The Mandie Collection (16 page)

“I think we can keep up with him. The whole yard is closed in with the wall,” Tommy said.

“But he's a cat. He can climb walls and fences,” Mandie reminded him.

“So can I.” Tommy laughed. “We'll watch him.”

Mandie bent to set the kitten down, and Snowball immediately took off, sniffing among the flowers. It was not quite dark, but the gas lamps were already lighted. The full moon hung in the sky just above the horizon.

Mandie surveyed the many flowers of various colors all growing in neatly planned beds. “How beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I don't even know what most of these are.”

“Those are marigolds and old maids,” Tommy said, pointing to clusters of gold and pink. “I'm pretty sure I've seen some of those in North Carolina. It's really the wrong time of year for a lot of our flowers to be in bloom. Those are crepe myrtle trees along the fence and azaleas around the house. You should see them blossom in the spring. And these red flowers right in front of us are camelias,” he added. Then changing the subject abruptly, he said, “I really just wanted to talk to you away from Josephine.”

Mandie suddenly blushed. “You did?” she managed to say, not daring to look up into her tall friend's face. Her heartbeat quickened.

“Yes, I wanted to apologize for my sister's behavior,” he said.

Mandie instantly felt relieved. “You don't have to apologize for her,” she said. “I can be pretty mean myself sometimes, and I don't have a brother to apologize for me.”

Tommy laughed and took her hand. “I don't believe there's a mean bone in you, Amanda Shaw.”

“Well, Thomas Patton, you don't really know me.” She giggled.

“I know you all right,” Tommy said. He stopped walking and looked down into her upturned face. “I think you are beautiful, and you are the nicest girl I've ever met.”

Mandie blushed again, suddenly realizing she was trembling.

Tommy looked at her curiously. “Are you cold, Mandie? Do you want my jacket?”

It took all Mandie's willpower to steady her voice. “I'm not cold,” she replied. “I just never had a boy say things like that to me before.”

“Honest?” Tommy teased. He cleared his throat. “Well, then all the others must be blind or something,” he added.

“All the others,” Mandie corrected, “would only be Joe. He's the only boy I've ever really known except for you. And Joe is—well, I guess he's just practical or something. He never says fancy things.”

Tommy laughed again and turned back toward the house. “Come on. Let's go up on the widow's walk.”

A hint of fear gnawed at Mandie's stomach at the mention of the widow's walk. “Wait, I have to catch Snowball,” she said. “Snowball, where are you?” She looked around in the flowerbeds. After a few moments she found him chasing a cricket among the vines. She picked him up. “We've got to go, Snowball. Be still.”

The kitten climbed onto her shoulder and began purring as Tommy led Mandie to the side door of the house and up the stairs. When they reached the third floor, he opened the door to a small room. Inside, a narrow spiral staircase led up to the roof.

Mandie looked up and panicked. “You mean we've got to climb up those steps?”

“Sure. Nothing to it. You go first, and I'll stay right behind you just in case you slip or something. When you get to the landing up there, just stand still until I catch up with you,” Tommy instructed, helping her up on the first step.

Mandie cautiously made her way up the narrow steps, never daring to look down. Snowball clung tightly to the shoulder of her dress. Tommy stayed right behind her. At the top, Mandie stepped onto a small landing and waited. Tommy slipped past her, and taking a key from a nail on the wall, he opened a small door. As Mandie looked out, the doorway seemed to open to nothing but the darkening sky.

“Come on, it's safe out here,” Tommy told her. Taking her hand, he led her out onto the roof.

Mandie looked around and realized that they were standing on a small, narrow walkway that ran around the edge of the roof. The height made Mandie dizzy for a minute. She stood still and closed her eyes.

“If you look over that way, you can see the ships in the harbor,” Tommy said.

Mandie reluctantly peeked at where he was pointing. Then her eyes grew wide. He was right. Off to the left lay a beautiful harbor with various ships docked there—some big, some little. Between the
Pattons' house and the harbor were dozens of rooftops everywhere, and along the avenues, stately palm trees lined the way.

“I've never been up so high in my life.” She gasped for air, clutching her equally frightened kitten. “Imagine walking all the way around this roof. I think I'd get dizzy-headed and fall off.”

“No, you wouldn't after you got used to it. You see, the women who came up here to watch for their husbands probably did this every day. The height didn't bother them because they were watching the water for signs of their husbands' ships coming into port,” Tommy explained. “Let's walk over to the railing. It's safe.”

Mandie shrank back. “Sorry, but I can't do that. Maybe next time I'll be more used to it as you say.” She looked around the roof. “And this is where the ghost of Melissa Patton supposedly walks?”

“Don't believe all of Josephine's stories,” Tommy warned. “She likes to make things up.”

“But Melissa Patton really was killed up here, wasn't she?” Mandie asked, hovering near the doorway to the inside.

“There are old rumors in the family that she either committed suicide by jumping off the roof, or else she was pushed,” Tommy said. “Anyhow, she died a long, long time ago.”

“Do you mind if we go back downstairs?” Mandie asked in a small voice.

“I suppose we'd better,” Tommy replied.

Mandie practically ran down the stairs until she reached the first floor. Tommy came right behind. At the foot of the steps Mandie ran into Josephine.

“Did Tommy show you where Melissa Patton went through the railing?” Josephine asked.

“Josephine!” Tommy spoke sharply.

“No, and I don't want to see it,” Mandie said, rushing past the girl. On her way to the drawing room, Mandie hoped she could just bid everyone good night and hurry up to bed. She only wanted to snuggle up in a nice soft bed and forget about the dead lady.

CHAPTER SIX

NIGHT NOISES AND GHOST STORIES

When Mandie and Tommy reached the drawing room, however, Mrs. Patton quickly stood. “Oh, Amanda,” she said, “I'm glad you're back. We want to talk to you.”

“Me?” Mandie asked.

“Yes. Mr. Patton and I have been talking to your mother and Uncle John about something,” she explained. “Sit down, dear. We would like your opinion as well.”

Mandie looked at her mother, who smiled and nodded. Mandie tried to remember her ladylike manners as she eased into the peach-colored settee next to Mrs. Patton and spread her skirt out wide.
What on earth could a bunch of adults want my opinion about?
she wondered.

Tommy stood beside Mandie, leaning against the settee, and Josephine glared at her from across the room.

“Now then, Amanda,” Mrs. Patton began, “we've been thinking about your friend at the sanatorium.”

“Hilda?” Mandie asked, not understanding.

“Yes,” Mr. Patton replied. “You said they might release her if they found a loving family who could care for her, didn't you?”

“Well, yes, that's what Dr. Woodard said, but—”

“Do you think Hilda would like it here with us?” Mrs. Patton asked eagerly. “We certainly have the room.”

“You mean you would be willing to have Hilda come to live with you?” Mandie asked.

Mrs. Patton's eyes twinkled. “We could certainly give her a great deal more love and attention than she could get in the sanatorium,” she said. “And there are such good doctors here in Charleston.”

“We would have to go through proper channels, of course,” George Patton added thoughtfully, “but I love the idea of another youngster around the house.” He beamed.

Mandie felt like she would burst with excitement. “If you really mean it,” she said, “I think it would be wonderful!”

Uncle John sat forward. “I can talk to Dr. Woodard about it as soon as we get back,” he offered. “He can find out what the procedures would be.”

“Thank you, John,” Mr. Patton replied. “That would be great!”

As the conversation turned to other topics, Mandie excused herself and headed for her room.

Finding her nightgown laid out and the bedcovers turned down, she quickly got ready for bed. As she slid beneath the silky sheets, she set Snowball on top of the covers. Closing her eyes, she thought about Hilda coming to live with the Pattons. Tommy's parents were such nice people. Although Josephine seemed a little strange, Tommy was very kind. Mandie felt sure he would watch over Hilda.

Somehow the idea of Hilda living in such fine surroundings eased Mandie's mind. The Pattons could certainly afford any medical care Hilda needed. Yes, Mandie was sure of it. Hilda would be genuinely loved and well cared for.

Mandie grew more sleepy, but thoughts of her busy day still whirled in her head. She remembered the nice things Tommy had said to her in the garden. Why didn't Joe ever say things like that, especially since he was so certain she was going to marry him when they grew up?

On the other hand, why did she even have to think of Joe? Although she tried desperately to enjoy her visit, she couldn't help having a heavy heart about their argument.

Sometime later, after Mandie dozed off, a sudden noise woke her. At first she couldn't figure out where she was. Then, getting her bearings,
she realized the noise must have been right above her room. She lay completely still and listened, her heart beating loudly in her ears.

Through the stillness of the night, there was a faint moan and a crash overhead. Mandie jumped out of the bed and tried to lock the door. She remembered seeing a key in the lock before, but now the key was gone!

She heard Snowball outside her room. How had he gotten out into the hallway? Cracking the door just enough to let him in, she looked around the room for something to bar the door. All she could find was the pitcher and bowl on the washstand. As Snowball sniffed around the room, Mandie set the big bowl on the floor against the closed door and put the pitcher in the bowl, hoping they would at least make a noise if someone tried to come in.

Grabbing Snowball, Mandie jumped back into bed. She looked toward the sky through the window. “What time I am afraid,” she whispered as her heart thumped loudly, “I will put my trust in Thee, dear God.”

She lay there listening, determined to stay awake, but when nothing else happened, she finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Mandie had already dressed and put the bowl and pitcher back on the washstand when Josephine barged into the room. Mandie stood in front of the mirror brushing her long blonde hair. Still nervous from the noises during the night, she turned quickly to see who it was.

“Did you hear her?” Josephine asked excitedly.

Mandie stopped brushing her hair and stared at the girl. “Hear who? What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Melissa Patton was up there walking around last night. Didn't you hear her? I told you she appeared when it was a full moon.”

“You're talking nonsense, Josephine,” Mandie said, trying to keep her voice steady. But as she started brushing again, she could hardly keep her hand from shaking.

“You may think it's nonsense, but I know it isn't,” Josephine insisted. “She was up there last night on the widow's walk. Didn't you hear that loud bang when she shut the door?”

“How can a ghost close a door?” Mandie asked.

“I don't know but they can,” Josephine declared.

Mandie yanked hard on her hairbrush. “Phooey, you probably heard someone in the house closing a door.”

“I went up there just now to see,” Josephine said. “The door was unlocked.”

“So what? Tommy and I went up there last night, and I'm not sure he locked it,” Mandie told her. “Besides, anybody could unlock or lock it. The key is hanging right there.”

“The key was gone and the door was unlocked,” Josephine insisted. She held out a fragment of a pink feather. “I found this on the roof.” “What is it?” Mandie tried to appear unconcerned, but she knew what Josephine was going to claim.

“It must have fallen off the fan Melissa was holding in the portrait,” Josephine said.

“Now how could a piece of feather from a portrait made generations ago suddenly appear on the roof?” Mandie put down her brush and tied her long blonde hair back with a blue ribbon to match her dress.

Josephine squinted at Mandie eerily. “They say that the outfit she has on in the portrait was the same one she was wearing when she was murdered—pink feather fan and all.”

Just then someone knocked on Mandie's door and she jumped. “Come in,” she called.

Cheechee, the little maid, opened the door apologetically. “I comes to tell you breakfas' is ready, Missy. And Missy Josephine, yo' ma waitin' fo' you, too.”

Josephine held out the piece of pink feather. “Look at this, Cheechee,” she taunted. “Melissa Patton was on the widow's walk last night. She left a piece of the feather from her fan.”

Cheechee screamed. “No, no, no! Don't you touch me wid dat. I don't want nothin' to do wid no ghost. May the Lawd rest huh soul.” The Negro girl ran from the room.

Mandie pretended to be calm as she turned to follow her. Letting Snowball out into the hallway, she said, “You heard her. Breakfast is waiting.”

Since Mandie had no idea where breakfast would be served, she let Josephine lead her downstairs to a beautiful glass-enclosed sunroom. A sideboard at one end of the room was weighed down with eggs, bacon,
ham, grits, hotcakes, sausage, hot biscuits, preserves, milk, coffee and juice. The others in the house were already helping themselves.