The Mandie Collection (41 page)

“Maybe I could move in here with you,” Mandie offered. “I sure wouldn't mind getting away from April.”

“Would you want to, really?”

“I'd love to. Let's ask Miss Prudence tomorrow.”

“Yes, let's do.”

“If I move in here, maybe we could investigate the attic together, and find out what's making that noise.”

“You mean actually go up there?” Celia stared at her with her mouth open.

“Sure. We could sneak out after everyone else is asleep,” Mandie said. “You're not afraid to go up there, are you?”

“No, no, no. But what if we got caught?”

“Nobody's going to catch us. This room is far away from the others, and we'll be real quiet.”

“But there's no telling what's up there.”

“If we find anything awful we can scream our heads off. We'd get caught, but at least someone would rescue us.” Mandie got up and started for the door. “Right now, though, I'd better get back to my bed before someone misses me.”

“But I'm afraid to be left alone, especially with those noises up there.”

Mandie reached for the doorknob and her hand touched a key sticking out. “Hey, there's a key in the door. As soon as I leave, you lock the door. Then no one can come in and bother you.” Celia jumped up and hurried over to examine the key. “Thank goodness!” she exclaimed.

“I'll catch up with you tomorrow, and we can ask Miss Prudence if I can move in here with you,” Mandie told her. “Now lock the door. Good night.”

Mandie softly opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Hearing the lock click behind her, she hurried down the hallway and slipped back into her own bed. She hoped she could persuade Miss Prudence to let her move in with Celia. Then the two of them could find out what that noise was.

CHAPTER THREE

MANDIE'S ENEMY

Mandie and Celia met outside the dining room at breakfast and stopped to talk.

“Did you hear anything else last night?” Mandie whispered.

Celia shook her auburn curls. “Not a sound. I locked my door and went to sleep right away. Are we still going to ask Miss Prudence if you can move in with me?”

“Oh, yes—that is, if you want me to.”

“Please do, Mandie. I'm afraid to be alone in that room. It's so isolated.”

Miss Prudence came up behind them and Mandie turned around.

“May Celia and I speak to you for a few minutes after we eat?”

The schoolmistress looked from one girl to the other. “Of course, Amanda. I'll see you in my office.”

Miss Prudence stepped into the dining room and stood at the head of the table. The girls took their places behind their chairs. Mandie and Celia smiled at each other.

The schoolmistress kept glancing at Mandie and Celia during the entire meal, as if wondering what they wanted to talk about. Mandie had not made friends with the other girls, and Celia seemed to be living in a world all her own. Aware of Celia's sad circumstances,

Miss Prudence had placed the girls together at the table, hoping they would develop a friendship.

After the meal, the two girls hurried out of the dining room, getting to the office ahead of Miss Prudence. They waited in the hallway.

The assistant schoolmistress, Miss Hope, was just leaving the office. She supervised the second sitting in the dining room. “Did you girls want something?” she asked.

“We're waiting for Miss Prudence,” Mandie told her. Miss Prudence hurried toward them down the hallway.

“Well, here she is now,” Miss Hope said. “Oh, dear, I almost forgot to take my announcements with me.” She turned back into the office.

Miss Hope was shifting papers on the nearby desk when her sister, Miss Prudence, invited the girls into the office.

“Now,” Miss Prudence began, “sit down and tell me what you wanted to see me about.” The girls sat down in the armchairs in front of the desk.

Mandie looked at her friend and then at Miss Hope. Celia seemed frightened of the old schoolmistresses. Miss Hope appeared preoccupied with hunting for her papers.

Mandie took a deep breath. “I would like permission to move into Celia's room with her,” she began. “She's all alone and so far away from the others.”

Miss Prudence looked from one girl to the other. “It's not our policy to shift girls around once they are settled in a room,” she began. “It would create quite a commotion if everyone requested to move.”

“But I'm afraid to stay by myself in that room,” Celia ventured. “Last night I just happened to find the key in the lock and I locked the door.”

“No doors are to be locked. You may bring me the key at supper,” Miss Prudence replied. “This place is new to you. You will get used to it after a while. Now, if that is all you two wanted, I have other things to do.”

Miss Hope stood at the door, listening.

Mandie looked at her friend and began to protest. “But, Miss Prudence, Celia and I have so much in common.”

“What Mandie means,” Celia said, “is that we have both lost our fathers. She came to talk to me last night when she heard me crying.”

The schoolmistress bristled. “She went to your room? What time was this?”

Mandie decided there was no point in lying. Celia had unintentionally given her away. “It was after ten o'clock,” Mandie admitted. “I couldn't sleep, and I walked down the hallway. I heard Celia crying, so I went into her room to see if I could do anything. As we talked we found out we had both lost our fathers,” Mandie explained.

“Young lady,” Miss Prudence said sternly, “you know that it is against the rules to go outside your room after ten o'clock at night, much less visit in another room. Did you not hear me recite the rules yesterday?”

The two girls trembled at hearing her firm tone.

“Miss Prudence, I'm sorry I—” Mandie apologized.

“Sister,” Miss Hope interrupted, “I see no harm in what Amanda has done. Quite the contrary. One of us should have checked on Celia to see that she was all right. We knew about her father's tragedy.”

“Sister, I am handling this matter,” Miss Prudence cut her short. “Now you two will obey rules here without any exceptions. Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Celia meekly replied.

“Yes, Miss Prudence,” Mandie echoed. “I'm sorry I broke the rules, but Celia was all by herself in that room, and she was terribly sad and lonely. Could I please move in with her? Please?”

Miss Prudence looked at her sharply. Amanda didn't give up easily.

Neither did Miss Hope. “Sister, I see no harm in allowing Amanda to move into the room with Celia,” she said. “In fact, I
think it would be a good idea. That room is too isolated for one girl alone. Of course, I know you are handling the matter, but that is my opinion.”

Miss Prudence was silent for a long moment, looking from her sister to the two girls. Mandie and Celia held their breath, waiting.

Concern clouded Miss Prudence's eyes. “And suppose some of the other girls hear about this and decide they want to move around also?” she asked her sister.

“Let's say there has to be a good reason to move. In this case I think we have a very good reason,” Miss Hope replied. “And if there should be a good reason for some other girl to move, then we will allow that, too.”

Miss Prudence cleared her throat before speaking. “All right, Sister, if you want to be held responsible for any other requests to move, then we will get Uncle Cal to move Amanda's things into the room with Celia,” Miss Prudence agreed. She looked at the girls sternly, “And you two young ladies, just remember this. There will be no more violations of the school rules. Next time, Amanda, it will be much more serious.”

“Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Miss Prudence,” Mandie replied. Celia added her thanks, and the girls smiled at Miss Hope. Miss Hope left the office quickly with her papers in her hand. “I almost forgot it's time for me to go to the dining room,” she said. That afternoon, while the other students spent their free period on the veranda, Mandie and Celia helped Uncle Cal move Mandie's belongings.

The two girls, with their arms full of clothes, followed Uncle Cal out of Mandie's old room and walked straight into April's path.

“So, you just can't take it, huh?” April said, blocking their way. “I know the other girls have told you that my mother is a Yankee and my grandfather was a Union soldier, but I didn't think you would move out on account of that.”

Mandie frowned. “But I didn't know that, April,” she protested. “Besides, that doesn't make any difference to me, none at all.”

“I don't believe you. Why else would you move out?”

“Really, April, I didn't know anything at all about you,” Mandie insisted. “And what difference does it make which side your family was on? The War of Northern Aggression has been over for many, many years now.”

“Mandie is moving into my room because I was afraid to stay there by myself,” Celia told her.

“Afraid, huh?” April scoffed. “What're you afraid of?” Mandie pushed past April. “Oh, come on, Celia. We don't have time to waste.”

“You'll be sorry,” April called as the two hurried down the hallway.

“I see now why you wanted to get away from that girl,” Celia whispered.

Mandie soon realized another advantage of staying in the isolated room. The time would soon arrive for Uncle Ned to visit her, and it would be much easier to slip out of this room to meet him.

On the night of the full moon, the two girls sat talking in the dark, waiting for everyone else to go to sleep. Mandie couldn't wait to meet Uncle Ned in the yard. The ten o'clock bell had already rung and all the lamps were out.

Mandie told Celia her plan. “As soon as I get down the steps and into the yard, I'll come around to where I can watch this window. If you hear anyone coming, just close the window. I'll hurry back in,” she said.

“I'll keep watch, Mandie, but I want to meet Uncle Ned.”

“If he sees anyone besides me, he'll leave. Maybe the next time he comes you can meet him.”

“Please ask him. Don't forget,” Celia begged.

Mandie, still dressed, picked up a dark shawl to put over her head so that her blonde hair wouldn't shine in the moonlight.

“I won't forget.” She crept out into the hallway. She had already planned her way out of the house in preparation for Uncle Ned's visit.

Hurrying down the servants' stairway in the dark, she ended up in the kitchen. The moon shone through the windows, so she could see the bolt on the outside door. Sliding the bolt over, she opened the door. Outside, she kept close to the shrubbery around the house and made her way to the side yard. She glanced up at the open window. Everything was all right so far.

Mandie didn't know where Uncle Ned would wait for her. Cautiously, she stepped out into the open, hoping he would see her and come on out. Her heart beat wildly, and she kept turning to watch for him. As she waited, her hopes began to fade. She was afraid he would forget to come or that circumstances beyond his control might prevent his visit.

Then she heard his familiar bird whistle nearby. She turned to see him standing in the shadows of a huge magnolia tree. She ran and threw her arms around him. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.

“Uncle Ned! Uncle Ned! I knew you would come!” she cried as he embraced her.

“Sit, Papoose,” he said, pointing to a white bench by the walkway. “Must hurry. Not want someone see Papoose. Make trouble.”

They sat down and Mandie held his old, wrinkled hand.

“Oh, I'm so glad to see you,” she said. “This is a miserable place, Uncle Ned, and they expect you to learn such silly things!”

“But Papoose must get book learning. I promise Jim Shaw,” the old man replied. “Everything in this earth life not happy. Must do unhappy things, too.”

“I know. I'll have to stay here and learn all these silly things. But how I wish I were home and could see all my friends. How is everybody?” she asked.

“All friends fine,” he said with a smile. “Send much love.” Uncle Ned looked at her closely. “Papoose make friends here?”

“I have one good friend. Celia Hamilton. She's my roommate. The other girls are too snobbish,” Mandie told him. “Celia is keeping watch for me in that window right up there.” She pointed. “She
will let me know if anyone comes. Uncle Ned, she wants to meet you.”

“Next time, Papoose.” The old man stood up, pulled an envelope out of his belt, and handed it to Mandie. “Friends write Papoose letters.”

Mandie gave a muffled squeal. “Oh, thank you!” She felt the envelope.
It must have quite a few letters in it
, she thought.

The old man looked toward the sky. “Must go now,” he said. “I ask Big God watch over Papoose.” He squeezed her small hand, then leaned over to embrace her.

“Thank you, Uncle Ned. And I'll ask God to watch over you and all my friends until I can return. Please come back as soon as you can. Please!”

“Next time moon changes I come,” he told her. “Go back in house now. I watch.”

Mandie kissed his wrinkled cheek and ran for the back door. At the doorway she stopped and waved good-bye. Even though she couldn't see him in the darkness, she knew he was watching.

Inside the kitchen she carefully wrapped the shawl around the envelope. Then she went to the sink and got a drink of water.

The narrow servants' stairs were so dark Mandie couldn't see April blocking the way. Caught up in her thoughts, Mandie almost ran into her.

“Well, well, well! Where have you been?” April asked.

Mandie jumped. “I got a drink of water in the kitchen,” she said quickly. She hoped April wouldn't see the shawl she held behind her.

“And what's wrong with the water in our bathroom upstairs?” “I don't drink water out of bathrooms,” Mandie said, imitating the snobbish tone of some of the other girls. “Now move out of my way, or I'll scream and the whole school will come running.” “You wouldn't dare!”