Ann Crosses a Secret Trail Read online

  CHAPTER XIV

  CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

  Ann did not mind Maurice’s joking ways. How serious he was shehad no means of knowing, but his manner was perfectly respectfuland courteous, nor did he presume on the relationship. She began,nevertheless, to have more than one thought about the future. KendallGordon’s letters came with great regularity, whether she wrote in replyor had postponed it in the multiplicity of school duties. Clifford,too, began to write oftener and to give Ann more of a glimpse of the“real Cliff” than she had ever had. He wrote of school, the home peopleand of his plans for the future. It would almost seem that Clifford wastrying to keep her in remembrance of her home and of what they had incommon. “Do you remember”--this or that?--he would write, or “When youcome home next summer, we can do”--this or that.

  Suppose Maurice were not Aunt Sue’s son, what then? And if not, whatreason had there been for bringing him up not to know it? If Aunt Suehad been “mad” or jealous of the first wife, the more natural thingwould have been to take it out on Maurice, instead of bringing him upas her own. Ah, but Grandmother’s money! Maurice would not be entitledto any if he were not Aunt Sue’s son! Could that be the reason? DidAunt Sue think of that so long ago? Well, it was a puzzle. But probablythere was nothing in what Mrs. Lewis had told her. Yet there would beno counting on what Aunt Sue would do in any case. She was the funniestwoman! So Ann turned over matters in her young mind. She began tonotice Maurice and Aunt Sue, looking to see if Maurice looked likeher. He did not look much like his father. She had considered thathe was like Aunt Sue because in general he was fair. But was he? Hisblond hair had grown a little darker since Ann first saw him. His eyeswere not like Aunt Sue’s, a dark grey, or blue-grey, she guessed, withdark lashes, while Aunt Sue’s were blue, or had been. Maurice had adistinguished profile. So had Aunt Sue and Grandmother, but Maurice’sfeatures were like those of neither. Well, well! “‘All of which goes toprove that music is both elevating and refining,’ as Cliff likes to saywhen something proves nothing!”

  The next day Madeline came to call, happening to arrive at the sametime as Ronald Bentley and Jack Hudson, who came to plan the week’sfestivities. This meeting did not cause Madeline any pain, as Mauricewickedly whispered to Ann when he had a good chance. But Madeline andSuzanne rather absorbed the attention of Maurice and Jack, leaving Annto Ronald, who entertained Ann with pictures of Florida life and whatthey would do when the Bentleys had their yacht ready for the “briny.”

  “It does not look much like ocean travel here,” said Ann. “The windjust howled last night and I can’t associate December with any balmydays such as you describe.”

  “It’s probably a little uncomfortable in the sun to-day in Miami,” saidRonald. “I don’t expect you to believe me, though. But I’ll prove it toyou. We’re off the day after Christmas. When do you start?”

  “Uncle Tyson said that we would spend New Year’s in Florida, so Isuppose they mean to start soon after Christmas.”

  “We start when the Bentleys do,” said Maurice, who had overheard. “Weschool folks would not have much time there, if we didn’t get offearly. Luckily there is some sort of an educational meeting, whichgives us an extra week of vacation. Come on, folks, let’s go into thelibrary and plan our campaign.”

  There were other callers in the drawing room and that was the reasonfor Maurice’s suggestion. The six young people immediately repaired tothe library, where Maurice drew up chairs to the table.

  “This is a Pan-American or Pan-Something conference,” said Maurice,opening a drawer for paper and taking out his fountain pen. “First,what do we do next?”

  “Take the girls bob-sledding down the hill beyond the mills, tonight,”answered Ronald Bentley.

  “Good,” said Maurice, writing it down, with the date. “Will you acceptthe proposition, young ladies?”

  “_Avec beaucoup de plaisir, messieurs_,” simpered Madeline, while theother girls gave assent by smiles and nods to Maurice, as he looked ateach in turn.

  “That will be fun,” declared Ann.

  “What next?” Maurice balanced his pen on his finger and lookedinquiringly at the other boys for suggestions. The girls, as those tobe invited, had no suggestions to offer.

  “Old-fashioned sled party, oysters at the hotel, wherever we happen togo.” This was Ronald again.

  “Still good, if the ladies approve.” As no dissenting voice was heard,Maurice made a second note. “Next?”

  “The next night is the reception at Ron’s, Maury,” said Jack.

  “Sure enough; and the next night we have our own Christmas Eve doings.”

  “We can go somewhere afternoons, can’t we?” inquired Jack.

  “If we get home early enough,” said Suzanne.

  “We’ll do that, if you say so. Either afternoon tea somewhere ordinner, as you like. Two afternoon sleighing parties, then, Maury. Put’em down! Now somebody will have to telephone the other folks. Make outa list, girls, for the whole thing.”

  “The evening receptions are already planned and invitations out,”suggested Suzanne.

  “Certainly. I meant our little private performances. Want anybody elseto-night?”

  “Too much bother, Jack,” said Maurice, to the delight of Madeline, whofeared a change of escorts. “But we’ll get some of the other youngfolks for the sled ride and the sleighing parties.”

  “Not too many, Maury,” said Suzanne.

  “The list is entirely in your hands, my dear sister.” Maurice thoughtof one more possible amusement, but did not mention it because hewanted Ann’s company, not Madeline’s. This was skating, for two orthree hours in the morning. He would tell Jack to ask Suzanne, if hewanted to. How would he put it? Yes, he would be taking Ann to the“pond,” wouldn’t Jack like to come along with somebody?

  Suzanne and Madeline bent their heads together to consider whom toask. It did not take long to select several couples among their goodfriends, and Suzanne handed the list to Maurice, who read it aloud.“If there are no objections, I withdraw, with great regret, to thetelephone!”

  “I’ll do it for you, Maury,” said Madeline, “if you will hold the listand look up the numbers.”

  “Self-sacrificing girl!” exclaimed Maurice. “I would be too flutteredto look up the numbers, if any of you ladies were present.” Maurice,with this, escaped.

  “Ridiculous boy!” Suzanne exclaimed. “Let him alone. He will be throughthe quicker, Madeline.” Suzanne had no particular desire to hurry,but Maurice had given her foot a nudge with his own under the table,and well she knew how he would suffer under Madeline’s flirtatiousmanagement of the telephoning. Besides, he would most likely, whenMadeline was telephoning, summon her away from congenial society, toassist Madeline, claiming some problem or other. Maurice had beenexpert in escaping from Madeline even in the old days, when she andMadeline were such friends.

  * * * * *

  Jack was ready to make the fourth in the morning’s skating. There wasa pair of skates for Ann, left over from last year, when they had beenprocured for her. The “pond,” as they called it, had been blown clearof snow, and following the partial melting and the following hardfreeze, was as smooth as glass.

  “Do I skate as well as Clifford Hart?” asked Maurice, while he and Annsped down the length of the small body of water, now frozen so hard.

  Rosy-cheeked Ann looked up at her escort in surprise. “Of course youdo. Why?”

  “No reason, except that I should prefer to do so. Cliff is such anexample, you know.”

  “Now when did I ever tell you that?”

  “Never. You would not be so impolite, sweet cousin. I merely gatheredit this summer, among the Montana wild flowers, as it were.”

  “Please don’t make fun of Clifford. He does not pretend to be a saint,and I don’t like to hear you speak in that way of him!”

  “I admire Mr. Hart very much.”

  “Maurice! I didn’t think that you were like ‘Beano!’�
�

  “Gracious! How to please her!”

  “Some way I didn’t like your tone when you spoke of Clifford. But I’mwrong to take it up so. Please forgive me, Maurice. Maybe you can’thelp it if you don’t like Clifford.”

  “I never said that I didn’t like him, sweet cousin; but he likes youtoo well, and I fear me that you like him. See? Plain jealousy.”

  “Nonsense. There are a lot of interesting young men. I’m not in lovewith any one.”

  “Some consolation, Ann. Ann, I heard a bit of gossip again yesterday.It is something that I heard last summer from one of the boys andworried over, then thought that I had traced it to a person who makesup anything, I’m told, out of whole cloth. But it came from anothersource this time, and I’m going to Father with it, how soon I haven’tmade up my mind.”

  “Is it about yourself, Maurice?”

  “Yes; have you heard it?”

  “I heard something, but it came from an unreliable source. It seems sounbelievable, too. It is nothing to your discredit, Maurice.”

  Ann added the last statement, for she thought that Maurice might referto some other report, about some college escapade or affairs among theyoung folks.

  Maurice was silent and they glided along without a word for somedistance.

  “Who told you and what was said?” he finally asked.

  “It was Mrs. Lewis, that woman who, I am told, is such an indefatigablegossip; but I’d rather not speak of the matter first.”

  “She seizes on an unpleasant report and holds on to it like a dog to abone!” said Maurice. “I heard it first through her, when I came backfrom the West this summer, not from her directly, though. It is goingto make considerable difference to me, Ann, whether it is true or not.”

  “Yes, and yet----”

  “It would explain some things that I remember, too. And Ann, we wouldnot be related, you know, though I think it would be all right for usto marry anyhow.”

  “Let’s not talk of that, Maury, _please_!”

  “All right, but you will admit that I like to think of someconsolation!”

  “I haven’t an idea that it is true, Maury. Why worry? When you thinkbest, report it to your father, as you said you would. That is my way.I’d go to headquarters.”

  “Do you suppose that I can believe headquarters?”

  “Did your father ever deceive you?”

  “No,--I can’t say that Dad ever did. Mother, though, can get aroundanything.”

  “I have found that out.”

  “I want to get hold of Dad when Mother is not around. Perhaps this tripwould be a good time.”

  “Perhaps it would. You want to get it off your mind, Maury. I’m awfullysorry that you are worried.”

  “I believe that you are, Ann. Because you are you, must be why I ambothering you with my worries.”

  “I don’t consider it ‘bothering.’ Please enjoy your vacation, Maurice.”

  “I will, Ann. You are a good adviser. And I suppose that if I were glumand worried it would spoil your good time, too.”

  “It most certainly would! O Maurice, I’m having such a good time now,and think of going to Florida in just a few days! I can’t believe it!”

  “Let me see you enjoy it, then. That is all I ask.”

  “Oh, we’ll all have a wonderful time together. Suzanne is almost ascrazy as I am about it. I wish that Jack were going. She likes him, Ithink.”

  “Do you?” laughed Maurice. “Then she will be happy, for Jack is goingwith Ron. He told me this morning. We’ll all sing ‘Begone dull care’and make a playtime of it. I’ll promise you not to worry. Of course, Ican’t help thinking of it sometimes.”

  “I suppose not. When you do, come around and I’ll try to make youlaugh. But if it is going to be on your mind, you’d better see yourfather right away.”

  “I’ll see. It is rather a delicate matter to broach, Ann, and we havenot been in the habit of being as free with our parents as you are withyour father. Your relation with your parents seems ideal to me.”

  “I take all my problems to Dad,” said Ann. “Mother is lovely, too, butwe try to spare her a little, he and I.”

  * * * * *

  Mr. Sterling declared that the young people of the family would be suchwrecks after all the going of Christmas week that they would not beable to go to Florida when the time came, but Ann told him that he didnot realize what constitutions they had. “We thrive on sleigh rides andparties,” she asserted.

  “Time will tell,” replied Mr. Sterling, shaking his head with what wasintended to be a mournful expression but rather failed of effect.

  Rides, little talks, feasting and visiting, the exciting event atthe Bentleys, where Suzanne and Ann appeared in all the glory of newfrocks, and last, the grand finale at the LeRoy mansion, on Christmaseve, made up the tale of the days before Christmas. Christmas day wouldbe quiet, a welcome rest, even with its excitement of gift giving andreceiving. But the older part of the family had arranged most of that.Most of the packing for departure, too, had been done before the girlsand Maurice came home from college. Ann had selected her clothes, whenshe came home, with a view to Florida, bringing what her mother haddirected.

  The family slept late on Christmas morning, with the exception of Madgeand Roy, who had their own Christmas tree in the nursery. There wasusually a big tree for all; but when it was decided to have this lastChristmas Eve entertainment, the plan was changed. Other gifts, besidethose of the children, were to be found in various places, Ann’s on achair by her bedside, where she could examine them before she rose. Itwas strange to her, though she enjoyed her gifts, for their beauty andfor their givers. But always before she had had some one with whom toshare the fun. Last year, to be sure, she was away from home, but therewas the tree. She would not disturb her mother and father, who were,without doubt, sleeping the sleep of the just. How quiet the housewas! Later they would all go to church in the village, then have theirfamily dinner.

  One present from Maurice pleased her, a handsomely bound book ofverse, an anthology, in which he had marked some poems, not for theirsentimental meaning, Ann discovered, with the exception of one. Shewould take that book to read on the way. Ann had not known that Mauricewas at all inclined to verse, or, indeed, to any sort of literature.While she lay among her soft pillows she thought of many things, amongthem, how easy it was to misjudge people. On that lovely winter morningwith its message of good will, it was easy to think kind thoughts, eventoward Aunt Sue, who was, in truth, the head of a very successful andcomfortable home.

  Ann decided to take one more nap, after she had finished lookingover her gifts; nor did she waken till Adeline rapped. “Here is yourbreakfast, Miss Ann,” she said, “and your mother says that you willjust about have time to eat it and get ready for church.”