CHAPTER XXI
A SURPRISE
But nothing more was said about going home, and the weeks slipped byuntil it was March.
Everything seemed to be winding itself up. Patty's music term wasfinished; Elise's drawing lessons were nearing their close for theseason, and Mrs. Farrington, though she said nothing about going home,somehow seemed to be quietly getting ready.
Patty didn't exactly understand the attitude of her hostess. If shewere going home soon, Patty wanted to know it; and one day shelaughingly said so.
"I suppose," said Mrs. Farrington, looking at her quizzically, "it'snot unnatural that you should want to know when you're going to seeyour native land again; but truly, Patty, I cannot tell you. I'llpromise you this, though: to-morrow you'll know more about it than youdo to-day."
Patty was mystified at this, for Mrs. Farrington's tone was even moreenigmatical than her words.
"And wait a minute, girls," said Mrs. Farrington, as they were about togo to their rooms to dress for dinner; "put on your pretty new dressesto-night, will you?"
"Why, mother?" said Elise in astonishment; "those are company gowns,and there's no company here!"
"No, there's no company here, but put them on, as I tell you. I want tosee how they look."
"I don't see what's the matter with mother," said Elise, as they wentupstairs; "she's been restless and fidgety all day. And now the idea oftelling us to put on those new frocks!"
"I just as lieve do it," said Patty; "they're awfully pretty ones, andI want to see how they look myself."
When the girls went downstairs they found Mrs. Farrington already inthe drawing-room.
She herself wore a more elaborate toilette than usual, and there seemedto be an extra abundance of flowers and lights.
"What is the matter?" said Elise. "There's something about theatmosphere of this house that betokens a party; but I don't see anyparty. Is there any party, mother?"
"I don't see any, my child," said Mrs. Farrington, smiling.
"Where's father?" asked Elise.
"He's out," said her mother; "we're waiting for dinner until he comes."
Just then a ring was heard at the front door-bell.
"There's your father now," said Mrs. Farrington abruptly; "Patty, mydear, won't you run up to my bedroom and get me my vinaigrette?"
"Why, you have it on, Mrs. Farrington," said Patty, in surprise; "it'shanging from your chatelaine."
"Oh, yes, of course; so it is! But I mean my other one--my gold one.Oh, no; I don't want two vinaigrettes, do I? I mean, won't you run upand get me a handkerchief?"
"Why, mother!" exclaimed Elise, in surprise; "ring for Lisette, or atleast let me go. Don't send Patty."
"No, I want Patty to go," said Mrs. Farrington decidedly. "Please go,my child, and get me a handkerchief from the drawer in mydressing-table. Get the one that is fourth from the top, in the secondpile."
"Certainly," said Patty, and she ran upstairs, wondering what whimpossessed her hostess to send her guest, though ever so willing, on hererrand.
Patty had some little difficulty in finding the right handkerchief, inspite of the explicit directions, and when she again reached thedrawingroom Mr. Farrington was there, and both he and his wife weresmiling broadly. Elise, too, seemed overcome with merriment, and Pattypaused in the doorway, saying: "What is the matter with you people?Please let me into the joke, too!"
"Do you want to know what is the matter?" asked Mrs. Farrington, as shetook the handkerchief from Patty's hand. "Well, go and look behindthose curtains, and see what's in the alcove."
"I suppose," said Patty, as she deliberately walked the length of thelong drawing-room, "you've been buying the Venus of Milo, and it's justbeen sent home, and you've set it up here behind these curtains. Well,I shall be pleased to admire it, I'm sure!"
She drew the crimson curtains apart, and right before her, instead of amarble statue, stood her father and Nan!
Then such an exciting time as there was!
Patty threw her arms around them both at once, and everybody waslaughing, and they all talked at the same time, and Patty understood atlast why they had been directed to put on their new dresses.
"Can it be possible that this is my little girl!" exclaimed Mr.Fairfield, as he drew Patty down up on his knee, quite as he used towhen she was really a little girl.
"Nonsense!" cried Nan; "you haven't changed a bit, Patty, except togrow about half an inch taller, and to be wearing a remarkably prettydress."
"And you people haven't changed a bit, either," declared Patty; "andoh, I'm SO glad to see you!"
She flew back and forth from one of her parents to the other, pinchingthem, to make sure, as she said, that they were really there.
"And now tell me all about it," she said, looking at the others; "didyou all know they were coming?"
"No," said Mrs. Farrington; "Mr. Farrington and I have known it forsome weeks, but we didn't dare tell Elise, for she's such a chatterboxshe never could have kept the secret, and we wanted so much to surpriseyou."
"Well, you HAVE surprised me," said Patty; "and it's the loveliestsurprise I ever had. Oh, what fun it will be to take you benightedpeople around to see Paris."
So Elise declared it was a party after all, and the dinner was a verymerry one, and the whole evening was spent in gay chatter about thewinter just past, and making plans for the summer to come.
Patty didn't gather very definitely what these plans were, but she soonlearned that Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield had come to Paris really to gether, and then they were going on to London; and where else, Pattyneither knew nor cared.
The Farringtons were to return soon to America, and so the whole changeof outlook was so sudden that Patty was bewildered.
"You look as if you didn't quite know yet what has happened," said Mr.Fairfield to Patty, as the whole party stood in the hall saying theirgood-nights.
"I don't, papa," said Patty; "but I'm very happy. I've had a delightfulwinter, and Mr. and Mrs. Farrington have been most beautifully kind,and Elise is just the dearest chum in the world; but you know, papa,home is where the heart is, and my heart belongs just to you and Nan,and so now I feel that I am home again at last."
"And we're mighty glad to have you, little girl, again in our heart andhome. It was pretty lonesome without you all winter in New York. Butnow we're all three together again, and we'll help each other enjoy thegood time that's coming."
"It seems too good to be true," said Patty, as she kissed her parentsgood-night, and ran away to all sorts of happy dreams.
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