Pattys Butterfly Days | Page 6

proposed a plan to him instead of that, which he thinks is fine.
And,--and, I want to know what you think about it."
"We will probably approve of it, if your father does," said Nan,
helpfully.
"Well--it's just this. For me to stay at home, and keep our house open,
and have Patty stay there with me, instead of her going to the
mountains with you."
"You and Patty stay there alone!" exclaimed Mr. Fairfield.
"No, sir; not alone. Father would ask his sister, my Aunt Adelaide, to

stay with us, as chaperon. She's a lovely lady, and she'd be glad to
come."
"Well, I don't know,--I don't know," said Mr. Fairfield. "I'm not sure I
could go off and leave Patty with strangers."
"But I'm not a stranger," said Mona, "and Aunt Adelaide won't be, as
soon as you know her. I haven't seen her myself for some years, but
she's a lovely, sweet character,--everybody says so. And then, you see,
we wouldn't have to close up our house, and Patty wouldn't have to
leave Spring Beach,--and, oh, we could have lovely times!"
"How long will your father be gone?"
"Two months. August and September. He would rather take me with
him, but he said if you all agreed to my plan, he would do so, too."
"Well, it's a surprise," said Mr. Fairfield, "and we'll have to think it
over, and talk it over. How does it strike you, Patty?"
Patty considered. It was her habit to decide quickly, but this was a case
with several sides to be looked at. Yet, of course, it must be decided at
once, for Mr. Galbraith must have time to make his preparations.
Patty's heart jumped with joy at the thought of staying at Spring Beach
instead of going to the mountains. But--the joy was a little dampened at
the idea of staying with Mona, and not at "The Pebbles."
"Why can't we both stay here?" she said at last. "Let Mona visit me
here, and let her aunt chaperon us just the same."
"Oh, no," Mona said. "I know father wouldn't consent to that. You see,
it's a great undertaking to close up our big place, and find homes for the
servants, and look after the horses and gardens and all that, just for two
months. Father was relieved at the thought of just walking off and
leaving it all in charge of Aunt Adelaide. And then, we could have so
much more room there, you know--" Mona paused, blushing. She did
not want to imply that "Red Chimneys" was a grandly appointed

mansion, while "The Pebbles" was only a pretty cottage, but that was
what she meant.
"Yes, I know," said Nan, kindly helping her out. "You have such
immense grounds, and luxuries of all sorts. Why, your place is a
Pleasure Park of itself, with the pond and tennis court, and fountains
and grottoes and all such things."
"Yes, it is a lovely summer place," said Mona, earnestly, "and I should
do everything I could to make Patty happy there. I know how much she
wants to stay at Spring Beach, and it seemed such a satisfactory plan all
round."
Patty was still thinking. But, by this time, she was wondering if she
were really a selfish, disagreeable snob or not. For, the truth was, Patty
did not entirely like Mona, though she had grown to like her much
better than at first. Nor did she like Mona's home, with its
ostentatiously expensive appointments, both indoors and out. And yet,
it was exceedingly comfortable and luxurious, and Patty knew she
could do exactly as she chose in every respect.
But, again, Patty was a favourite in Spring Beach society, and Mona
was not. This might cause complications in the matter of invitations to
entertainments. But Patty knew this would mostly redound to Mona's
benefit. She would be asked on Patty's account to places where
otherwise she would not have been invited. And Patty well knew SHE
would be left out of nothing just because she was visiting Mona.
And yet, to accept her hospitality for two months meant to
acknowledge her as an intimate friend,--a chosen companion. Was it
quite honest to do this when, privately, Patty disapproved of many of
Mona's ways and tastes? Then, it occurred to Patty that Mr. Hepworth
had urged her to do what she could to help Mona,--to improve her
manners, her dress, her tastes. Patty jumped at this idea, and then as
suddenly paused to scrutinise her own motives, and make sure she was
not pretending to herself that she did for Mona's sake what she was
really doing for her own. But being quick at decisions, she saw at once
that it was about evenly divided. She was willing, if she could,