The Mandie Collection (23 page)

Arriving at the doorway just as Miss Prudence was removing her hat and coat, Mandie greeted the headmistress. “Good afternoon, Miss Prudence,” she said. “Could I please talk to you for a minute, please?”

Miss Prudence hung her wraps on the nearby coat tree, then turned to face Mandie. She looked as though she had not slept for days.

“Amanda, I've just come in,” Miss Prudence said with a sigh. “Couldn't it wait?”

Mandie lingered in the doorway with Celia close behind. “I'm afraid that if it waits much longer, it'll be too late,” Mandie replied.

Miss Prudence scowled. “Come on in then,” she said.

Mandie entered the office and stood before the desk as the headmistress sat behind it. Celia stayed outside the door, but Mandie was sure she would be listening to every word.

Miss Prudence looked up at Mandie with irritation. “Now what is it, Amanda? Let's hurry up.”

“It's like this,” Mandie began. “You have a letter from my mother. I gave it to Miss Hope last night because you weren't here. She locked it up in the drawer there in the desk.”

Mandie waited while Miss Prudence took a ring of keys from her purse and unlocked the drawer. “I suppose this is it,” the headmistress remarked, taking out the letter addressed to her. “Did my sister open this?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Mandie replied. “I told her it was school business, so she said she'd open it.”

Miss Prudence pulled the sheet of paper out of the envelope and read it. Then looking up, she said, “So you are waiting to see my reaction to this news about a trip to Washington, is that it? Well, I can tell you right now, you will not be allowed to take that much time off from school.”

Mandie's heart sank. “Miss Prudence, please let me be excused,” she pleaded. “I can go there and back in a hurry. I won't waste any time.”

“No, Amanda. That's final,” Miss Prudence said adamantly. “There is no need for any further discussion.” Standing, she dropped the letter back in the drawer and locked it. “Your education is more important than a visit to the President.”

“But, Miss Prudence, this would be an education, too,” Mandie persisted. “I would make up all the work I miss, I promise. I'll even take my school books with me and study while I'm gone. Please?”

“Amanda, you may not be aware of it, but no student is allowed that much time away from school without failing the grade,” Miss Prudence said sternly. “Now I have work to do. You are dismissed. Get on with your schedule for the day.”

“Yes, Miss Prudence.” Mandie barely got the words out through the tears that were choking her throat.

As Mandie left the office, Celia rushed to her side. “Don't give up, Mandie,” she comforted. “There must be something we can do so you can go to Washington.”

When they reached their room and shut the door, Mandie flung herself onto the bed and cried as though her heart would break.

Celia sat down beside her friend. “Mandie, this is not like you,” she said. “You've always told me that where there's a will, there's a way.”

As Mandie sat up, Celia rushed to the bureau and got her a handkerchief.

“You're right, Celia,” Mandie agreed, wiping her swollen eyes. “There must be some way.”

“Talk to your grandmother,” Celia suggested.

“But Grandmother is gone for the week. She's shopping in Raleigh, remember?” Mandie said. “She's buying clothes for a trip we can't even make.” The tears began to roll down her cheeks again.

“Get word to your mother, then,” Celia offered.

“It would take so long to get word to my mother that by the time I got an answer, it'd be too late to go to Washington,” Mandie sobbed. “I have to answer President McKinley's invitation soon.”

“What about Uncle Ned?” Celia asked. “When is he coming to see you? Remember, he promised your father that he would watch over you after your father died. Well, I'd say you need some watching over in this situation.”

“I don't really know,” Mandie said. “You know how he comes and goes. He usually says he'll see me the next change of the moon. You know how he talks.”

“Well, don't give up, Mandie,” Celia begged. “We have not even begun to fight yet.”

Mandie laughed. “I think the only one who could ever win a fight with Miss Prudence is my grandmother,” she said. “She isn't here. And I doubt that even she could win this time. But she should be back home by Friday, so I'll just have to wait.”

The next day dragged by because Mandie couldn't keep her mind on her lessons. But on Wednesday, she read in the newspaper that President McKinley was recovering rapidly. She and Celia had been praying for him. Mandie thanked the Lord for answering so quickly.

Throughout the day Mandie did her best to avoid Miss Prudence. She got into the habit of walking through the hallway with her head down so she wouldn't have to face the headmistress.

So on Friday when Miss Prudence dismissed the other girls but asked Mandie to wait, Mandie was worried. Reluctantly, she walked over to the head of the table and stood before the stern-faced woman.

After the other girls had left the room, Miss Prudence began to speak. “Your attitude, Amanda, leaves something to be desired,” she said. “What seems to be your problem?”

“I'm sorry, Miss Prudence.” Mandie looked at the floor as she spoke. “I'm just . . . just . . . ah . . . unhappy because I won't be able to visit the President.”

“Amanda, we teach you young ladies to look people in the eye when you talk to them. Now I want to see you do that,” Miss Prudence ordered.

Mandie looked up slowly.

“You might as well forget about the trip to see that man in Washington. And if you don't start behaving better, I'll cancel your visits to your grandmother's house. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Miss Prudence,” Mandie replied. “I promise I'll do better.”

“All right, then,” Miss Prudence said with finality. “You may go to your grandmother's this afternoon for the weekend. And please tell Celia that she has my permission as well. Ben will come for you at four o'clock.”

Instantly Mandie perked up. Her grandmother must be back from Raleigh. Mrs. Taft could help persuade Miss Prudence. “Thank you, ma'am. Thank you,” Mandie said excitedly. “I'll tell Celia. Thank you so much.”

“You may go now and get your things ready.” With that Miss Prudence dismissed her. “But don't forget what I said,” she added.

Mandie hurried out of the dining room to find Celia waiting for her in the parlor.

Celia jumped up. “Well?”

“Grandmother is back!” Mandie announced excitedly. “She's sending Ben for us at four o'clock, and Miss Prudence said you could go, too.”

Celia squealed with delight, and the girls headed for their room to get ready. As they gathered the things they would need and crammed them into their bags, Celia looked around the room. “I hope nobody comes in here and bothers anything while we're gone—somebody like April Snow!”

“That must have been her in the attic that night,” Mandie agreed. “And then when we went up there, as she knew we would, she came in here and put our coats on the chair.”

“We haven't heard any more noise, and nobody has bothered anything else since then,” Celia added.

“I wish Aunt Phoebe would come back. She could watch April Snow for us while we're gone,” Mandie said. “You know, it's strange that no one will say anything about Aunt Phoebe. She's been gone almost two weeks. But since Miss Hope and Miss Prudence have been staying around, maybe Aunt Phoebe is doing something for them.”

“I don't know,” Celia replied. “Uncle Cal won't even talk about it.”

“Come on. Let's go downstairs,” Mandie urged. “We can watch for Ben better sitting in the alcove than we can up here.”

Ben came on time, and when they arrived at Mrs. Taft's mansion, she was waiting for them.

“Oh, my dears,” she said, leading them into the parlor, “I'm so glad to see you both. Amanda, I have so much to show you. I just bought and bought. There were so many pretty things that I couldn't decide what to get for you, so I just bought everything I thought you would like, and—”

“Grandmother,” Mandie interrupted. “Miss Prudence won't let me out of school to make the trip.”

Mrs. Taft's mouth opened wide, and she just stood there in shock for a few moments before lowering herself into a chair by the fire. The girls plopped down on the hearth rug, and Mandie related what had happened.

Mrs. Taft bristled in her chair. “Just who does that woman think she is?” she said angrily. “You are going to Washington, dear. I'll see to that.”

“Miss Prudence seems awfully determined that I'm not going,” Mandie replied.

“You leave that woman to me!” Mrs. Taft snapped.

After dinner, when Mrs. Taft displayed the products of her shopping trip, Mandie was impressed with all the beautiful clothes, but her heart wasn't in it. Her grandmother didn't seem to notice her dull interest, partly because Celia kept oohing and aahing over everything.

Finally Mandie just said, “Grandmother, I wish there were some way to settle all this with peace.”

Mrs. Taft looked at her granddaughter, puzzled. “Why, there is, my dear. We can always transfer you to another school.”

Mandie gasped in shock. “Another school?”

Celia drew a sharp breath.

“Yes, dear. Miss Prudence's school isn't the only one around. There are lots of other nice girls' schools where you could go,” Mrs. Taft explained.

“Oh, Mandie!” Celia cried, “please don't go to another school and leave me to deal with April Snow all alone.”

Before Mandie could reply, Mrs. Taft continued, “That's what I plan on suggesting to your mother, dear, if we can't get Miss Prudence to change her mind. But there is one thing for sure. You
are
going to Washington. I'll get a message to your mother right away.”

Mandie silently looked at her grandmother. Why did her happiness over the invitation have to get all fouled up?

“It takes so long to get messages back and forth, I think I'll have one of those telephones put in the house here, and I'll see that Elizabeth gets one, too.” Mrs. Taft looked at her granddaughter, expecting a remark about that, but Mandie was silent. “Don't worry, dear,” Grandmother said. “I'm sure your mother will back us up.”

Mandie's mind was in turmoil now. In order to go on that wonderful visit to see the President, other people were getting angry. It made her sad.

Mandie and Celia returned to school after supper Sunday with Mrs. Taft's promise to send word as soon as she heard from Mandie's mother, Elizabeth Shaw. “Don't worry,” she had said. “You just continue on with your studies, and I'll make sure you get to Washington.”

As Mandie and Celia entered the school that night, Miss Prudence was coming down the hall. But when she saw them, she quickly turned around and went back into her office.

Mandie frowned.
Is Miss Prudence trying to avoid me now
? she wondered. “Well,” she said with a sigh, “I suppose we can just go on up to our room.”

Celia nodded and the girls headed upstairs. There was no one else around. Evidently all the other girls were already in their rooms for the night. In the wintertime the weather was usually too bad for outdoor activities. Everyone had a habit of gathering in one another's rooms throughout the school.

Mandie and Celia spent most of their time with just each other. They were friendly with the other girls but hadn't developed any other close friendships.

When they reached their room, they sat on the rug by the fire to talk for awhile. Celia turned to her friend. “You look sad, Mandie,” she observed. “Are you worried that you may have to go to another school?”

Mandie stared into the bright flames and thought for a moment. “No, Celia,” she replied. “I'm not worried about that. I think I'd give up the trip to Washington rather than have to change schools. You know how much I hate being away from my mother in this school anyway. It would be terrible if I had to go to a new school where I didn't know anybody.”

“You would give up the trip to Washington?” Celia asked in amazement.

“I certainly don't want to, but if I have to, I will,” Mandie said. “Everything has been against my going ever since I received the invitation, and I'm tired of it. There's just been too much trouble and hard feelings.”

“I do hope everything works out,” Celia said. “It's such an important event in your life. Besides, I think even President McKinley will be disappointed if you don't go.”

Mandie laughed and stood up. “I'm sure it won't make any difference to him. He was just being nice to me when he offered the invitation.” She stretched and yawned. “It must be about time for the bell. Let's get ready for bed.”

Suddenly there was a noise in the attic. The girls glanced at each other and froze.

“Let's ignore it,” Mandie said when the noise finally stopped. “I think somebody's just doing it to get us out of our room.”

“Probably,” Celia agreed.

After they had slipped into their nightgowns and jumped into bed, Mandie blew out the light. “Let's not forget to pray for the President,” she reminded her friend.

“And we'll keep praying that everything will work out for you to go to Washington,” Celia replied.

The next morning when Mandie found the newspaper in the parlor, she was happy to read that President McKinley had recovered and was back in his office.

But then on Wednesday morning when the girls glanced through the paper, they read that Queen Victoria had died the evening before. Her son, King Edward VII, was to take title that day.

“How sad,” Mandie said. “Just when our President gets well, England's queen dies.”