CHAPTER II
AT THE DANCE
At eight o'clock that same evening, Patty came down to her own dinnerparty. An hour's rest had freshened her up wonderfully, and she hadchanged her little white frock for a dinner gown of pale greenchiffon, sparkling with silver embroidery. It trailed behind her in amost grown-up fashion, and she entered the drawing-room with anexaggerated air of dignity.
"Huh," cried Roger; "look at grown-up Patty! Isn't she the haughtylady? Patty, if you put on such airs, you'll be old before your time!"
"Airs, nothing!" retorted Patty, and with a skipping little dancestep, she crossed the room, picked up a sofa pillow, and aimed itdeftly at Roger, who caught it on the wing.
"That's better," he said. "We can't have any of these _grande dame_airs. Now, who is the lucky man who is to take you out to dinner? Me?"
"No, not you," and Patty looked at him, critically; "you won't do, andneither will Kenneth, nor Phil Van Reypen, nor Mr. Hepworth." Shelooked at them each in turn, and smiled so merrily that they could takeno offence. "I think," she said, "I shall select the best-looking andbest-natured gentleman, and walk out with him." Whereupon she tuckedher arm through her father's, and led the way to the dining-room,followed by the rest of the merry crowd.
The dinner was a beautiful one, for Nan had spared no pains or thoughtto make it worthy of the occasion. At the girls' places were beautifulsouvenirs, in the shape of fans of carved ivory with lace mounts,while the men received attractive stick-pins.
"Shall you feel like dancing after all this gaiety, Patty?" asked VanReypen.
"Well, rather!" declared Patty. "Why, I'd feel like dancing if I'dbeen through a--civil war! I could scarcely keep still when theorchestra was playing this afternoon, and I'm crazy for to-night'sdance to begin."
"Frivolous young person, very," murmured Philip. "Never saw suchdevotion to the vain follies of life! However, since you're determinedto dance, will you honour me with the first one to-night?"
"Why, I don't mind, if you don't," said Patty, dimpling at him.
"And give me the second," said Kenneth and Roger simultaneously.
"I can't do these sums in my head," said Patty; "I'll get all mixedup. Let's wait till we get our dance orders, and fill them up, hit ormiss."
"You be the miss and I'll try to make a hit," said Philip.
"What waggery!" exclaimed Patty, shaking her head. "If you're tooclever, Philip, I can't dance with you. When I dance, I keep my mindon my feet, not on my head."
"That explains your good dancing," said Mr. Hepworth, laughing."Perhaps, if I could keep my mind on my feet, I could dance better."
"Oh, you're too highminded for such low levels," laughed Patty, whileMona, who was rather practical, said, seriously, "Do you really thinkabout your feet all the time you're dancing, Patty?"
"No," returned Patty; "sometimes I have to think about my partner'sfeet, to keep out of the way of them."
When they returned to the drawing-room, they found it had been clearedfor the dance, and soon the evening guests began to arrive.
Patty again stood by Nan to receive them, and after greeting manypeople she knew, she was surprised to find herself confronted by astranger. He was a thick-set, stockily-built man, several years olderthan most of Patty's friends. He had black hair and eyes and a shortblack moustache and a round, heavy type of face. His black eyes wereof the audacious sort, and he flashed a glance of admiration at Patty.Before she could speak, or even offer her hand, Mona sprang forward,saying, "Patty, this is my friend Mr. Lansing. I took the liberty ofinviting him to your dance. Mrs. Fairfield, may I present Mr.Lansing?"
Patty was angry. This, of course, must be the man of whom Mr.Galbraith had spoken, and, aside from the fact that he seemedundesirable, Patty felt that Mona had no right to invite him withoutasking permission from her hostess.
But Nan knew nothing of all this, and she cordially greeted thestranger because he was a friend of Mona's. Patty recovered herequilibrium sufficiently to say, "How do you do, Mr. Lansing?" in anon-committal sort of way, but she couldn't refrain from giving Mona aside glance of reproof, to which, however, that young woman paid noattention.
In another moment Mona had drifted away, and had taken Mr. Lansingwith her. Patty turned to speak to Nan about him, but just then somemore guests arrived; and then the dancing began, and Patty had nofurther opportunity.
As Patty had promised, she gave the first dance to Philip Van Reypen;and after that she was fairly besieged by would-be partners. The factthat she was hostess at her own coming-out ball, the fact that shedanced beautifully, and the fact that she was so pretty and charming,all combined to make her, as was not unusual, the most popular girlpresent.
"Anything left for me?" asked Roger, gaily, as he threaded the crowdsat Patty's side.
"I saved one for you," said Patty, smiling at him; "for I hoped you'dask me, sooner or later."
Roger gratefully accepted the dance Patty had saved for him, and soonafter he came to claim her for it.
"I say, Patty," he began when they were whirling about the floor, "whois that stuff Mona has trailing after her?"
"Moderate your language, Roger," said Patty, smiling up at him, andnoticing that his expression was very wrathy indeed.
"He doesn't deserve moderate language! He's a bounder, if I ever sawone! What's he doing here?"
"He seems to be dancing," said Patty, demurely, "and he doesn't dancehalf badly, either."
"Oh, stop your fooling, Patty; I'm not in the mood for it. Tell me whohe is."
Patty had never known Roger to be so out of temper, and she resentedhis tone, which was almost rude. Now, for all her sweetness, Patty hada touch of perversity in her nature, and Roger had roused it. So shesaid: "I don't know why you speak like that, Roger. He's a friend ofMona's, and lives at the Hotel Plaza, where she lives."
"The fact that two people live in the same big hotel doesn't give themthe right to be friends," growled Roger. "Who introduced them,anyhow?"
"I don't know, I'm sure," said Patty, her patience exhausted; "but Mr.Galbraith knows him, so it must be all right."
Patty was not quite ingenuous in this speech, for she knew perfectlywell, from what Mr. Galbraith had said to her, that it was not allright. But she was irritated by Roger's demeanour, and perverselydisagreed with him.
"Well, I don't believe he's all right; I don't like his looks a bit,and, Patty, you know as well as I do, that the Galbraiths are notquite competent always to select the people best worth knowing."
"Oh, what a fuss you are, Roger; and it's hardly fair when you don'tknow anything at all about Mr. Lansing."
"Do you?"
"No," and then Patty hesitated. She did know something,--she knew whatMr. Galbraith had told her. But she was not of a mind to tell this toRoger. "I only met him as I was introduced," she said, "and Mona hasnever so much as even mentioned him to me."
"Didn't she ask you if she might bring him to-night?"
"No; I suppose, as an intimate friend, she didn't think thatnecessary."
"It _was_ necessary, Patty, and you know it, if Mona doesn't. Now,look here; you and I are Mona's friends; and if there are any socialmatters that she isn't quite familiar with, it's up to us to help herout a little. And I, for one, don't believe that man is the right sortfor her to be acquainted with; and I'm going to find out about him."
"Well, I'm sure I'm willing you should, Roger; but you needn't makesuch a bluster about it."
"I'm not making a bluster, Patty."
"You are so!"
"I am not!"
And then they both realised that they were bickering like twochildren, and they laughed simultaneously as they swept on round thedancing-room. The music stopped just then, and as they were near awindow-seat, Patty sat down for a moment. "You go on, Roger," shesaid, "and hunt up your next partner, or fight a duel with Mr.Lansing, or do whatever amuses you. My partner will come to hunt meup, I'm sure, and I'll just wait here."
"Who is your next partner,
Patty?"
"Haven't looked at my card; but, never mind, he'll come. You runalong."
As Roger's next partner was Mona, and as he was anxious to talk to herabout her new friend, Roger obeyed Patty's bidding and strolled away.
Patty sat alone for a moment, knowing full well who was her nextpartner, and then Mr. Lansing appeared and made a low bow before her.
Now, Patty had not chosen to express to Roger her real opinion of thisnew man, but in reality she did not approve of him. Though fairlygood-looking and correctly dressed, there was about him a certainsomething--or perhaps, rather, he lacked a certain something thatinvariably stamps the well-bred man. He stared at Patty a trifle toofreely; he sat down beside her with a little too much informality; andhe began conversation a little too familiarly. All of these thingsPatty saw and resented, but as hostess she could not, of course, beopenly rude.
"Nice, jolly rooms you've got here for a party," Mr. Lansing remarked,rolling his eyes about appreciatively, "and a jolly lot of people,too. Some class to 'em!"
Patty looked at him coldly. She was not accustomed to this style ofexpression. Her friends perhaps occasionally used a slang word orterm, but it was done in a spirit of gaiety or as a jest, whereas thisman used his expressions as formal conversation.
"Yes, I have many kind and delightful friends," said Patty, a littlestiffly.
"You sure have! Rich, too, most of 'em."
Patty made no response to this, and Mr. Lansing turned suddenly tolook at her. "I say, Miss Fairfield, do you know what I think? I thinkyou are prejudiced against me, and I think somebody put you up to it,and I think I know who. Now, look here, won't you give me a fair show?Do you think it's just to judge a man by what other people say abouthim?"
"How do you know I've heard anything about you, Mr. Lansing?"
"Well, you give me the icy glare before I've said half a dozen wordsto you! So, take it from me, somebody's been putting you wise to mydefects."
He wagged his head so sagaciously at this speech, that Patty wasforced to smile. On a sudden impulse, she decided to speak frankly."Suppose I tell you the truth, Mr. Lansing, that I'm not accustomed tobeing addressed in such--well, in such slangy terms."
"Oh, is that it? Pooh, I'll bet those chums of yours talk slang to youonce in a while."
"What my chums may do is no criterion for an absolute stranger,"--andnow Patty spoke very haughtily indeed.
"That's so, Miss Fairfield; you're dead right,--and I apologise. But,truly, it's a habit with me. I'm from Chicago, and I believe peopleuse more slang out there."
"The best Chicago people don't," said Patty, seriously.
Mr. Lansing smiled at her, a trifle whimsically.
"I'm afraid I don't class up with the best people," he confessed; "butif it will please you better, I'll cut out the slang. Shall we have aturn at this two-step?"
Patty rose without a word, and in a moment they were circling thefloor. Mr. Lansing was a good dancer, and especially skilful inguiding his partner. Patty, herself such an expert dancer, waspeculiarly sensitive to the good points of a partner, and she enjoyedthe dance with Mr. Lansing, even though she felt she did not like theman. And yet he had a certain fascination in his manner, and when thedance was over, Patty looked at him with kinder eyes than she had whenthey began. But all that he had won of her favour he lost by his finalspeech, for as the dance ended, he said, brusquely: "Now, I'll tumbleyou into a seat, and chase my next victim."
Patty stood looking after him, almost moved to laughter at what he hadsaid, and yet indignant that a man, and a comparative stranger, shouldaddress her thus.
"What's the matter, Lady Fair?" and Philip Van Reypen came up to her."Methinks thou hast a ruffled brow."
"No, it's my frock that's ruffled," said Patty, demurely. "You menknow so little of millinery!"
"That's true enough, and if you will smile again, I'll drop thesubject of ruffles. And now for my errand; will you go out to supperwith me?"
"Goodness, is it supper time? I thought the evening had scarcelybegun!"
"Alas! look at the programme," and Van Reypen showed her that it was,indeed, time for intermission.
"Intermission is French for supper," he said, gravely, "and I'd liketo know if you'd rather sit on the stairs in good old orthodox partyfashion, or if you'd rather go to the dining-room in state?"
"Who are on the stairs?"
"I shall be, if you are. You don't want to know more than that, doyou?" The young man's gaze was so reproachful that Patty giggled.
"You are a great factor in my happiness, Mr. Van Reypen," she said,saucily; "but you are not all the world to me! So, if I flock on thestairs with you, I must know what other doves will be perching there."
"Oh, doves!" in a tone of great relief. "I thought you wanted to knowwhat men you would find there,--you inveterate coquette, you! Well,Elise is there waiting for you, and Miss Farley."
"And Mona Galbraith?"
"I don't know; I didn't see Miss Galbraith. But if you will go withme, I will accumulate for you any young ladies you desire."
"And any men?"
"The men I shall have to fight off, not invite!"
Laughing at each other's chaff, they sauntered across to the hall andfound the stairs already pretty well occupied.
"Why is it," Mr. Hepworth was saying, "that you young people preferthe stairs to the nice, comfortable seats at little tables in thedining-room?"
"Habit," said Patty, laughing, as she made her way up a few steps;"I've always eaten my party suppers on the stairs, and I dare say Ialways shall. When I build a house I shall have a great, broadstaircase, like they have in palaces, and then everybody can eat onthe stairs."
"I'm going to give a party," announced Van Reypen, "and it's going tobe in the new Pennsylvania Station. There are enormous staircasesthere."
"All right, I'll come to it," said Patty, and then Mona and Mr.Lansing came strolling along the hall, and demanded room on the stairsalso.
"Seats all taken," declared Roger, who had had a real tiff with Monaon the subject of her new friend. The others, too, did not seem towelcome Mr. Lansing, and though one or two moved slightly, they didnot make room for the newcomers.
Patty was uncertain what she ought to do. She remembered what Mr.Galbraith had said, and she felt that to send Mona and Mr. Lansingaway would be to throw them more exclusively in each other's society;and she thought that Mr. Galbraith meant for her to keep Mona underher own eye as much as possible. But to call the pair upon the stairsand make room for them would annoy, she felt sure, the rest of thegroup.
She looked at Roger and at Philip Van Reypen, and both of them gaveher an eloquent glance of appeal not to add to their party. Then shechanced to glance at Mr. Hepworth and found him smiling at her. Shethought she knew what he meant, and immediately she said, "Come uphere by me, Mona; and you come too, Mr. Lansing. We can make roomeasily if we move about a little."
There was considerable moving about, and finally Patty found herselfat the top of the group with Mona and Mr. Lansing. Christine and Mr.Hepworth were directly below them, and then Elise and Kenneth.
Mr. Van Reypen and Roger Farrington declared their intention of makinga raid on the dining-room and kidnapping waiters with trays ofsupplies. On their return the supper plates were passed up to those onthe stairs, and Van Reypen and Roger calmly walked away.
Patty knew perfectly well what they meant. They intended her tounderstand that if she and Mona persisted in cultivating theacquaintance of the man they considered objectionable, they did notcare to be of the party.
"Which is perfectly ridiculous!" said Patty to herself, as sherealised the state of things. "Those boys needn't think they candictate to me at my own party!"
Whereupon, perverse Patty began to make herself extremely andespecially agreeable to Mr. Lansing, and Mona was greatly delighted atthe turn things had taken.
Christine and Mr. Hepworth joined in the conversation, and perhapsbecause of what Patty had said earlier in the even
ing, Mr. Lansingavoided to a great extent the use of slang expressions, and madehimself really interesting and entertaining.
"What a fascinating man he is," said Christine later, to Patty, whenMona and her new friend had walked away to the "extra" supper dance.
"Do you think so?" said Patty, looking at Christine in astonishment."He was rather nicer than I thought him at first, but, Christine, Inever dreamed _you_ would approve of him! But you never can tell whena quiet little mouse like you is going to break loose. Why did youlike him, Christine?"
"I don't know exactly; only he seemed so breezy and unusual."
"Yes, he's that," and Patty wagged her head, knowingly; "but I don'tlike him very much, Christine, and you mustn't, either. Now run awayand play."
Patty's last direction was because she saw a young man coming to askChristine for this dance; while two others were rapidly coming towardherself.
The rest of the evening was danced gaily away, but neither Roger norPhilip Van Reypen came near Patty. To be sure, she had plenty ofpartners, but she felt a little offended at her two friends' attitude,for she knew she hadn't really deserved it.
But when the dance was over, Patty's good-nights to Roger and Philipwere quite as gentle and cordial as those she said to any one else.She smiled her best smiles at them, and though not as responsive asusual, they made polite adieux and departed with no further referenceto the troublesome matter.