The Story Book Girls Part 8

"Oh, Mabel--the rucking! How unfortunate!"

"It never dawned on us that we should ever know them."

Cuthbert looked from one to another.

"What on earth have you been up to now?" he asked suspiciously.

"Mabel got her dress made the same as Adelaide Maud's," said Betty accusingly. She rather liked airing Mabel's mistakes just then, after having been so sat upon for her own.

"Well, it's a good thing that Adelaide Maud, as you call her, won't ever come near you," Cuthbert remarked in a savage voice.

"But it's Adelaide Maud who's in the drawing-room," said Elma.

Cuthbert drew in his breath sharply.

"Oh, Cuthbert, you aren't well."

"It's the bandage," he said. "Montgomery is a bit of an idiot about bandaging. I told him so. Doesn't give a fellow room to breathe."

He became testy in his manner.

"You oughtn't to have all run away like that, like a lot of children.

Old Dudgeon will be sniffing round to see how much money there is in our furniture, and cursing herself for having to call."

"Adelaide Maud was awfully stiff," sighed Elma.

"Our furniture can bear inspection," said Mabel with dignity. "The Dudgeons may have money, but papa has taste."

"Yes, thank goodness," said Cuthbert. "They can't insult us on that point. This beastly side of mine! Why can't we go downstairs, Mabel, and tell them what we think of 'em?"

"I'm longing to, but terrified," said Mabel. "It's because we've admired them so and talked about them so much."

"Adelaide Maud wouldn't know you from the furniture," said Jean. "You may spare yourself the agony of wanting to see her. I think they might be nice when we've been neighbours in a kind of way for so long."

"Well--they're having a good old chat with the mater at least," said Cuthbert.

"I haven't confidence in mummy," said Jean. "I can hear her, can't you?

Instead of talking about the flower show or the boat races, or something das.h.i.+ng of that sort, she will be saying----"

"Oh, I know," said Mabel. "When Elma was a baby--or was it when Betty was a baby--yes, it was, and saying how cute Cuthbert was when he was five years old----"

"If she does," shouted Cuthbert. "Oh, mother mine, if you do that!" He shook his fist at the open door.

A sound of voices approaching a shut one downstairs came to their ears.

Each girl stole nimbly and silently out and took up a position where she could see safely through the banisters. First came the mauve toque with its white osprey quite graciously animated, then a blue and wide one in turquoise, which from that foreshortened view completely hid the s.h.i.+mmering gold of the hair of Adelaide Maud. Mrs. Leighton was weirdly self-possessed, it seemed to the excited onlookers. She had rung for Bertha, who held the door open now in quite the right att.i.tude. Good old Bertha. Mrs. Dudgeon was condescendingly remarking, "I'm so sorry your little girls ran away!"

"Little girls!" breathed four stricken figures at the banisters.

Adelaide Maud said, "Yes, and I did so want to meet them. I hear they are very musical."

"Musical!" groaned Mabel.

"She just said that to be polite--isn't it awful?" whispered Jean.

"Hush."

"Once more, our best thanks to your son."

Mrs. Leighton answered as though she hadn't minded a bit that Cuthbert had been nearly killed the day before.

"So good of you to call," said she.

"Oh," cried Elma, with her head on the banister rail, after the door shut, "I hate society; don't you, mummy?"

"I think you're very badly behaved, all of you, listening there like a lot of babies," said Mrs. Leighton.

"Come and tell your little girls all about it," cried Jean sarcastically.

Mrs. Leighton smiled as she toiled upstairs.

"It ought to be a lesson to you. Haven't I often told you that listeners hear no good of themselves," she exclaimed.

"Oh, mummy, we are musical," reminded Mabel, softly. "Think of that terrific compliment!"

Their mother seemed to have more on her mind than she would tell them.

She puffed gently into Cuthbert's room.

"These stairs are getting too much for me," she said.

"Well, mater?" asked Cuthbert in an interrogating way.

"Well, Cuthbert, they are very grateful to you," she said.

He lay back on his pillows.

"Don't I know that patronizing grat.i.tude," he said. It seemed as though they had all suddenly determined to be down on the Dudgeons. His face appeared hard and very determined. He had the fine forehead which so distinguished his father, with the same clear-cut features, and a chin of which the outline was strong and yet frankly boyish. He had a patient insistent way of looking out of his eyes. It had often the effect of wresting remarks from people who imagined they had nothing to say.

This time, Mrs. Leighton, noting that familiar appeal in his eyes, was drawn to discussing the Dudgeons.

"Mrs. Dudgeon was very nice; she said several very nice things about you and us. She says that Mr. Dudgeon had always a great respect for your father. He knew what he had done in connection with the Antiquarian Society and so on. Miss Dudgeon was very quiet."

"Stiff little thing," said Jean, with her head in the air.

"She was very nice," said Mrs. Leighton. There was a softness in her voice which arrested the flippancy of the girls. "I don't know when I have met a girl I liked so much."

"Good old Adelaide Maud," cried Jean.

A flush ran up Cuthbert's pale determined face. It took some of the hardness out of it.