The Mandie Collection (11 page)

“Whatever it was, Mandie, it couldn’t have been important, not stuffed in all this mess of papers,” Celia told her.

Suddenly the light went off. Mandie froze. Celia reached for her hand.

“Someone is in here!” Celia whispered in a trembling voice.

“Help me find the light,” Mandie whispered back as she began moving toward the center of the room. It was so dark she kept stumbling into something, and Celia clung to her hand.

“Our verse, Mandie,” Celia whispered, jerking Mandie to a stop.

Mandie tightened her hold on Celia’s hand and together they whispered their verse that they always said in time of trouble. “What time I am afraid I will put my faith in Thee,” they said together.

“Now,” Mandie said, straightening her shoulders, “I’m going to find that light.”

Mandie bumped into the cord hanging down and was frightened until she realized it was the light cord. Fumbling in the darkness, she managed to turn on the light.

Looking around, Mandie said, “I’ll put these papers under here.” She shoved what she had in her hand under a dresser and told Celia, “Quick, go open the door.”

Celia raced across the room, jerked the door wide open, and stood there waiting for Mandie.

Mandie glanced around the room and said, “I don’t know what happened, but if anyone is up here we’re going to leave you. We’re going back downstairs.” She turned off the light and ran for the door. She and Celia quickly slammed the door closed behind them and raced down the steep steps, not even looking back until they were down to the main staircase.

Mandie slowed down to take a deep breath. “I don’t think we can tell Miss Prudence about that because then she will know we’ve been in the attic.”

“Right,” Celia agreed.

“So I suppose whoever was in there will just get away this time,” Mandie continued. “That’s too bad, because the boys would probably have caught them.”

“Come on, Mandie, let’s get back downstairs,” Celia urged her.

Mandie went on down the stairs with Celia and on to the parlor. She looked at Joe and Jonathan as they entered the room and rolled her eyes and blew out her breath. They seemed puzzled by her behavior.

“Did you find what you wanted, dear?” Mrs. Taft asked.

Mandie pulled the necklace out of her pocket and said, “Yes, ma’am, I thought I might want to wear this before school starts.”

“All right, then, I believe we’d better be getting back to the house,” Mrs. Taft said, rising as Senator Morton stood up beside her.

Everyone said good-bye and left Miss Prudence alone in the big house except for the servants.

After they got into the rig, Mandie whispered to Celia, “I sure hated to leave Miss Prudence without telling her someone was in the attic. It could be someone dangerous.”

“I don’t think so or they would have grabbed us or something. Whoever it was stayed hidden,” Celia replied.

The boys looked at them, trying to overhear the whispered conversation.

“We’ll explain when we get to the house,” Mandie promised.

She needed to discuss this with the boys anyhow, to get their opinions and reactions. The light in the attic really did go off, and someone had to have done that.

As soon as they got back to Mrs. Taft’s house, Mandie was delighted to hear her grandmother say she and Senator Morton were going for a walk. That would give her and Celia time to explain to Joe and Jonathan about what had happened in the attic.

“Amanda, would you and your friends like to go with us? We’re going to walk downtown,” Mrs. Taft asked as everyone entered the front hallway.

Mandie quickly looked at her friends and then said, “I don’t believe I do, Grandmother, but if anyone else wants to go, then go ahead.”

Her three friends shook their heads no.

Celia and Mandie left their gloves and hats on the hall tree.

“We won’t be gone very long, then,” Mrs. Taft said. She and Senator Morton went out the front door.

“The back parlor,” Mandie told her friends, leading the way.

They met Annie in the hallway.

“Anybody care for coffee?” Annie asked. Then added with a big grin, “And some of dat chocolate cake?”

Mandie’s eyes grew big as she looked at Celia, Joe, and Jonathan. “Yes, indeed!” she exclaimed. “We’re headed to the back parlor, Annie. We thank you.”

“Be right back,” Annie replied, turning back toward the kitchen door.

As soon as they had all sat down in the back parlor, Mandie told the boys about their experience in the attic.

“Whoever it was, we left them up there,” Mandie said, frowning. “I think they didn’t want us to see them, so maybe it was someone we know.”

“You girls shouldn’t have gone to the attic alone after what we’ve been hearing about the light being on sometimes,” Joe said. “It could have been someone dangerous.”

“Yes, and I think you should have told Miss Prudence, although that would have got you in trouble for not getting permission to go up there,” Jonathan said. “But at least it would have given us a chance to try and catch whoever it was.”

“Probably,” Mandie agreed. “But we were so scared, all I could think of was getting back down to the parlor. Miss Prudence does have Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Cal and the other servants all staying in the house with her.”

“I just thought of something,” Joe said. “Do y’all think it could possibly be Miss Hope hiding out in the attic?”

Everyone thought about that for a moment.

“No, because whoever it is must have gone out that window we found unlocked, and I can’t imagine Miss Hope climbing through windows out onto rooftops,” Celia said.

“No, she would never make it,” Jonathan declared, grinning.

“I just can’t figure out why Miss Hope disappeared,” Mandie said, thoughtfully twisting a stray lock of blond hair. Then she added, “I mean, without letting anyone know. It seems like someone in this town would know what is going on.”

“Does Miss Hope have any close friends that she might have talked to about going away somewhere?” Jonathan asked.

“I don’t remember ever seeing her with any personal friends. She’s always here at the school and never goes anywhere alone,” Mandie replied.

“Even when she goes shopping she usually takes one of the girls who go to school here,” Celia added.

“She and Miss Prudence both seem to just run the school and never have any outside activities,” Mandie said.

“That’s strange,” Joe said. “You’d think they would at least have a personal friend or two besides people at the school.”

Annie brought the tea cart with the coffee and chocolate cake and served it.

“I’ll leave the cart here so y’all can eat all you wants now,” she told them as she left the room. At the door she turned and said, “But jes’ remember supper is at six.” She smiled and went out into the hall.

That night, Mandie dreamed she was taking a bath in chocolate. Snowball was trying to lick it off her face. She woke and found her cat washing her ear. She quickly pushed him away and sat up.

She could see daylight through the open window. The sun was already lighting the day.

“It must be time to get up,” Celia said by her side as she, too, sat up.

“Yes, I want to catch that maid, Dobie,” Mandie replied and jumped out of bed. She went over to the mantelpiece and looked at the clock. “It’s six-thirty. Maybe she is here by now.”

Mandie and Celia both rushed around the room, getting dressed.

“Uncle Ned said he would be back early today, too, didn’t he?” Celia reminded her.

“Yes, he did,” Mandie replied, quickly brushing her long blond hair and tying it back with a blue ribbon to match her dress. “Joe and Jonathan may be up by now, too,” she added.

As soon as they were dressed, Mandie quietly opened the door. The white cat shot out into the hallway and disappeared.

“Let’s walk around the hall up here and look for Dobie,” Mandie said, leading the way down the long corridor.

There was not a sound in the house. They circled back to the main staircase and looked for Joe and Jonathan. Mandie was surprised to find the boys sitting on the chairs there.

“It’s about time you girls got up,” Joe said with a grin.

“The sun is already up, and exciting things are probably going on down in the kitchen, but Joe insisted we wait here for you,” Jonathan told them. “I’m about to collapse for want of a cup of coffee.”

“Then let’s go to the kitchen,” Mandie said. “But let’s detour by the parlor on the way. I’m trying to find Dobie, if she has already come to work.”

The parlor was empty. They looked in all the other rooms as they walked on toward the kitchen. No one was around.

When Mandie pushed open the kitchen door, she found Ella getting breakfast ready. Uncle Ned was sitting at the table drinking coffee.

“Good morning,” Mandie said.

“Good morning, missy. Sit down and I’ll pour coffee for y’all,” Ella told them.

“Good morning,” Uncle Ned greeted them as they took chairs at the table. “Up early.”

“Yes, sir. I would like to catch that new maid, Dobie, and talk to her about something,” Mandie said, and then turning to Ella, she asked, “Has she come to work yet?”

“No, but she’ll be along shortly,” Ella replied, pouring coffee for the young people.

“Will she be working all day today?” Mandie asked.

“No, not today, jes’ till after de noon meal,” Ella replied.

“Is anyone else up yet?” Joe asked Ella.

“Not dat I’ve seen there ain’t,” Ella replied, putting the percolator back on the stove.

“Annie told us Dobie works part time for Mrs. Manning, too,” Mandie said. “The Mannings are out of town, Grandmother said, and they took Hilda with them. Do you know when they will return?”

Ella shook her head. “No, Miz Taft hired Dobie part time because Miz Manning didn’t need her all de time, with all those other servants she has. And since de Mannings are gone now, Dobie didn’t have no work, so she works here. She’s got an invalid mamma and she need de money.”

“I’m glad Grandmother gave her a job, then,” Mandie said. “Did you know Dobie before she came to work here?” Mandie asked between sips of the hot coffee in her cup.

“No, she come from up de mountain somewheres,” Ella replied.

Annie came into the kitchen, looked around, and said, “Best y’all finish yo’ coffee. Miz Taft and dat senator be in de parlor, and you knows she don’t like nobody in de kitchen.” She grinned at Mandie.

The young people jumped up. Mandie quickly finished the few sips of coffee left in her cup and said, “Let’s go.” They hurried down the hall to the parlor, and Uncle Ned followed.

Mrs. Taft began making plans for the day after everyone was seated. Looking at Uncle Ned, she said, “Perhaps we should return to the farm and see if anyone there will volunteer any information. Your men are still watching out there, aren’t they?”

Uncle Ned nodded, saying, “Yes, braves watch. Not see Miss Hope again.”

“We could just go for a visit with Aunt Pansy and hope that something will be said or done that will give us a clue as to whether Miss Hope is out there or not. What do you think?” Mrs. Taft turned to ask Senator Morton.

“Yes, since we don’t have anything else to follow right now I think that would be the thing to do.”

Looking at the young people, Mrs. Taft said, “We will go to the farm as soon as we have breakfast.”

“Will we stay all day out there?” Mandie asked.

“No, dear, I don’t plan on even staying for the noon meal as we did before. It takes too much of our time,” Mrs. Taft said. “And when we return, we probably need to go by and visit the sheriff. He may not have any information this soon, but we want to let him know that we are waiting for him to investigate.”

Ella came to the door to announce that breakfast was ready.

Everyone rose to go to the dining room.

“Let’s hurry through breakfast and get on our way so that trip won’t take up the better part of the day,” Mrs. Taft told Mandie and her friends.

Mandie whispered to her friends as they followed the adults to the dining room, “I don’t suppose I’ll be able to see Dobie again today.” She sighed loudly.

“No, I don’t imagine we’ll get back here before she leaves,” Celia agreed.

Everyone rushed through the meal. Ben had the rig waiting at the front door and they were soon on their way to the school farm. Mandie left Snowball at Mrs. Taft’s house.

Aunt Pansy seemed surprised to see them, but she was friendly as ever.

“Come in dis house,” she welcomed Mrs. Taft, Senator Morton, and Uncle Ned, holding open the front door for them.

“We just thought we’d come visit for a few minutes. We can’t stay long,” Mrs. Taft replied as everyone went into the parlor and sat down. “We were just wondering whether you had any news about Miss Hope.”

“No, not a word,” Aunt Pansy said. “Now let me git some coffee going. I’ll be right back.” She went through the door that led to the kitchen.

Mandie and her friends had sat near a window that looked out over the backyard. She happened to glance out and then excitedly whispered to Mrs. Taft, “Grandmother, look out the window. Looks like Willie is moving furniture and stuff out of the barn into his wagon.”

Mrs. Taft instantly shifted her position to look, as did the senator and Uncle Ned.

“Yes,” Uncle Ned agreed. “Willie is moving things.”

“I do wonder what that’s all about,” Mrs. Taft said as she watched Willie load a chair into the wagon.

“And I wonder why all that furniture was in the barn anyhow,” Mandie remarked.

Aunt Pansy returned to the room before they saw her and said, “Dat Willie, he dun movin’ out. Had a li’l fallin’ out wid his brother, decided to leave.”

“Willie is moving out, Aunt Pansy? How can you get along without him?” Mrs. Taft said, straightening up in her chair.

“His brother lives here, too, and he got a family, too, that works on de farm. We can manage widdout him,” the old woman said as she sat down.

As they all watched through the window, Willie finished loading the furniture, jumped up on the wagon seat, and started the horse down the lane to the road.

Soony, Willie’s daughter, came into the room, bringing coffee and sweet cakes, which she placed on the table near Mrs. Taft.

“Aren’t you Willie’s daughter, Soony?” Mrs. Taft asked her.

“Yessum, I is,” the girl replied.

“If he is moving out, aren’t you going with him, then?” Mrs. Taft asked.

Before the girl could reply, Aunt Pansy loudly said, “I cain’t git along widdout Soony. She ain’t gwine nowhere. No, she ain’t. Now, y’all jes’ he’p yourselves to de cakes.” She filled cups that Soony had brought with coffee from the pot and passed them around.

Soony, without a word, went back through the door into the kitchen. Mandie looked at her friends and frowned. Something was just not right here, and she couldn’t figure out what it was. Joe and Jonathan shook their heads, and Celia mouthed the word, “What?”

Mandie then looked at Uncle Ned. He seemed deep in thought and finally spoke. “I wanted talk with Willie. Where he go? Where can I find him to talk?” He directed the question to Aunt Pansy.

Aunt Pansy stuttered for a moment, “Well now, I—I—you see—well, he was mad at me and he didn’t tell me where he gwine.”

Mandie quickly said, “Maybe we could catch up with him if we leave right now.” She looked at Uncle Ned.

The old man shook his head. “We find him later,” he said. Then Mandie remembered that Uncle Ned had braves spying on the farm in hopes of finding Miss Hope, and one of them probably followed Willie to see where he was going.

As soon as they finished their coffee, Mrs. Taft stood up and said they must be going. Mandie noticed Aunt Pansy didn’t insist they stay longer, as she usually did.

“Y’all must come back agin,” Aunt Pansy told Mrs. Taft.

“We will, but right now I have some other calls to make today, so I need to hurry back to town,” Mrs. Taft replied.

When everyone had stepped into the rig, Mrs. Taft told Ben, “Go a little fast, Ben. Not very fast, just a little fast, and if you see Willie in that wagon that he drove out of the farm, pull up beside him. Uncle Ned would like to speak with Willie.”

“Yessum, sho’ will,” Ben agreed with a big smile and shook the reins. The horse moved quickly forward.

After they got up the road and there was no sign of Willie in the wagon, Mrs. Taft told Ben, “We will go by the sheriff’s office, Ben, and see if we can talk to him.”

When they got to the sheriff’s office, he was not in. The deputy said he had gone over to the mountain on some business and he didn’t know when the sheriff would return.

“Well, I suppose we might as well go home,” Mrs. Taft said in a disappointed voice. “Ella was going to have leftovers prepared just in case we returned in time for the noon meal.”

“That’s the best thing to do,” Senator Morton agreed. “We haven’t accomplished anything today.”

Mandie smiled at her friends and whispered, “Maybe I’ll still get a chance to speak to Dobie.”

They all nodded.

By the time they got back to Mrs. Taft’s house it was late for the noon meal, but Ella and Annie had things on the table within minutes. And since things were so rushed, Mandie couldn’t wander off in the house to look for Dobie.

At the table Mandie whispered to her friends, “Just as soon as we finish eating, I’m going to look for Dobie.”