CHAPTER V
LUCIA DRESSES A DOLL
In all this time Betty had not seen, except casually, Lucia, who hadsaid that she had something to tell her. Both had been in a rush thenext time they met and Lucia said that she would postpone what shewanted to talk about. Betty wondered if it were anything important,particularly if it had anything to do with Lucia's personalproblems. From Lucia's manner, she imagined that it had. Lucia'slife always commanded Betty's interest. It was so "different."
The paper had a long account of festivities at the Murchison mansionduring the Thanksgiving vacation. Lucia would be busy with all theentertaining, though their guests at the house and at the variouslittle parties seemed to be adults.
The girls were busy that first Monday morning, but on arriving atthe home room and running to and from the lockers Lucia and Bettyexchanged greetings and Lucia said, "Please be my guest at lunchtoday, Betty. We go to first lunch, I believe, and it ought to begood, though I suppose you are as fed up on turkey and stuff as Iam."
"Yes," brightly returned Betty--"turkey and stuff_ing_. But I'dnever get tired of it and I doubt if we have it this noon."
"No, of course not. I mean that appetite might not be all that itsometimes is."
"Watch me," laughed Betty. "I may not want much, but by noon I'malways ready to feed the 'inner man.' And thank you, but I think I'dbetter be my own guest."
"Please, Betty," Lucia persuaded. "I've a plan."
"Good. I'll love to hear it. And I want to talk to you about joiningthe Lyon 'Y.' Did you know that they made me president of it? Wewant to have a membership campaign and make it a big group. Pleasethink about joining it, won't you?"
"Why yes, I might, if it isn't too much work. What do they do? I'venever paid much attention to it."
Betty explained, as they sat down in the home room to wait for thebell that called them to order. She told about their meetings,referring to the time she had been at the camp, and described theirpreparing and delivering the Thanksgiving baskets.
Lucia looked interested and asked Betty why she had not asked her tohelp with the gifts. "I could have done something as well as not,"she said.
"There's plenty of time to do something," Betty told her. "We'regoing to dress dolls for Christmas and, I imagine, fill a basketagain. How would you like to dress a doll?"
Lucia smiled at that. "I've never dressed a doll in my life," saidshe, "but I'll buy one and have it dressed. That would be fun. I'lltell you what we'll do. I asked Mother if I might have you for aweek-end some time, and we'll see to it then--if you'll come. Willyou?"
"Of course I will!"
"That was what I wanted to plan at Thanksgiving, but I found that Icould not, on account of all Mother had on hand. I have a fewworries to talk over with you, if you don't mind, and I'll get oneof the maids to do most of the sewing. Do you know about dollpatterns and things like that?"
"I think so; enough, anyhow."
"Perhaps we could have a meeting of the girls at our house andeverybody dress dolls together."
"That will be wonderful, Lucia! You will join us, then?"
"Yes, Betty. I'm a Lyon 'Y' forever, always provided I don't have todo too much."
"I'm not worried about that, Lucia. You see, it doesn't take muchtime for meetings. We just try to live up to a few ideals, and heargood talks, and have fun, and do a little sometimes for poorpeople."
"Living up to the ideals will be the worst for me, I'm sure,"laughed Lucia. But the last gong rang and the girls were obliged totake their own seats, Betty thinking as she often did, how soonLucia had slipped into the ways and spirit of the other girls. Shewas different, too; yet considering how very unlike the life ofAmerican girls Lucia's had been, it showed "great adaptability," asMrs. Lee had called it, for her to enter into the school life as shehad.
The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas flew as it always does.Betty found that it was not such a task to be a president as she hadthought. The other officers and committees took an interest andprograms were easy to plan with all the people they knew who couldtalk to them or "do things." The leader from the "Y. W." and MissStreet, the leader of the group, were behind them and had ideas. Themembership drive was inaugurated and went over well. The girls wereinterested in the doll dressing and when Lucia invited the entiregroup to meet at "her house" one Saturday afternoon, there wereseveral more members at once. Mathilde Finn and "her crowd," asCarolyn put it, joined at once.
"Finny," said Dotty Bradshaw, "will not be much good to us, I'mafraid."
"Oh, yes she will," answered Selma Rardon. "She'll copy Lucia, andit will do _her_ good to be in it, Finny, I mean."
"It does all of us good, Selma," said the young president, "and Ithink it is wonderful of Lucia to think of the very thing she can doto help us most right now."
In consequence of this plan, two weeks before Christmas or aboutthat time, Betty found herself going home with Lucia on Fridayafternoon. Her father had delivered her at school that morning withher over-night bag, which reposed in her locker all day. TheMurchison car was waiting at the curb when the girls left the schoolgrounds and Betty tried hard not to feel any importance as sheentered it. It was rather pleasant to have Lucia choose her from allof her friends for the week-end. But she had been the first friend,after all.
Among the crowds of departing pupils, one of the senior girls saidto Clara Lovel, "If Betty Lee hadn't stuck herself in to be electedpresident of Lyon 'Y,' _you_ would be going home with Lucia, Clara!"
But Marcella Waite, who happened to be with the girls, knew thefolly of such a statement. "It isn't just a Lyon 'Y' affair, Bess,"she said. "Betty's going to stay the week-end. Her father is in theMurchison business and he and Betty met the boat the countess camein on at New York. Besides, Lucia doesn't need any one to help herget ready to entertain. They have all the help they want, butler,maids and all the rest of it."
"Well, you may be glad you aren't in the group this year, Marcella,"said Clara, "with a _junior_ for president!"
Of this interchange Betty was blissfully unconscious as she waswhirled away in the same dark crimson or wine-colored car that Bettyhad first entered on the morning when she accompanied the countessand her daughter to school, at Lucia's entrance there. Leaning backluxuriously in the soft seat, by Lucia, Betty dismissed all cares ofschool and lessons for the time being. It was all planned. She andLucia would finish getting Monday's lesson that night. On Saturdaymorning they would be driven down town for shopping and have lunch.They would get anything necessary for the afternoon's meeting andreturn in time for the arrival of the girls.
After the meeting with the girls, who were to be served a lovelyluncheon, Betty guessed from Lucia's remarks, there would follow thevisit with Lucia, till Monday morning took them to school again.What delights might develop Betty could only guess, but in thathouse a guest would not be neglected she knew.
Lucia was in fine spirits. No hint of any worries which she mighthave could have been gleaned from anything in her expression orconversation. They discussed the last school news and looked hastilythrough the copy, just out, of the school paper. The pictures of thefootball team were prominent with a snapshot of "Kentucky" on theshoulders of admiring rooters. Prominent seniors were being writtenup and this time Marcella Waite was the choice of the editors. Herpicture was at the top of the page and below was a brief resume ofMarcella's character and activities.
"This is good," said Lucia, close to Betty as they read the papertogether, as well as they could for the motion of the car. "Marcellais the finest girl in the Kappa Upsilon sorority."
"Don't you like Peggy?" queried Betty.
"Oh, yes. Peggy's all right, but Marcella is older and very fine."
"I think so, too. I suspect that you see a good deal of Marcella,since you have been together in the sorority, you know."
"Not so much. Sometimes Marcella scarcely has time for sororitymeetings."
So they chatted till
they entered the grounds of the Murchisonplace, covered with snow now, the evergreens, heavy-laden, mostbeautiful to behold, and other great trees, tall and bare, outlinedin black and white with the snow that clung to their branches. Bettybecame rather silent, while Lucia outlined plans and spoke happilyof the fun that she hoped the girls would have with their sewing andvisiting.
Betty was not accustomed to being admitted by a butler, but demurelyfollowed Lucia up softly carpeted stairs to Lucia's own room, whereLucia rang for her maid. Their wraps were first disposed of andLucia followed Betty into the room which was to be hers for theshort visit. "I thought at first," said Lucia, "that I would ratherhave another bed put in my room, Betty, so that we could talk aslong as we wanted to. My bed is one of twin beds and this is theother one. But then I'm used to sleeping alone, Mother reminded me;and she said that probably you were, too, and that we'd better dothis way. I hope that you will like the room."
"It is a lovely room!" enthusiastically cried Betty, though with hervoice properly subdued. One could not imagine, Betty thought, thatany one could come in talking as noisily as the Lee childrenoccasionally found themselves doing in the sweet liberty of home.Still, their mother would hush too great a tumult, or their fatherwould say quietly, "I'm not in Buxton, Dick. I can easily hear anordinary tone!"
The maid unpacked Betty's bag and asked if she should press thedress, confined in the bag all day. Knowing that the Murchison housewas very warm, Betty had packed a thin chiffon dress, while wearinga dress to school, as well, that was a little better than common.
"That hangs out easily," said Betty, "but it is just as Lucia says."
"Press it then, Giovanna," said Lucia, and the maid vanished withthe frock.
The girls did a little temporary grooming, but Lucia said that theywould just visit until time to dress for dinner. The dinner hour,she said, was any time from seven to eight o'clock, according towhen Mr. Murchison came, or whether or not they had guests, or whatideas about it her mother had. The servants had learned to adjustthemselves to some irregularity. "We have a good class of servants,"said Lucia, "and Uncle pays them well, which insures good service asa rule. Giovanna has been with me a long time and she is like a bitof home."
"Does your maid like it here?"
"I don't think so, though this year she seems more resigned andlikes to go to the movies. I let her go evenings sometimes and getmyself to bed."
Betty wondered how it would seem to be waited on like that, but shewas too busy with her new impressions to do much thinking. "If youare not too tired, Lucia, we might get out our Latin or mathematicstogether, since we are likely to have so much time before dinner."
That seemed to be a good plan, but while they made some progress inthe lessons, they did more talking, especially after Lucia hopped upto bring out a very beautiful doll, which was to be hercontribution. Betty admired quite to Lucia's satisfaction and Bettydid not tell her that the dolls had been bought, alike, simple butpretty, and were to be variously dressed according to the taste ofthe girl who dressed them. At first she thought that she ought togive Lucia a hint, but she could not bear to spoil Lucia's interestand she was afraid it would. Probably Lucia would not bring out thedoll anyway until the rest were started and then she could use herown judgment. It would turn out all right. Betty was not one toworry unnecessarily.
The girls were still translating when Giovanna appeared to lay outtheir clothing for dinner. Each was soon occupied with bath anddressing. It was the second one for Betty that day, for she had notanticipated this one before dinner. She chuckled to herself in thetub and wondered how many Lucia took.
Rosy and fresh, she arrayed herself in clean garments and her bestfrock, hoping that she was "all right" for dinner. Giovanna was busywith Lucia and looked surprised when she entered Betty's room tofind her all dressed. She looked critically at Betty's hair, butreplied that it was "very good," when Betty asked her if there wereanything wrong.
"We'll go in to see Mother first," said Lucia, leading the way tothe sitting room where Betty had been once before, after the famoushike. The door was closed and Lucia rapped. Countess Coletti's maidopened the door, to tell them that the countess was still in thebath and to say that she had suggested, if the girls were readyfirst, a trip upstairs to see "Grandmother."
Lucia nodded without comment and turned away with Betty. Shehesitated. "Mother thinks I ought to go," she said, "and I supposeshe must mean that I take you. Our special friends know, Betty, thatGrandmother Ferris is--queer. She is not my grandmother at all, butwe call her that. She is the mother of Uncle's wife and she went topieces in an accident a few years ago. The doctor says her mind maycome back and she's quite harmless. You might not notice anything,but I thought I'd better tell you for fear she says some of thequeer things she does say. She can't bear to go out of these roomsof hers on the third floor, though we coax her down to sleep in thehot summer days--that is, whoever is here does. Uncle won't insiston her going to a sanitarium; and so she has a nurse and a maid tooand they take turns staying with her. I don't know what is going tohappen when Uncle marries again, and my mother says that he is sureto. That's _one_ worry in this house, Betty."
Betty nodded soberly. She rather dreaded going, but if it wasLucia's duty, she surely could go, too. She had never talked to anyone who was "queer." Perhaps she would not be obliged to sayanything. Lucia had a second thought, she said, and went to bringthe new doll. This looked not a little like Lucia herself, with itswaving black hair and black eyes, though its round cheeks andcomplacent smile were not a reproduction of Lucia, who was a littlethinner than when she had arrived from Italy.
"It may amuse Grandmother to see it," said Lucia, carrying the boxwhich contained the doll.
Up a winding stair they went to a third floor, as imposing as eitherthe first or second and with ceilings as high as those of thesecond. "There is a little attic over this floor," Lucia explained,"which makes the floor quite comfortable even in the summer. They goup to keep a current of air passing in the attic and have to watchthat floor in storms, of course, for Grandmother's rooms would beflooded, perhaps. It's been rather hard for Uncle to get good helpto look after her properly; but now he has a nurse that used to beher maid and likes her."
A door stood open where Lucia stopped. Betty glanced into abeautifully furnished sitting room where some one was sitting,apparently dozing in her chair, and a keen-looking young woman satsewing nearby. The older woman started up, though the girls had beenvery quiet. "Is that Laura?" she asked.
Betty saw an anxious, lined face, not very old but having large,troubled eyes with which she scanned the girls, holding to the armsof her chair and ready to rise.
"Not this time, Grandmother," replied Lucia in cheerful tones. "Icame to show you the doll that I'm going to dress for Christmas.Some little girl that doesn't have a doll is going to get it. Thegirls of one of my little clubs are coming here to dress dolls thisafternoon and this is Betty Lee, one of my friends at school."
The wild expression had passed from the elderly lady's face and sheheld out her hand to Betty with a slight smile. Betty quicklycrossed the space between them to take the hand offered. Oh, thepoor, poor lady! Betty knew that Mrs. Murchison's name was Laura. Soshe was expecting her daughter to come. Hadn't they dared to tellher that she never would come?
"Let me see the doll, then Lucia," said Mrs. Ferris, as naturally asany one, but she added, "I can't see why Laura doesn't come. Shehasn't been in to see me today. But she told me yesterday that shehad to go to some club. Do you know what it was, Lucia? But youweren't here then, were you?"
Mrs. Ferris looked troubled again, as if she were trying to recallevents and could not. "Don't you think you'd better call up and seeif you can find Laura, Bessie? Tell her I want to see her. Oh, I dowant to see Laura so much."
"Of course," soothingly said the nurse, addressed as Bessie. Mrs.Ferris thought her her maid as formerly. "Shall I open the box, MissLucia?"
But Lucia was already taking the cover from the
box and disclosingthe doll in its tissue wrappings. "See, Grandmother, it hasn't athing to wear. I could have gotten dressed dolls, but I had to dressthis myself--only I mean Giovanna to do the sewing!" Lucia made acomical face at her "grandmother," who laughed. "That is just likeyou, Laura. You were always a hand to get out of work."
Turning to Betty, Mrs. Ferris continued. "You know, Mary, that Iused to do all the work for Laura and her father and the otherchildren. That was before Mr. Ferris made so much money and thechildren died, all but Laura. Why, Laura, let me get some of yourlittle brother's things for this baby. Bessie, go to the lowerdrawer in my mahogany highboy and get me something to dress thischild with! There is a long white dress there that Willie wasbaptized in, and a flannel shirt and bands and embroidered skirts.Bring everything there is!"
Lucia looked troubled, but Mrs. Ferris had only a happy expressionas she cradled the doll in her arms. Bessie, who knew that therewere no baby clothes in the highboy, also knew where they were to befound. "Wait a moment, Mrs. Ferris," said she, as she slipped outfrom the door and flew up to the attic with the key to a trunk. Whata blessing it would be if this doll would prove a distraction! Butone never could tell.
Lucia glanced around uneasily, but saw, through a door that stoodajar, that the maid was moving about there and was within call. "Doyou think the doll pretty, Grandmother!" she asked. But Mrs. Ferriswas now turning the doll over with a puled expression. "Its hair isso long," she said.
Then Lucia had a bright idea. "Wait till I get the other doll theysent out," she said, "I decided to take this one because I think itis prettier. But perhaps you will like the other better. It lookslike a real baby."
"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Ferris, still puled.
"Lina," called Lucia, "come here a minute, will you?"
The maid who was in the bedroom beyond, entered at once and neededno direction as she saw the situation. "I'm going down after anotherdoll, Lina," said Lucia. "Just wait, Betty."
"Won't you sit down, Mary?" asked Mrs. Ferris in a moment, politelyindicating a chair. Lina drew it nearer for Betty, who sat down."How is your mother, Mary?" continued Mrs. Ferris. "I intended toget over to see her yesterday, but the weather was so bad. I don'tlike the winter weather."
Betty saw that Mrs. Ferris expected no answer, but she leaned towardher with a respectful and sympathetic expression on her face. Linastood quietly by. Then Bessie entered, her arms filled with a largepasteboard box, and Lucia was only a moment or two behind Bessie.
"Here are the things, Mrs. Ferris," said Bessie, depositing the boxon a straight chair that she drew up for the purpose. "Wait,Bessie," said the maid, "I'll put up the folding table."
This was done as Lucia exchanged the one doll for the other, Mrs.Ferris evidently approving the change. The second doll was a babydoll, almost as large as a real baby and with soft golden hair likeBetty's.
"This is the prettier doll," said Mrs. Ferris quite sensibly. "Whatmade you bring those clothes here, Bessie? Oh, yes. I told you to."Again Mrs. Ferris looked puled. She considered the doll. "This lookslike Willie. I believe it is Willie. Poor little thing, with thosecheap clothes on! How did that happen, Bessie?"
In a low tone Lucia spoke to Lina. "I'll leave this doll withGrandmother. Perhaps it will amuse her; shall we go?"
"Slip away without saying anything," Bessie whispered, edging aroundby Lucia. "She will not remember. She is bad today, you see."
It was a great relief to Betty when Lucia drew her toward the doorand out. "Oh, Lucia!" she said as they passed down the stairway, "Iam so sorry for her! It was so pitiful!"
"Wasn't it! I never saw her like that. Usually she is just a littlequeer, but her mind was all mixed up today. It just about breaksUncle's heart to see her, even. She was awfully good to him and madeher will leaving everything to Laura and to him, even in case of herdaughter's death. So that is one reason that he wants her to be inher own apartment as long as possible. He can engage people to takecare of her, even if she should be difficult to manage and then heknows how she is being treated, you see. Mother has an oversightnow, too; but that and some other things are nearly wearing Mother'snerves to pieces. That is why she has so much company and goes somuch, though of course, all her old friends want to see her, too."
From the sad scene of the third floor Betty was soon transported tothe large dining room of the Murchison home, where the CountessColetti and a few friends, with Mr. Murchison, the head of thehouse, sat about a beautifully appointed table with its silver, cutglass and china, its flowers and fragrance. There was cheerful, evenclever conversation into which Betty was drawn a little at first, asthe older guests politely took an interest in the two girls. ButLucia and Betty, side by side, carried on a low conversation, asthey found it proper, or listened with interest to that of theirelders. Betty was impressed with the grace and social poise of thecountess, but did not care very much for a handsome blonde who satat Mr. Murchison's right and whom Lucia said was "trying to marryUncle," though that remark had been made before the party went intothe dining room. Relieved from much necessity of talking to any one,Betty had plenty of opportunity to study the people about the table,from whose voices and conversation she could gather not a littleabout their personalities. She could also thoroughly enjoy theexcellent dinner, served in attractive courses.
The countess sat at the proper hostess end of the table and at herright was a gentleman who could not, or possibly did not try toconceal his rather sentimental interest in the countess. Of himLucia, naturally, had not spoken, but Betty wondered. She knew whather father would do if anybody would say such silly things to hermother! Did the countess like it? Nobody appeared to pay the leastbit of attention to it. So Betty decided that she would not beshocked. Probably that was the silly way of some people.
She wished she had the recipe of a wonderful pudding that melted inyour mouth and preceded an ice-cream confection. A smile ofamusement curled around her mouth at the idea of asking for a recipeat this distinguished place; but just then one of the ladies saidsomething really funny, a clever reply to the countess, and Betty'ssmile extended into laughter with the rest.
At the close of the meal, Lucia led Betty upstairs again; but theywere passed by Mr. Murchison, who patted Lucia's shoulder as he wentup and said to Betty that he hoped she would have a pleasant visit."Make her have a good time, Lucia," said he, starting up the secondflight.
"I'll try to do so," replied Lucia.
The girls turned into Lucia's room and changed their frocks forcomfortable kimonos. Had Betty been at home, she would have put onher thick bath robe; but she had brought her silk kimono asappropriate to this visit. Lucia's negligee was a pretty affair, andLucia apologized for the absence of the maid by saying that shewould be having her dinner now, she supposed. Lucia tossed herclothes on a chair and her bed, for the maid to put away, Bettysupposed; but Betty carried hers into her own room and hung themcarefully in a closet, not only because she had been taught to doso, for Betty was no angel or averse to letting things go at times,but because she wanted her garments to keep on looking well whileshe was here and she did not want to seem to impose upon the serviceoffered. Betty did not mind if Lucia thought her a little careful.It was natural enough, however, though Lucia had told her to "stayand talk," for Betty to take her clothes to her own room. Littledetails are sometimes disturbing things to settle, but Betty triedto keep in mind what was most important, when she had them tosettle.
"Uncle always goes up to see Grandmother Ferris after dinner," saidLucia. "He just excuses himself from the company when we haveguests. He goes up some other times too, but _always_ then, beforeshe goes to bed, to see how she is."
Betty quite approved this, and beamed on him with such a warm smilewhen he stopped afterwards at Lucia's door to look in upon them,that he thought, "What a nice little girl Lee has." Lucia had openedher door because it was too hot in her bedroom; yet to open a windowwould bring cold breezes in, she thought.
"That was a bright idea of yours, Lucia, to show G
randmother thatdoll, or both of them. Bessie was telling me all about it. It seemsthat Grandmother is not like herself at all today and is a littlefeeble, too. Perhaps the 'flu' she had last month is having someeffect now."
Mr. Murchison stopped to consider a moment, soberly.
"Bessie says that she has had a wonderful time dressing that babydoll in the old baby clothes, and Grandmother herself told me tospeak softly for fear I'd waken 'Willie.' The doll was in her bed!She was very happy and sent her love to Laura----"
Here Mr. Murchison broke off and turned away quickly.
Tears came into Lucia's eyes, but she whisked them away with thelittle lace handkerchief which lay by her on the desk to which theyhad drawn their chairs. "Poor Uncle! He couldn't have said anotherword without his voice shaking, I know. But he wanted to tell me.Oh, Betty, isn't life hard sometimes! I can't study! Come over hereon the _chaise longue_ and let me tell you things. I've wanted tofor a long time."