I didn’t bring a whole lot of clothes with me.”

“Oh, Mandie, you brought more than I did. I saw what you’ve got in the wardrobe,” Celia said, going over to open its doors. She reached inside to sort through her dresses. Mandie stood behind her waiting to get to hers.

“Mandie, look!” Celia suddenly exclaimed as she stepped back to allow Mandie to look inside.

Mandie immediately saw that all their clothes had been turned the wrong way again. “I would like to know what’s going on around here,” she said.

“Who do you think is doing this?” Celia asked.

“I don’t know,” Mandie muttered impatiently as she began removing the clothes to turn them around. “It couldn’t have been Juan, unless he did this while you and I and Lolly went out for a walk.” Then she remembered the young man she had seen in the hallway when they first came but had not seen since. “I wonder who that man was I saw up here in the hallway that night,” she added. “I haven’t seen him again. Maybe he’s the one doing all this. I’m going to find out just who this man is.”

“I hope you can,” Celia agreed, helping to rearrange the clothes.

“Just like I am going to find out who these so-called ghosts are in that park. You wait and see. I’ll solve the whole thing. It may take a while, but I’ll figure it all out.”

Senator Morton’s house was full of servants, and it could have been any one of them, but Mandie was determined to find the culprit.

CHAPTER FIVE

QUESTIONS IN THE DARK

The day’s events were discussed at the supper table that night. Mandie could hardly wait to inform the senator that Lolly believed in ghosts. Waiting for a lull in the conversation so she would have everyone’s attention, the opportunity finally came.

Dessert and hot coffee had just been served and were the focal point of the adults’ attention. Mandie laid down her fork on the side of the plate that held her slice of chocolate cake, cleared her throat, and looked at Senator Morton as she asked, “Did you know Lolly believes in ghosts? She took us through the park today and told us there were ghosts in there and that they liked her.”

Senator Morton laughed as he replied, “I put nothing past Lolly. She has a very vivid imagination.”

“Well, Senator Morton, are there really ghosts in that park?” Mandie asked, determined to pin him down for a yes or no answer.

“I can’t rightfully say, since I don’t believe in ghosts myself. I’ve always heard that if you don’t believe in ghosts, then ghosts will never allow you to see them,” he replied, picking up his coffee cup and then setting it back down. “Did Lolly tell you what kind of ghosts she sees in the park? What they look like, maybe?”

“No, sir, not really,” Mandie replied as she tried to remember the exact remarks Lolly had made. Turning to Celia, she asked, “Lolly
didn’t describe the ghosts she claims live in the park, did she? Do you remember?”

“No, Mandie, I don’t believe she did,” Celia replied. “However, she did mention that there was a big ghost with a beard who Juan sees.”

Senator Morton quickly laughed and said, “Juan believes in ghosts? I don’t think so, even though Lolly said he did. Lolly lives in her own fantasy sometimes.”

“Is Lolly in love with Juan?” Mandie asked with a big grin.

Mrs. Taft quickly caught her breath and spoke up. “Amanda, you shouldn’t ask such questions. That is not your business.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mandie said meekly and quickly concealed a smile.

“I can answer that for you, Miss Amanda,” the senator said with a smile. “Lolly is in love with any man who will look her way. She was orphaned as a baby, and Maria raised her. But I’m afraid Maria never had children of her own and didn’t exactly know what to do when Lolly grew up into a young woman who looks for love around every corner. I would say you shouldn’t believe everything Lolly tells you.”

“How do I know which part to believe, then?” Mandie asked, puzzled.

“After you’ve been around Lolly for a while, I’m sure you’ll notice the glow that surrounds her when she is fantasizing and when she won’t look you straight in the eye. That’s when she is living in her own make-believe world.”

“I will try to notice and remember,” Mandie replied, picking up her fork to dig into the huge slice of chocolate cake. Then she thought of another question. Laying down the fork after one bite, she asked, “Senator Morton, can Juan hear at all? I mean, sometimes he seems to understand what we are saying.”

“No, Juan can’t hear a thing,” Senator Morton told her, “unless it might be a loud explosion or something like that. I believe he did react to a cannon being fired in a celebration we had a while back, but he can’t hear ordinary conversations.”

“He seems to understand when someone stands directly in front of him and mouths the words,” Celia put in.

“Yes, I believe sometimes he can understand part of it,” the senator agreed.

“Senator Morton is having a small party tomorrow night, girls,” Mrs. Taft told them. “Y’all should decide what you want to wear and hang it out to be pressed. I understand Maria will see to that.”

Mandie immediately remembered the wardrobe. “Grandmother, Senator Morton, someone keeps coming into our room and turning our clothes the wrong way in the wardrobe. We hang them up all nice and neat, and when we come back to get something, they are all jumbled up and turned the wrong way.”

“Oh dear,” Mrs. Taft said with a sigh.

“Are you sure, Miss Amanda?” Senator Morton asked.

“Yes, sir, it has happened twice,” Mandie told him.

“Yes, sir, it did,” Celia added.

“I can’t imagine what is going on, unless one of the maids slips in there to look at your beautiful clothes. Maybe that’s what’s happening,” Senator Morton said thoughtfully. “I’ll ask Maria to see that the maids do not go in your room unless you ask for them.”