The Mandie Collection (5 page)

Mr. Chadwick beckoned to the students to begin eating as the last of the savory food was placed on the tables.

Mandie finally felt herself relaxing in the pleasant atmosphere. Celia seemed to be at ease also.

Later, as they finished their meal, Mandie noticed various ones across the room exchanging Christmas presents, so she took her package from her lap and handed it to Tommy. “Merry Christmas, Tommy,” she said, smiling as he also withdrew a tiny package from his pocket.

He handed it to her. “Merry Christmas, Mandie,” he said, hastily unwrapping his gift from her. “Handkerchiefs! Exquisitely done! I needed these. Thanks for being a mind reader.”

“You're welcome,” Mandie said, pulling the paper off the present he had given her. She opened a small white box and cried, “A sand dollar on a chain! Oh, thank you, Tommy! I love it!” She held up the necklace for the others to see.

Celia showed Mandie the gift she had just unwrapped from Robert—a filmy white silk scarf. “Look! Isn't it beautiful?”

“Yes,” Mandie agreed. “Did Robert like his handkerchiefs?”

Celia nodded enthusiastically.

After the maids removed the dinner plates and food, they brought in the dessert—tiny individual Christmas cakes, covered with red, green, and white icing.

As one of the maids placed a tiny cake in front of Mandie, she leaned over to Tommy and said, “This dinner must have cost your school a fortune.”

Tommy laughed. “We pay enough tuition to cover this and more,” he said.

Suddenly Celia tugged at Mandie's sleeve. “April Snow is gone!” she whispered.

Mandie turned quickly to stare at the empty chair where April had been sitting. Tommy and Robert followed her gaze.

“I wonder where she went,” Mandie replied.

“There's one thing for sure,” Tommy assured the girls. “It's too far for her to walk back to your school in this cold weather.”

Celia tossed her auburn curls to look in Miss Prudence's direction. “I wonder if Miss Prudence knows she left.”

The headmistress seemed completely absorbed in conversation with Mr. Chadwick. However, Miss Hope was looking at April's empty chair and frowning.

“Well, there's nothing we can do about it,” Robert told the girls. “Maybe she'll come back in a little while.”

“I doubt that,” Mandie replied with a sigh.

As the evening passed, April didn't return to the dining room, and Mandie worried about what she might be doing. But Robert was right. There was nothing they could do about it.

As soon as everyone had finished dessert, Mr. Chadwick rose and addressed the students. “Young ladies, we will now have a skit put on by the young men who didn't have partners for this dinner. As you all probably know, we have one-third more students than Miss Heathwood. That left a few of our students free to perform for us. I hope you enjoy it.”

The musicians struck a chord, and a curtain covering the entire wall at one end of the room was slowly drawn back, revealing a lighted stage set with a scene for the holidays.

The students watched as the story of Jesus' birth unfolded in the drama on stage. Joseph and Mary were looking for a place to stay and were refused at the inn.

At first Mandie wondered where a boys' school found a girl to play Mary, but as she looked again, she couldn't tell if the actor was a boy or girl. Wearing loose robes and a hood over the head, the character of Mary spoke in low tones.

Mandie's ears perked up as she listened intently to the dialogue. Suddenly she turned to Celia. “I do believe that's April playing the part of Mary!” she whispered excitedly.

Celia nodded in agreement. Robert and Tommy understood and watched carefully to see if Mandie could be right.

Robert whispered, “I think it's Stan. He's about that size.”

“Yes, that's Stan,” Tommy agreed.

Mandie and Celia looked at each other.

“Are you sure?” Mandie asked.

“To be honest, no,” Tommy admitted.

The scene continued on, but even when the curtain closed, they still weren't certain who was playing the part of Mary. After a lot of applause, the curtain opened again for a bow. The actors lined up in a row across the stage with “Mary” in the middle. As that person bowed, the hood fell away, revealing none other than April Snow.

Mandie gasped. “I thought so!” she exclaimed. “It is April!”

“How did she get into that play?” Celia wondered aloud.

“Well, I wonder what happened to Stan?” Tommy looked puzzled. “I heard he was going to play that character since we don't have any girls at our school.”

Mandie glanced across the room to Miss Prudence. She looked shocked, while Miss Hope was smiling in wonderment.

“I don't think I'd want to be in April's shoes when we get back to our school,” Mandie commented.

After a final bow from the cast, the curtain closed, and the applause died away.

Mr. Chadwick got quickly to his feet and tapped a fork on his glass for attention. “Young ladies,” he began, “we are very honored that one of your group could participate in our play. A young lady playing a woman is certainly better than having one of our boys do so, and we thank you.” He fidgeted with his lapel. “This was, however, a complete surprise to me and evidently to your headmistress. I am sure it will be interesting to learn how it all came about. We thank you for coming tonight. It was indeed an honor to have all of you visit us. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. We will see you next year.”

After another round of applause, the group broke up as Miss Hope and Miss Prudence rounded up their students for the journey back to their own school.

When the maids brought the girls' wraps back into the room, Tommy helped Mandie into her coat.

Mandie smiled up at him. “Thanks for the sand dollar, Tommy,” she said. “I'll wear it for Christmas Day.”

“And I thank you for the beautiful handkerchiefs,” Tommy replied. “I'll see you after the holidays.”

The girls piled into the waiting rigs and returned to their school. Holiday spirit filled the air.

Back at school, as the girls unloaded, Mandie and Celia watched for April Snow. But she was not in any of the rigs. Neither was Miss Prudence.

All the girls wanted to linger downstairs to see what happened when Miss Prudence and April returned. But Miss Hope gently urged them upstairs to their rooms.

“I'm sure you young ladies are all tired,” she said. “But don't forget, you must get busy packing if you haven't already done so because you may leave just as soon as someone comes for you in the morning. So I would strongly urge you to go upstairs and prepare for your journey home tomorrow.”

That was all the girls needed. They quickly hurried upstairs to their rooms.

“Amanda,” Miss Hope called to Mandie when she was halfway up the first flight of stairs. “I'm sorry, dear, I almost forgot to tell you. Your grandmother sent word here while we were gone. Uncle Cal says she and Hilda will pick you up in the morning in time to catch the train for home.”

Mandie grinned. “Thanks, Miss Hope. I'll be ready.”

Celia smiled when she heard the news. “Hilda must really be feeling better if she's well enough to travel,” she said.

They continued up the stairs to their room. “Yes, thank the Lord,” Mandie replied. “So Mother and Uncle John won't be coming after me.” She shrugged. “Oh, well, I'm glad Hilda is better, and I'm glad Grandmother is going home with me.”

When they reached their room Mandie opened the door. Snowball was curled up asleep in the middle of the bed again, and he opened one eye to look at his mistress.

Mandie laughed. “Snowball, you lazy thing,” she said, stroking his soft white fur. “You should be catching that mouse instead of sleeping all the time when we go out.”

“That mouse must not be in our room any longer,” Celia reasoned. “Otherwise Snowball would have found it by now.”

“Don't worry. If it's gone, April will just find another one to put in here while we've gone home,” Mandie said. “That is, unless Miss Prudence expels her or something for being in that play tonight.”

“I imagine there will be some pretty bad punishment,” Celia agreed.

“Well, let's get packing,” Mandie said, throwing off her hat and gloves. “Just think. This time tomorrow I'll be home, and I'll know what that big surprise is that my mother has for me.”

CHAPTER FOUR

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Celia and Mandie waited with their luggage downstairs in the alcove near the front door. They were excitedly talking about the upcoming holidays.

Mandie held Snowball on her lap and peered through the front window. She sighed. “I wish Grandmother would hurry and get here,” she said. “I want to go home and see what Mother's surprise is.”

“She'll be here in time for you to get the train. You can't leave any sooner than the train leaves anyhow,” Celia replied. “But I know how you feel. I'll be glad to see Aunt Rebecca and to get home to my mother.”

Mandie stood up. “Well, here comes your Aunt Rebecca with Uncle Cal now,” she said, noticing an approaching carriage. “And behind her is Ben, driving Grandmother's rig.”

The two girls ran to the front door. Mandie held Snowball in one hand and threw the door open with the other as Celia's Aunt Rebecca Hamilton hurried up the steps.

“I do hope you are ready, Celia, so we can catch the train going back to Richmond,” the tiny, dark-haired lady said as she stepped into the hallway out of the cold.

“Yes, ma'am, I'm ready,” Celia said, indicating her nearby luggage. “Is Uncle Cal going to take us to the station?”

Mandie held the front door open a little ways and called to her grandmother's driver as he halted the rig behind Uncle Cal's. “Ben!” she shouted. “Where's Grandmother? And Hilda?”

Ben grinned as he stepped down from the rig and patted the horse's head. “Miz Taft, she say you git in dis rig, and I goes back to fetch her and dat Hilda girl.”

“All right,” Mandie said. She turned to Aunt Rebecca. “There's no use in Uncle Cal going to the station,” she said as Ben came into the front hallway. “We can all ride in Grandmother's rig.”

“But, dear, will we make the train on time?” Aunt Rebecca asked. “You know our train leaves about thirty minutes before yours.”

Ben spoke up. “Miz Taft, she sittin' ready to go,” he said. “I already got her luggage in de rig. She say she jes' don't want dat Hilda girl to come to dis school 'cause she might run away and come heah sometime agin.” He picked up Mandie's luggage.

“All right then, we'll go with you,” Aunt Rebecca replied.

“My luggage is over here, Ben,” Celia told the Negro driver.

Ben was right. When they pulled into the long driveway of Mrs. Taft's huge mansion, the door opened, and Mrs. Taft and Hilda stepped outside.

“Why, Rebecca Hamilton!” Grandmother Taft exclaimed in surprise. “How are you? It has been a long time.” She helped Hilda into the rig and then accepted Ben's assistance into the carriage herself.

Celia's aunt moved over on the seat to give Mrs. Taft room. “It certainly has,” she replied. “I don't believe I've seen you since I was a student at the Heathwood School with your daughter, Elizabeth, and with Celia's mother.”

“Hello, Hilda,” Mandie greeted the thin brown-haired girl who came to sit between her and Celia in the rig. “I'm so glad to see you.” She stroked Snowball's white fur as she spoke.

Hilda smiled at Mandie and then at Celia. Even though she had never uttered more than a few words since Mandie and Celia found her hiding in the attic of the school, Hilda showed her love for the two girls in her facial expressions. She obviously realized they were her friends.

Mandie took Hilda's gloved hand in hers. “I'm so glad you got well, Hilda,” she said. “When you ran away in all that snow and hid in the church, you got so sick, and I was real worried about you. I prayed for God to make you well and He did.”

Hilda smiled at Mandie again. “God. Well,” she said simply.

Celia and Mandie both laughed.

“It makes us so happy when you understand what we say, Hilda,” Celia told her, “because we love you.”

“Love.” Hilda smiled.

Mrs. Taft and Rebecca Hamilton talked all the way to the station and continued talking in the waiting room at the depot.

Mandie and Celia tried to keep a conversation going with Hilda as the three girls and Snowball sat on a bench near the adults. Sometimes Hilda seemed to understand what they said, but sometimes she didn't.

“She's so much better than she was when we found her,” Mandie remarked.

“And it's so wonderful that she keeps getting better,” Celia replied.

A train whistle sounded in the distance and kept blowing as it neared the depot. Ben picked up Celia's luggage and walked out onto the platform.

Aunt Rebecca came over to Celia. “Time to say goodbye,” she prompted.

Mandie looked up at the tiny lady. “Miss . . . Aunt Rebecca, can't you come to our house for New Year's Eve, too, when Celia and her mother come?” she asked.

“Thank you for asking, dear,” Aunt Rebecca replied. “But I have made other plans.” She took Celia's hand and led her out to the platform.

Mandie picked up Snowball, and she and Mrs. Taft followed them out. “Don't forget,” Mandie called to her friend as Celia and her aunt boarded the waiting train, “You and your mother promised to come for New Year's.”

Mrs. Taft stepped up behind Mandie, rested her hand on her granddaughter's shoulder, and called to Celia. “Tell your mother I look forward to seeing her,” she said with a smile. “It has been many years.”

With a stream of “Merry Christmas” shouts, Celia and Aunt Rebecca were on their way. And soon Grandmother Taft, Hilda, Mandie, and Snowball boarded their train for Franklin.