The Mandie Collection (24 page)

Mandie crept quietly along the hall. Her heart was beating so loudly she hoped whoever or whatever was in that room couldn't hear it.

Just outside the beautiful green-and-white room, she hid behind the open door and peered around it. She gasped.

There in front of the huge dresser's oval-shaped mirror stood a young woman with long dark hair, and she was dressed in the emerald green gown Ophelia wore in her portrait!

Mandie almost screamed but quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
Wait
, Mandie told herself.
Ophelia had blonde hair
. She looked again. There on the dresser lay a pair of wire-rimmed glasses just like . . . That was Josephine standing before the mirror! And she was talking to herself as though she were a woman of high society carrying on a conversation with a dear friend.

Mandie stood outside the door for several minutes, watching.

Josephine smoothed her dark hair and smiled into the mirror. “Well, I suppose I ought to be going now,” she said. “George and Lucille will be calling for me any minute.”

Mandie turned quickly and tiptoed back downstairs.
Tommy is right
, she thought.
Josephine does live in a fantasy world
.

When Mandie got down to the first floor, Cheechee emerged from the kitchen, carrying Snowball.

“I done foun' him outside, Missy,” Cheechee explained. “Musta got out whilst we wasn't lookin.' ”

Mandie took Snowball from the girl. “Thanks, Cheechee.”

“Yo' ma and Miz Patton, they be hoppin' mad, wonderin' where y'all be,” Cheechee warned. “Best git out theah.”

“I'm going right now,” Mandie assured her, “and I think Josephine will be downstairs in a minute. Thanks.”

A short time later, as everyone waited and talked in the rig, Josephine came running out of the house. “Sorry,” she said, out of breath.

Her parents frowned at her but said nothing. Tommy shook his head.

Mandie wanted to tell him what she had seen, yet she felt that somehow it wasn't any of her business.

As soon as they arrived back at the beach house that morning, Mr. and Mrs. Patton made plans to cook the evening meal outside on the beach.

“We're going to build up a huge fire down there tonight and roast chicken,” Tommy told Mandie as they stood on the veranda overlooking the beach. “The servants are all coming to join in, and Rouster will play his fiddle.”

Mandie smiled. “Then you do mix with your servants and treat them like people—I mean not just like servants, you know what I mean?”

“I think so,” Tommy said. “I know you must think we're all stiff and formal about everything, but we do break down every now and then and enjoy living.”

Mandie laughed. “I suppose I just stay broken down all the time,” she said.

“I wouldn't say you're broken down,” Tommy teased. “But I would say you really enjoy life, every minute of it.”

“Every minute of every day,” Mandie admitted. “I just can't stand to sit still and do nothing.”

“Let's don't just sit then. Let's go down on the beach,” Tommy suggested.

The two strolled along, stopping every now and then to watch the waves. They found a few sand dollars and shells.

When the sun dropped low behind the horizon, the servants scurried about, moving a long wooden table to the beach.

Rouster piled up wood and started a huge fire. Tizzy and Cheechee brought chicken from the house and placed it on the spits Rouster
had improvised over the fire. As darkness came, the servants lighted torches and placed them around in pots to light the area.

“That chicken sure smells good,” Mandie told Tommy as Uncle Ned helped them spread blankets all around for everyone to sit on.

“Salt water air make Papoose hungry,” Uncle Ned said.

“Makes me raving hungry,” Tommy laughed. “Won't be long now till we can eat.”

At last the sumptuous dinner, which was prepared entirely on the beach, was spread out on the long table. They all gathered around and helped themselves, taking their heaping plates and glasses of iced tea with them as they went back to sit on the blankets.

Rouster played his fiddle, and from time to time they all would clap their hands in time to the music.

As Mandie ate and talked with Tommy and Uncle Ned, she noticed that Josephine was sitting by herself on a blanket not far away. Mandie stared at the girl. “This is our last night to catch the phantom,” she said.

“I know,” Tommy agreed. “I hope it appears so we can find out what it is.”

“We find,” Uncle Ned said confidently. “But no ghost.”

“We'll stay out here and watch after everyone eats and goes back to the house,” Tommy said. “I just hope Josephine doesn't hang around.”

But the phantom didn't wait for the adults to go back to the house. After the fire had died down and everyone had finished eating, Tommy carried one of the lighted torches while he, and Mandie, and Uncle Ned wandered down toward the pier.

Suddenly they heard that familiar eerie scream. The white filmy thing sailed through the air from the pier.

Tommy instantly threw the torch at it. He missed, but there was a scream of fright, and the phantom fell into the water beneath the pier.

Uncle Ned quickly jumped into the water after it. All the others ran to the pier and crowded around, asking questions. The old Indian surfaced in a minute and pulled a shaking, screaming young girl, black skin shining wetly, to the shore. As he set her down on the wet sand, Mandie and Tommy stared in disbelief.

It was Cheechee, wearing a thin white dress full of ruffles and lace!

Tizzy ran over to her daughter. But instead of comforting her, she started slapping her. “You no good fool!” Tizzy screamed. “You ain't no 'count atall!”

“Tizzy!” Mrs. Patton spoke firmly. “Stop that. I think it's time we get to the bottom of this.”

Rouster took Tizzy by the arm and pulled her away from the girl.

Lucille Patton's face showed concern. “Is she hurt, Uncle Ned?” “No, not hurt. Scared,” the old Indian replied.

Mrs. Patton sighed loudly. Her jaw became firm. “Well, she'd sure better be scared. I want to know what this is all about, Cheechee. Get up! Get to your feet instantly!” she demanded.

Cheechee stood up but then bolted and ran away up the beach before anyone could stop her.

Tommy started to go after her, but Mrs. Patton grabbed his arm. “No, Thomas, let her go.” She turned to her guests. “I'm sorry,” she apologized. “I have no idea what this is all about.”

George Patton came to his wife's side. “Why don't we all go back to the house?” he suggested.

While the others headed in, Mandie, Tommy, and a drenched Uncle Ned stayed behind. Uncle Ned warmed himself by the fire while Tommy stirred it up with left-over branches. Josephine was nowhere in sight.

“You see, I told you it wasn't a ghost,” Tommy said.

Mandie laughed. “What a disappointment. But why on earth was she doing things like that?”

“I don't know, but I'd sure like to find out,” Tommy said. “Cheechee must come home,” Uncle Ned observed. “Then we find out.”

“I hope she gets back before we have to leave tomorrow,” Mandie said.

“She'll have to so she can go back with us to the house in town,” Tommy reminded her.

Mandie sighed. “So now we know what or who the phantom was, but we still have to solve the mystery of why Cheechee was doing it,” she said in exasperation.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE TRUTH COMES OUT

The next morning, when Tommy and Mandie returned from watching the sunrise, the others had already eaten breakfast and were finishing their packing.

Just as Tommy and Mandie entered the breakfast room and were about to help themselves to the food spread out on the sideboard, they heard a commotion in the kitchen and the sound of Tizzy's angry voice.

“I should've knowed you'd come back fo' food, you fool child!” Tizzy yelled.

Tommy and Mandie glanced at each other and ran into the kitchen. Tizzy grasped Cheechee's shoulders and was shaking the young girl unmercifully.

Tommy rushed forward. “That's enough, Tizzy,” he ordered.

Tizzy meekly took her hands from her daughter's shoulders. “Cheechee done sneaked back heah jes to git sumpin' to eat,” the maid explained. Her face was twisted with anger.

“I'm glad she came back,” Tommy said, taking control. “We would like to ask her about some strange things that have been going on around here.”

Both Tizzy and Cheechee hung their heads.

“I don' want no trouble.” Cheechee shook her head from side to side. “I'se jes doin' what Missy Josephine done tol' me,” she said quickly.

Just then, Uncle Ned entered the breakfast room, and Mandie motioned for him to join them in the kitchen. “Cheechee says she was only doing what Josephine told her,” she repeated to her Indian friend. “Come to think of it, I haven't seen Josephine yet this morning.”

“Me go find. Find others, too,” Uncle Ned said gravely. “End big mystery.”

In a few moments, Uncle Ned returned with Josephine and her parents, as well as Elizabeth and Uncle John.

Mr. Patton looked at Tommy curiously as the entire group crowded into the kitchen. “What is going on, son?” he asked.

“Cheechee says that Josephine put her up to her phantom stunt last night, and I have a feeling she was behind the other strange ghost appearances during Mandie's stay, including the runaway horse. Isn't that right, Josephine?”

“She's lying,” Josephine accused. “How could I make her do anything like that?”

Mandie thought for a moment then looked at Cheechee. “I heard Josephine arguing with someone the other morning. Was that you, Cheechee? Did that have anything to do with this?”

“Yessum,” Cheechee admitted readily. “Missy Josephine, she done catched me doin' sumpin' I shouldn't, and she say she tell my ma and Miz Patton if'n I doesn't help huh wid huh plan. I didn't wanna do it no more, but she get real mad.”

Josephine squinted angrily at Cheechee but said nothing.

“What plan?” Tommy asked.

“Missy Josephine she say she don't want Missy Mandie aroun,' so she aks me to play lahk I'se a ghost so's to skeer Missy Mandie away.”

“Why would I want to do that?” Josephine shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

Suddenly, Mandie had an idea. “Were you afraid of Hilda coming?” she asked.

Josephine pushed her glasses up on her nose but didn't reply.

“That's it, isn't it? You were afraid your parents would give Hilda the room that Ophelia used to have.”

Mrs. Patton put her arm around Josephine. “Why would that bother you, dear?”

Josephine's hard exterior began to melt. A tear ran down her cheek. “That's
my
special room,” she explained.

Mr. and Mrs. Patton looked at her, confused.

“I think I'm starting to understand,” Mandie told them. “The other morning, when I was looking for Snowball, I found her in that room. She didn't even know I was there. She had taken her glasses off and put on one of Ophelia's dresses. She stood in front of the mirror, primping and talking to an imaginary friend.”

A strange look came into Josephine's eyes. “I like to pretend that I'm Ophelia,” she said in a dreamy-sounding voice. “When I stand in front of her mirror without my glasses on, that's the only time I feel pretty. You can't take my special place from me. You can't give it to some little girl who can't even talk right,” she cried.

Mr. Patton took Josephine into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Josephine, we had no idea how you felt about the room or about Hilda,” he said gently. “It was wrong for you to behave hatefully toward Mandie. You should have told us how you felt.” He stroked his daughter's long dark hair.

“Perhaps we can find another room for Hilda,” Mrs. Patton suggested. “But if it's at all possible, we do want to give her a place in our home. I believe she already has a place in our hearts—just like we once found a place for
you
in our hearts.”

Josephine looked up at her questioningly.

“Yes, dear,” her mother replied. “I suppose we should have told you long before this, but when you were less than a year old, your mother died, so we adopted you—made you a regular part of our family.”

Tears filled Josephine's eyes as she realized what her mother was saying. “I'm adopted?” Her voice quavered as she said the words.

Mr. Patton gave her a big hug. “Yes, Josephine, but we love you just as much as if you were born to us,” he assured her. “And we'd like to keep sharing our love by reaching out to Hilda just like we reached out in love to you. Do you understand?”

Josephine buried her head in her father's chest and cried uncontrollably. “Oh, I'm so sorry,” she sobbed. “I wish I could . . .”

“Hush, now,” her father consoled. “Perhaps we've all grown a bit because of this whole incident.”

Josephine looked up at Mandie. “I'm sorry, Mandie. I didn't know.”

Mandie took a deep breath and blew it out, battling the angry feelings she had had toward Josephine. “I guess I understand,” she said.

After the young people finished breakfast, the Pattons took the Shaws and Uncle Ned directly to the depot in town in order to get the train on time. As they pulled up in the rig, the train was already waiting, so goodbyes were short.

Elizabeth singled out Tommy. “Thomas, you must visit us while you're in school in Asheville. Let us know when, and we'll come and get you and Mandie for a weekend.”

“Thank you, ma'am. I will,” Tommy promised. He turned to Mandie and squeezed her hand. “See you back in Asheville next time our two schools do something together.”

“Thanks for everything, Tommy,” Mandie said. “This is one trip I'll never forget.” She tightened her grip on Snowball and boarded the train.