The Mandie Collection (15 page)

“Oh, dear God, thank you,” Mandie said fervently as she lost all her strength and sat down on the floor.

The next thing she knew, Uncle John was standing over her. “Amanda, I am shocked to find you here,” he said, shaking his head.

Mandie attempted to straighten up and look at him, but she was unable to speak.

“Get up, Amanda. We are going to your grandmother's right now, and you, too, Celia,” John Shaw firmly told the girls.

He held out a hand, and Mandie finally got to her feet. “But, Uncle John, we haven't found Grandmother's silver set yet.”

“Let's go,” her uncle said in a voice Mandie had never heard before. He seemed very angry with her.

All right, she would go with him. But she was still determined to find her grandmother's silver set, somehow, someplace. She wouldn't stop until she found it.

CHAPTER TWELVE

PUNISHED

Mandie and Celia followed John Shaw out of the old warehouse without speaking. They both knew they were in deep trouble. Mandie was surprised to see Ben waiting in Mrs. Taft's rig this time of night. As a matter of fact, she had no idea what time it was, but she knew her grandmother must have sent Ben with her uncle.

Everyone quietly got in the rig, and without a word, Ben shook the reins and headed for Mrs. Taft's house. Mandie closed her eyes and tried to think what she could possibly say to her grandmother to explain what had happened and why. By the time Ben pulled into the driveway of the great mansion, Mandie still had not figured out what to say.

When Ben brought the rig to a halt, the front door opened and Mandie saw her grandmother waiting inside the hallway.

“Thank you, Ben,” John Shaw told him. “If you will wait a few minutes, I will be going back to that warehouse to finish things up. But first I must speak to Mrs. Taft.”

“Yessir,” Ben agreed and sat back in his seat.

The girls slowly followed John Shaw to the front door, and when they stepped into the lighted hallway, Mrs. Taft gasped in shock.

“Where on earth have you two been? Just look at you both!” Mrs. Taft exclaimed. “Straight up those steps, get bathed up and put on clean, dry clothing. I will be up shortly. Now, get a move on, both of you.”

Mandie and Celia hurried up the stairs to the room they used when they visited Mrs. Taft. Both of them kept extra clothes in the wardrobe since they didn't have enough space in their room at school.

“I'm sorry, Celia, but we're in trouble,” Mandie muttered as she quickly threw off her wet cloak and dirty clothes. She grabbed the first thing she found in the wardrobe to put on after bathing.

“I know, Mandie,” Celia agreed soberly. She, too, removed all her apparel, though it wasn't as wet and dirty as Mandie's.

In just a few minutes the girls had cleaned up, and they sat down in chairs to wait for Mrs. Taft. Neither of them spoke. Mandie knew her punishment would be severe, especially with Uncle John relating all the events to her grandmother. She wondered how Uncle John had found them and why he had brought them here to Mrs. Taft instead of back to school. Someone must have missed them at school. She had thought they'd been able to leave through that window in the kitchen without being seen.

Then the door opened and Mrs. Taft came into the room. She walked around without speaking for a few moments and then sat down in a chair facing the two girls. Mandie held her breath. Celia looked miserable.

“Amanda, you know you are going to be severely punished for this mess you've been into,” Mrs. Taft said.

“Yes, ma'am,” Mandie replied in a low voice.

“And you, too, Celia, although I know Amanda well enough to realize this was all her planning,” Mrs. Taft said, looking at Celia.

“Yes, ma'am, I'm sorry,” Celia said meekly.

“Miss Hope has told me she cannot be responsible for you two any longer,” Mrs. Taft continued. “Therefore, both of you will stay here with me, and Ben will drive you back and forth to school every day until you both learn to behave appropriately. There will be no side trips, no excuses, no participation in the school's social occasions,
which also includes the Christmas celebration and festivities at your school.”

Mandie inwardly groaned. She had hoped to have a part in the school play during the holiday season. Celia looked at her and shrugged.

“Now, Celia, since your mother is not immediately available to discuss this, I am acting on her behalf because of an agreement with her. When your aunt Rebecca comes after Mollie, I will have a talk with her. In the meantime, I am acting as your guardian. Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Taft,” Celia answered, her voice low. She did not look up as she fidgeted with the ribbons on her dress.

“And speaking of your mother, Celia, she has just sent word that we are all invited to your home to celebrate New Year's Eve when 1903 comes in,” Mrs. Taft continued.

Celia and Mandie both looked up at her without speaking.

“But as part of Amanda's punishment, she will not be allowed to go,” Mrs. Taft continued. “And after your uncle John reports to your mother, Amanda, we will see what else will be added to your punishment.” She stood up quickly and said, “Now, get ready for bed and don't leave this room until time for breakfast, which is only about three hours from now. However, I will expect you both up, dressed, and ready to be at the table at seven o'clock sharp, after which Ben will drive you to school.” She started toward the door and turned to say sharply, “Good night, both of you.” She left the room.

“Good night, Grandmother, I'm sorry,” Mandie said hurriedly as Mrs. Taft closed the door. “Celia, I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this, and if you don't want to be friends with me any longer I'll understand.”

“Mandie!” Celia exclaimed. “What are you saying? I do things on my own decision. It's not your fault at all. And if you don't want to be my friend anymore, why, I'll . . . I'll just change to another school somewhere else.”

“No, Celia!” Mandie said, quickly rising to reach over and squeeze Celia's hand.

Celia smiled at her and said, “All right then, that's the last we will ever say about that.”

“Agreed, and we had better get to bed,” Mandie replied, going to the huge wardrobe to get out nightclothes.

“I just hope I wake up in time,” Celia said, hurrying to get her own things.

“Don't worry. I'll be up on time because I probably won't sleep a wink,” Mandie told her.

But Mandie did go to sleep. All too soon, Ella, the maid, came to wake them. “Time to rise and shine,” she said, shaking both the girls.

Mandie slowly sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, and said over a yawn, “Oh, how can I go to school half asleep?” She swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Celia slid off on her side and stretched. “I'll probably go to sleep in class,” she complained.

“Better get dressed now and hurry downstairs,” Ella told them. “That Mr. John, he be waiting for y'all.”

“What a day this is going to be,” Mandie moaned as she rushed to get her clothes out of the wardrobe.

The girls got dressed and rushed downstairs, where they found Mrs. Taft and John Shaw sitting by the fire in the parlor. All the girls dared say was “Good morning.” And there was no discussion about the events of the night before. Mandie was dying to know what happened after they left the warehouse but did not dare ask.

Ella soon announced that breakfast was ready, and everyone filed out on the way to the breakfast room. Uncle Ned came in the front door and silently signaled to Mandie without the others seeing him.

“I'll be right there,” Mandie whispered to Celia and quickly turned back.

Celia nodded and followed the adults on down the hallway.

When Mandie got back to Uncle Ned, he silently opened the front door and pointed to a box on the porch. Not understanding, she looked at him and bent to see what was inside the carton.

“Grandmother's silver set!” she exclaimed excitedly. “You found it!”

Uncle Ned smiled at her and said, “You take to Grandma.”

“Oh, thank you, Uncle Ned, thank you,” she replied, reaching to squeeze his hand.

He picked up the box and gave it to her. It was heavy, but she could manage it. “Come on, Uncle Ned,” she told him and led the way down the hallway to the breakfast room door.

She went to Mrs. Taft and set the box down on the floor. “For you, Grandmother,” she said, stepping back to watch as her grandmother bent to examine the contents.

“Oh dear, my silver set!” Mrs. Taft exclaimed and beckoned to Mandie to come nearer. She reached and hugged Mandie tight and said, “Thank you, dear, thank you.”

Mandie put her arms around her grandmother and was so overcome she could not speak. She quickly went to sit by Celia.

Mrs. Taft greeted Uncle Ned, and he sat down at the end with the adults. Mandie and Celia ate silently while the situation of the night before was being discussed.

“So April Snow turned out to be not all bad after all,” Mrs. Taft said after she had been told about the girl's appearance at the old warehouse.

“I have never believed anyone is all bad. There's bound to be something good about everyone, I think,” John Shaw said. “It just takes some doings to find it sometimes.”

“I will be speaking to Miss Hope on behalf of April,” Mrs. Taft said. “I'm hoping the girl won't be expelled.”

Finally Mandie got the courage to speak. “If it hadn't been for April suddenly coming into that room, I don't know what that bad man would have done. He wouldn't believe anything I said.”

“Just let that be a lesson, Amanda,” Uncle John said. “You have to quit getting yourself involved in dangerous situations. One of these days there may not be anyone to get you out.”

Mandie shivered and answered meekly, “Yes, sir.” Looking around the table, she said, “I love you all. I really do. And I try to behave, but sometimes I just get carried away. I've been thinking
and trying to figure out why this happens to me. But please don't ever forget, no matter what I do, I love you all dearly.” Her blue eyes filled with tears. She dabbed at them with her white linen napkin.

“And we certainly all love you, Amanda, and Celia, also,” Mrs. Taft said, laying down her fork. “That is why we get so upset when you get into all these dangerous escapades. If we didn't love you, we wouldn't care. Do you and Celia understand that?”

Mandie nodded and managed to say, “Yes, ma'am.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Celia added in a quiet voice.

“Now, let's get this meal finished. You two young ladies have to go to school today, you know,” Mrs. Taft reminded them. “And please don't discuss anything with the other girls at school, mainly for April's sake. The less said the better. Miss Hope already knows the whole story, and I suppose she will relate the events to Miss Prudence. And when Miss Prudence gets well enough to leave her room again, I don't believe she will even mention this matter. Miss Hope has promised. So consider the matter closed and remember to behave yourself in the future.”

Mandie nodded and said, “Yes, ma'am, Grandmother.”

Celia added, “Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Taft.”

“Now that we have all that settled, you girls hurry up and finish your meal,” Uncle John said with a little smile. “I'll go with you all out to the barn for Ben to harness up the rig.”

Mandie wondered why they should all be going to the barn when Ben always brought the rig to the front door for them. But she didn't think she'd better question Uncle John, so she remained silent and just looked at Celia with raised eyebrows.

As soon as the meal was finished, Mrs. Taft told them to get their coats. Their cloaks had been left hanging outside the wardrobe to dry, but they both had extra coats, which they put on.

“I don't understand why Uncle John wants us to go to the barn for Ben to harness up the rig,” Mandie mumbled to herself as she hastily found a hat and gloves.

“Maybe Ben has something to tell us that we don't know about yet,” Celia suggested.

Mandie shrugged. “I can't imagine what that would be. The thieves have all been caught, and the merchandise is all found. It's being returned to the owners, according to the conversation at the table just now.”

“Well, come on, let's go find out,” Celia said, heading toward the door.

Mandie stopped suddenly. “Oh, Celia, I forgot all about Snowball. I hope he's all right, and that someone didn't let him out.”

Celia laughed. “If they did, he always finds you. So don't worry about it. Besides, Miss Hope is looking out for him. Come on.”

Mrs. Taft was waiting downstairs, and Mandie was surprised to see that she had put on her coat, too.
Oh, goodness, that must mean she is going to school with us. Oh no!
Mandie's heart sank.

“Come on, girls,” Mrs. Taft said as Uncle John opened the back door.

Mandie looked around and didn't see Uncle Ned. Had he left without saying good-bye? He never did that.

“Let's go, girls,” Uncle John urged them.

Mandie and Celia quickly followed Mrs. Taft out into the yard. She stopped and allowed Uncle John to go ahead.

Mandie could see Ben standing by the door to the barn, but there was no sign of Uncle Ned. She and Celia followed Uncle John to the barn door.

“Good morning, Ben,” Mandie greeted Mrs. Taft's driver.

“Mawnin', missies,” Ben replied with a big grin. “Great day today!”

Mandie frowned and looked up at the cloudy sky full of rain clouds. A great day indeed? Looked like more rain today, and it was also colder. She shivered slightly.

“Come on inside, girls,” Uncle John said, leading the way.

The moment Mandie stepped inside, she heard whining and squealing back in a corner. She rushed to investigate. There was a mixed brown mother dog and about half a dozen puppies.