The Mandie Collection (31 page)

“De men dun found dem things, but dey all wet, so we gwine wash everything,” Aunt Lou explained and left the room.

Frances Faye looked at the doctor and asked, “Y'all found my things?”

“Sure did, but I hate to tell you everything was soiled because the bag was blown into the creek,” Dr. Woodard explained. Then he smiled and said, “But I'm sure everything will be fine when they are washed.”

“Oh, thank you,” Frances Faye said.

The three girls went to Mandie's room, and Frances Faye was speechless with wonder as she surveyed Mandie's wardrobe full of beautiful dresses.

“All these are yours?” she asked.

“Yes, all of them, and you just pick out what you want to put on and you can have it,” Mandie told her.

“But I couldn't take your clothes,” Frances Faye said, looking through the garments.

“Remember what Aunt Lou said. You have to put on a dress in order to come downstairs for supper,” Mandie reminded her.

“Well, I suppose I could borrow one,” Frances Faye finally said. “But you decide which one.”

Mandie flipped through the hanging garments and pulled down a peach-colored voile dress as she said, “Try this one. I believe you're just a little bit taller than I am, and this one is a little long on me so it ought to just fit you.” She held it out to the girl.

“Oh, how beautiful! I've never had such pretty clothes,” Frances Faye said, holding the dress. “Are you sure you don't mind if I put this on?”

“I don't mind at all, and I'm giving it to you if it fits, so let's find out about that,” Mandie told her.

“You're welcome to use my brush and comb and hair ribbons,” Celia said, pointing to the things on the bureau.

“Oh, we forgot something,” Mandie said and hurried to open
a bureau drawer. She started pulling out underwear. “You'll need these, too.” She handed the girl a petticoat and other undergarments. “I believe they'll fit all right.”

Frances Faye took the garments, and Mandie showed her the bathroom. “Just go in there and get dressed. We'll wait for you out here,” she said.

Mandie and Celia silently waited in the armchairs until Frances Faye got dressed. When she came back into the room, Mandie smiled and stood up. “Well, no one would ever mistake you for a boy in those clothes.”

Frances Faye smiled back and said, “I thank you so much.”

“Let's go down to the parlor,” Celia suggested.

“Yes, I know everyone else is waiting to meet you,” Mandie told the girl.

When the girls entered the parlor, everyone in the room paused in their conversation to look at Frances Faye. Mandie's mother, Elizabeth, quickly stood up and said, “Come on in, Frances Faye, and meet everyone.”

Introductions went around the room as Frances Faye shyly replied to each one.

After everyone settled back down, Jane Hamilton, Celia's mother, spoke to the girl. “I was told you are trying to get to Richmond,” she said. “Celia and her aunt Rebecca and I will be returning to Richmond on the train at the end of next week and we would be glad to have you come with us. Maybe we can help find your grandmother there.”

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Hamilton,” Frances Faye replied. “But I don't have any money for the train. You see, I've been walking from Tennessee.”

“Never mind the money. We'll see to that,” Jane Hamilton said. “We just want to help you out a little.”

“Maybe my grandmother can repay you—that is, if I can find her,” Frances Faye said.

“Don't worry about the money,” Jane Hamilton said. “Just plan on going with us.”

“Thank you,” Frances Faye replied, almost in tears.

“We all want to help,” Elizabeth said. “So plan on staying right here with us until it's time to leave on the train next weekend.”

“I'm just speechless with thanks,” Frances Faye finally managed to say without bursting into tears.

“Yes, dear, we all want to do something to help you,” Mrs. Taft said. “Perhaps you will be able to come with us on our vacation this summer.”

Mandie breathed deeply, getting ready for the argument she was sure would follow with her grandmother.
Might as well get it over with
, she thought.

“On your vacation?” Frances Faye asked. “But where are y'all going on your vacation?”

No one spoke for a moment. Then Mrs. Taft cleared her throat, looked directly at Mandie, and smiled as she said, “I don't really know where we are going. Amanda will have to tell us.”

Mandie couldn't believe her ears. Grandmother was giving in to her wishes.

Mrs. Taft continued, “Amanda, what are your plans for the summer? Please tell us so we'll know where we are going.”

Mandie grinned at Uncle John and said, “Well, it's like this. I don't really know, either. I want to visit my Cherokee kinpeople and maybe go to New York with the Hamiltons, and then maybe visit the Pattons down at Charleston with my mother, and maybe even visit New Orleans to see Joe's school.”

Everyone was laughing as she finished.

“That sounds like a whole summer of traveling,” John Shaw told her.

“It probably is, but since I knew everyone would not agree to everything, I just added it all together and whoever wants to can go wherever they want,” Mandie said, grinning as she looked around the room.

All the adults began talking at once as they discussed the various places Mandie had mentioned. Mandie sat with her friends and didn't say another word. She had won this time. She would be able to go wherever she wanted to go without Grandmother supervising everything.

“We really would like for you to go with us wherever we do go,”
Mandie told Frances Faye. “And besides all those places, we could come to Richmond and visit you at your grandmother's.”

“I sure hope I can find her,” the girl said.

“Don't worry. We'll find her,” Mandie assured her.

Mandie thought about her spring holidays, which would be over soon. She had spent the time well. The mystery of the old house was solved, and she had found a new friend. And now she had been given free choice of vacation.

There was also the mystery of the quilt with the Cherokee writing on it that she and her friends had found in the attic during the previous Christmas holidays. Uncle Ned had taken it to Uncle Wirt to decipher, and now she would be seeing Uncle Wirt this summer and could solve that mystery.

Things were looking up.

CONTENTS

MANDIE AND THE QUILT MYSTERY

Chapter   1  Plans Are Made

Chapter   2  An Unexpected Ally

Chapter   3  A Disappearance

Chapter   4  Mystery at Uncle Ned's

Chapter   5  Up the Mountain

Chapter   6  No Luck

Chapter   7  Escapade in the Dark

Chapter   8  More Quilts

Chapter   9  Danger in the Dark

Chapter  10  Another Quilt Mystery

Chapter  11  Discoveries

Chapter  12  Home at Last

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

With many thanks to Stephanie Grace Whitson—author of the P
RAIRIE
W
INDS
series, D
AKOTA
M
OONS
series, and K
EEPSAKE
L
EGACIES
series—for sharing her expertise in quilt making.

CHAPTER ONE

PLANS ARE MADE

Mandie Shaw was sitting in the swing on the long veranda, with Snowball curled up beside her, enjoying the fact that school was out. She had just arrived home the day before and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her friends to begin their summer vacation together.

She glanced up and saw Dr. Woodard and Joe coming down the road in their buggy. Rushing down the walkway, she caught up with them as the doctor turned the vehicle into the lane to the backyard.

“Hello,” Mandie called to them.

Dr. Woodard greeted her and turned to his son to say, “I'll take the buggy on around to the barn.”

Joe jumped down, replying, “Thanks,” and greeted Mandie with, “And hello to you.”

Mandie looked up at Joe standing there and thought he must have grown at least six inches since spring holidays. And he seemed to be better looking every time she saw him. With these thoughts she suddenly became shy.

Joe ran his long fingers through his wavy brown hair and said with a big grin, “Cat got your tongue?”

“Oh, Joe Woodard, come on up on the porch,” Mandie replied, quickly leading the way.

They sat in the swing as Snowball jumped down and ran out into the yard.

Joe looked around and asked, “When is Celia coming?”

“Today. She got out of school a week early because she had to go with her mother to Richmond to attend to some business,” Mandie explained. “Mr. Bond has taken Uncle John's rig to go on several errands for him. He's supposed to get finished in time to meet the train, which should be any time now.”

“Then when will we be leaving for New York?” Joe asked.

“Probably tomorrow,” Mandie replied. She looked down the road and quickly stood up. “I believe that's Celia coming now.” She stepped over to the banister as a horse-drawn vehicle came closer. “At least, it's Uncle John's rig, so Celia and her mother should be in it. And also Frances Faye, the girl we met during the tornado. Remember we asked her to come with Celia?”

“Yes, I definitely remember her. I wonder if she has ever found her grandmother,” Joe said, joining Mandie at the banister.

The rig stopped at the gate to the road. Mandie hurried down the long walkway, and Joe followed.

Mrs. Hamilton stepped down to the stepping block with Celia close behind her. Mr. Bond, who worked for Mandie's uncle, began unloading their luggage. Joe went forward to help.

“Welcome, Mrs. Hamilton,” Mandie greeted her. “Mother and Grandmother are in the parlor.” Then she reached to hug her friend Celia.

“Thank you, Amanda. I'll go find them,” Mrs. Hamilton said, going on up the walkway to the front porch.

Mandie looked around and asked, “Did Frances Faye come with y'all?”

“No, Mandie,” Celia replied with a big grin. “Because she found her grandmother and didn't want to leave her.”

As Joe passed them, carrying two valises, he said, “I'm going to set these inside the front door and come back and help Mr. Bond with the trunks.”

“You don't have to. There's Abraham coming across the yard to help,” Mandie told him.

Abraham worked as a handyman for John Shaw, and Abraham's
wife, Jenny, was the cook. They had both lived with the Shaw family for many years in their own cottage on the back of the property.

Joe stopped to call to Abraham, “I'll be right back to help with the other things.”

“No never you mind,” Abraham called back as he continued toward the rig. “Don't be needin' no help. Yo' papa lookin' fo' you.”

“Thank you,” Joe replied as he reached the front steps.

“Tell me about Frances Faye's grandmother,” Mandie said to Celia, pushing open the screen door for Joe to go through with the luggage.

“It really wasn't hard at all to find her,” Celia replied.

The girls entered the front hallway behind Joe, who deposited the valises by the hall tree.

Dr. Woodard, with John Shaw, was coming down the hallway.

“I was looking for you, son,” Dr. Woodard told Joe. “I have to go up the mountain to see Mrs. Collins. Her son has been down here today and left a message for me since he knew I'd be making calls around the area this week. She's not doing too well, so I may not be back until tomorrow. Depends on how things are in that area, whether anyone else is ill.”

“Did you want me to go with you, Dad?” Joe asked.

“No, no, you stay here and get ready for your trip to New York with your friends,” Dr. Woodard said. “I may not get back before y'all leave town.”

“But you are still going with all of us to visit Mandie's Cherokee kinpeople after we get back from New York, aren't you?” Joe asked.

“Oh yes,” Dr. Woodard told him. “I'll go home and get your mother and be here when you return from New York. Behave yourself and have a good time up there.” He turned back down the hallway.

“Yes, sir,” Joe replied.