CHAPTER XIV
A PLEASANT SURPRISE
It was all very exciting, but Nancy didn't want to think that she wasreally glad to get rid of her precious Whatnot Shop. Ted openly declared"he told her so," as boys will, but she politely drew his attention tothe fact that she had fulfilled her contract, that she had earned money,quite a lot of money, in fact, and in now turning the shop over to MissManners she was following her mother's advice.
It was a few days later than that evening when she and her motheroffered the use of the shop to the little seamstress, and now they werepreparing to call on Miss Townsend.
"Suppose she says _she_ wants it back," faltered Nancy, just patting herdark hair back into the desired soft little bumps. "What would we say,Mother, if she just begged us to let her have it?"
"Why dear, we could let her have a part of it, perhaps. She could comein and sell out what little stock you have, while Miss Manners isgetting ready for her class."
"Oh, but," pouted Nancy, "I would just hate to have her do that. If youever saw the way she snooped around, Mother. And the way that dogacted!" Nancy's manner was very decidedly one of opposition to MissTownsend and her dog.
"Well, come along, dear," her mother urged, "we must not stay late. Ihave some notes to write up and I don't want to lose sleep over them."
Whatever else bothered Nancy Brandon, an evening's walk through thecountry roads of Long Leigh, in a beautiful summer twilight with her armlocked tightly in her mother's, was balm enough to soothe and heal everyslightest hurt and anxiety.
"Mother-love," she actually cooed, in the softest little voice she couldcommand, "I just love it tonight, don't you?"
"Perfect," replied the happy mother, pressing lovingly upon theimprisoned arm. "And I am so glad, daughter-love, that you want to giveup your business." There was a humorous little twist given to that lastword, for Nancy's business was and had been something of a practicaljoke among the Brandons.
"Let's walk around the old house," suggested Nancy, for they were at afork in the road and needed to choose a way to Miss Townsend's. "Then,maybe we will discover something about Mr. Sanders' quarters."
But just as they were about to turn into the lane that led past the oldstone house, Ted hailed them from the hilltop.
He wanted to know where they were going. He wanted to know if he couldgo along, and as they managed to make signs that gave at least anegative answer to this last request, they found themselves on the openroad, walking directly away from the old stone house.
"We won't be long, Ted," his mother assured him, as he reached them,"and you can, if you want to, go over to Norton Duncan's. We will giveyou a call as we come back, and then we will all go home together. Theside door key is in the regular place though, if you would rather gohome--"
"Oh, no I wouldn't. I'll stay out 'til nine, and Nort and I'll practicedrill," proclaimed Ted. "We're going to have a regular test drill soon,and he's my partner."
This being a satisfactory arrangement, Ted went to Nort's while Nancyand her mother continued on to the little country hotel, where theTownsends had taken up their abode.
"I do hope," murmured Nancy, "that she won't upset our plans. I justcan't see, Mother, why you bother about her at all," she complained.
"The place is ours for this summer to do as we please with it, Nancy,"her mother replied, "but just the same, it is a little business courtesyto show to Miss Townsend. We have the option on the place, and I fullyintend to buy it, but the shop was so dear to Miss Townsend's heart,that I feel we ought to, at least, tell her what we plan to do for themonth."
"You're so, generous, Mother," sighed Nancy. "I wish _I_ were more likeyou."
Her mother smiled and squeezed the young hand that rested so confidentlyupon her own arm.
"Don't worry, dear," she answered. "You know what dear grandma alwayssaid when you got into little troubles?"
"Yes," replied Nancy, "that my heart was in the right place if my headwas a little shaky."
"Yes, that's it. And don't we miss grandma? She might just as well comeout here with us, but I was afraid of bringing her to the old-fashionedlittle house. Well, here we are at our hotel," Mrs. Brandon broke off,as they came in sight of the long white building, with its unmistakablehotel piazza.
In the row of rockers on the porch sat a row of men on one side andalmost a row of women, or "ladies" on the other. Country folks, with afew city interlopers, composed the patronage of the Waterfall House, itwas quite evident.
Nancy and her mother smiled at the faces and half-greeted them, as theypassed into the office, and after asking for Miss Townsend's rooms,followed the boy along the red carpeted hall, and up a stairs carpetedwith what once had been red. They journeyed on until they reached alittle turn in the second hall. Before this their guide halted andpointed out a door that bore the number twenty-seven.
Nancy's heart would have jumped a little apprehensively had it been aless healthy young heart, but as it was, she merely kept very close toher mother until the boy turned on his heel and whistled a returningtune.
"Maybe she's sick in bed," Nancy was thinking, just as the door wasopened in response to her mother's knock.
"Why! Mrs. Brandon!" she heard a voice exclaim. "And Nancy!" as MissTownsend bowed them in. "How glad I am to see you! Do come right in.Here, take this chair, it's so comfortable. Nancy, sit by the window,"she was pushing a chair over to the girl, "and you can see the peoplepassing. Well, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you both."
Nancy was so surprised she almost exclaimed aloud. There was the "sick"Miss Townsend fairly beaming, in, what surely looked like, very goodhealth. The little dog was frisking around and Nancy had scarcely seatedherself in the chair by the window when he pounced up on her lap, andafter "kissing her" several times, finally subsided into a small, brown,woolly ball, cuddled into a little nest formed from the soft folds ofNancy's blue voile skirt.
"I'm so glad to see you are better, Miss Townsend," Mrs. Brandonpresently said. "You have been ill, we heard."
"Yes indeed, but I'm better now, really a new woman, you might say," andMiss Townsend now seated herself comfortably on the small green sofanear them. "But it was just worry. Worry is a pretty bad ailment, isn'tit?" she asked, smiling a contradiction to anything like worry affectingher just then.
"You are real cozy here," Mrs. Brandon ventured.
"Yes, it's quite pleasant, but I've just come back from a trip to thesea shore. I guess that is what helped me most," conceded Miss Townsend.
Like Nancy, Mrs. Brandon also, was much surprised at Miss Townsend'sexuberant spirits. It was perfectly plain that some good fortune hadbefallen the lady since she had paid that mournful visit to Nancy.
"You see," she began, as if in answer to their unmasked questions, "ourbusiness affairs are being all straightened out and Brother Elmer isgetting back the money he loaned. Of course I didn't understand, and itis one of those affairs a woman isn't supposed to understand." This wassaid in that sort of tone that conveys deep and mysterious meaning.
"I'm awfully glad of that," Mrs. Brandon assured the woman in her brandnew heliotrope one piece dress. It was quite modish, indeed, and withoutquestion, very becoming to Miss Townsend.
"Oh, yes," went on the hostess, "I was so worried for a long time. Yousee, I really couldn't have faith in a business deal that I was notprivileged to know the details of. I have been a business woman all mylife," she insisted, "and I'm not afraid to tackle any business deal,"at this she dangled her amethyst beads self-consciously. "But Elmer andMr. Sanders!" Her hands went up protestingly. "They just used everydollar. Well--" she broke off suddenly, "it's all right now, so whyshould I fuss about it. You didn't come to hear of my troubles, I'msure."
At this point Mrs. Brandon divulged the real purpose of her visit. Nancywas having a great time with Tiny. He was awake now and evidently eagerto show off. He stood up and begged, jumped down and "prayed" andotherwise disported himself m
ost wonderfully. The distraction affordedNancy a welcome chance to sit aside and take little or no part in theelder's conversation, but she was, as Ted would have said, "all ears toit."
"Why, I think that's a perfectly splendid idea," she heard Miss Townsendsay, in reference to the plan of giving the store over to Miss Manners."And I must say you are very generous, Mrs. Brandon," she complimented."As a matter of fact, fancy-store business is not what it used to be.More folks now take to the mail order plan, especially in winter. Why,there were months when I didn't see the color of a 'green back' in thatplace," she admitted. "Yet, I couldn't help loving the old place. I hadbeen in it so long," she concluded earnestly.
"I met Mr. Sanders' daughter, Miss Townsend," Nancy spoke up, determinedto bring up that subject, "and I think she's a perfectly splendid girl."
"Isn't she though! But she couldn't help but be smart with such afather." This last little speech was indeed a compliment to the absentMr. Sanders.
"But where does he live?" demanded Nancy, without any attempt to cloakher question with indifference.
"Live? Why, my dear child, he lives here! Just moved in, and I dodeclare, the man needs some comfort after all he's been through. IfElmer comes in before you go I'll have him bring Mr. Sanders in. We areall the best of friends now," declared the incomprehensible little womanon the green velour sofa.