Two Little Women on a Holiday - Carolyn Wells (top romance novels txt) 📗

The time seemed fairly to fly. Each of the four girls had some last few errands to do, each wanted some little souvenirs for herself, or for her people at home, and so busy were they that there was not so much mutual conversation among them as usual.

They were to go home on Saturday. And already it was Friday afternoon. They had finished luncheon, Alicia and Bernice had gone to their room, and Dolly was about to go upstairs, when she remembered that she had planned to run in and say good-bye to old Joe and his parrot.

Dolly felt she owed a debt of gratitude to Polly, and she had bought a little toy for him.

“I’m going to run in next door a minute,” she said to Mrs. Berry.

“Very well, my dear. Here’s a cracker for Polly.”

Dolly took it laughingly, and went out to the hall.

“Put your coat round you,” called out Mrs. Berry. “It’s only a step, I know, but it’s a very cold day.”

“Oh, Dot just took my coat upstairs, with her own. Well, here’s Alicia’s hanging on the hall rack. I’ll throw this round me.”

She did so, and ran out of the front door and up the steps of the next house.

Old Joe answered her ring at the bell.

“Just ran over to say good-bye,” laughed Dolly, “and to bring a cracker and a toy for Polly.”

“Thank you, Miss,” and Joe smiled at her. “I’ll bring the bird down to you, Ma’am, to save your going upstairs.”

“All right,” said Dolly, a little absentmindedly, for she was thinking of a lot of things at once.

Still absentmindedly, she put her hand in her coat pocket for a handkerchief. There was none there, and she drew out a letter instead. Then she suddenly remembered she had on Alicia’s coat, and with a glance at the envelope, she thrust the letter back in the pocket. But that one glance sufficed to show her it was in Marly Turner’s handwriting.

She had had a note from him a day or two ago, inviting her to some party or other, and his striking, sprawling penmanship was unmistakable. The letter had been opened, and Dolly remembered that Alicia had had several letters in the mail that morning.

It all recalled to her the talk she had overheard the night before. All that morning Alicia had seemed preoccupied, and twice she had gone off by herself to telephone in a booth, which the girls rarely used, for they had no secrets from one another.

Dolly thought over the situation between Alicia and young Turner. She had not told Dotty yet. She had two minds about doing so. It seemed to her one minute that she had no right to interfere in Alicia’s affairs and then again, it seemed as if she ought to tell Mr. Forbes what was going on.

She had heard Alicia say to Marly that they would elope that very night, and she felt sure they meant to do so.

They were all going to Muriel Brown’s party, that being Alicia’s own choice of the “celebrations.” Would she elope from the party, or return home first? The latter, probably, for they had mentioned a rope ladder, and that seemed as if Alicia meant to go late at night when all the others were asleep. If she ran away from the party there would be no need of a rope ladder.

Dolly had asked Bernice if Alicia’s mother had eloped, and Bernice had said she thought she had, though she had never heard any of the particulars.

And then Joe came down with the parrot, and Dolly forgot Alicia and her elopement for the moment.

Polly showed great delight over his gifts, and after a few words of good-bye to the bird and to old Joe, Dolly ran back again.

In the hall she took off Alicia’s coat and hung it on the rack just as Alicia herself appeared on the stairs.

“Where you been?” she called out gaily.

“Next door,” said Dolly, “to say a fond farewell to Polly Mortimer. And as my coat was upstairs, I took the liberty of wearing yours.”

“That’s all right,” laughed Alicia, “you’re welcome to it, I’m sure. Oh, I say, Dolly, there’s a letter in the pocket of it! I hope you didn’t read it!”

“Alicia Steele! You ought to be ashamed of yourself to hint at such a thing!”

“There, there, don’t flare up over nothing! I only said I hoped you didn’t. Did you?”

“I consider that question insulting!”

“Yes, people often get out of answering, that way! Now, you haven’t answered me yet. Did you or did you NOT read that letter that’s in the pocket of my coat?”

“I did NOT! But I’ve my opinion of a girl who could even think I’d do such a thing!”

“Well, you had plenty of time, and when you were in next door, would have been a good opportunity. I’m not sure I believe you even yet. You’re blushing like fury!”

“Who wouldn’t, at being insulted like that! I don’t think you can have much sense of honour yourself, to think anybody decent would read another person’s letter!”

“Now, don’t get huffy, little goldilocks!” and Alicia laughed at her. “I had to be sure, you see, because it’s a most important matter, and I wouldn’t have anybody know for the world,—until I get ready to tell, myself.”

“And when will you be ready to tell?” Dolly tried to speak lightly, but the words nearly choked her.

“I dunno. Maybe you’ll know about it tomorrow.”

“Oh, Alicia—” Dolly meant to speak a word of warning or of pleading, indeed she didn’t quite know what she WAS going to say, but just then, Dotty and Bernice came down stairs, and proposed they all go for a motor ride, and a last visit to the pretty tearoom.

Dolly agreed, but Alicia didn’t seem quite willing.

“I’m expecting a telephone message,” she said, at last. “You girls go on, and leave me at home. I shan’t mind.”

“Oh, no,” said Dotty, “we four can’t be together after to-day. We mustn’t be separated this last day of all. Come on, ‘Licia.”

“But it’s an important message,” and Alicia looked anxious.

“Can I be of help?” said Mrs. Berry, coming toward them.

“Yes,” cried Dotty, “let Mrs. Berry take the message, and tell her what answer to make.”

“No answer,” said Alicia, slowly, and a pink flush rose to her cheeks. “But just take the message, if you please, dear Mrs. Berry. It will be short, I know. Jot it down, lest you forget the exact wording.”

Mrs. Berry promised and the four ran away to get ready for their last afternoon together.

“Dress up pretty, girls,” Alicia called from her room. “No telling whom we might meet at the tearoom.”

“That’s so,” said Dotty; “put on your Dresden silk, Doll.”

Dolly laughingly agreed, and the four dressed-up young ladies started off.

A few calls at various shops, a few stops to look once more at certain points of interest they admired, and then for a long drive through the parks, and finally to the tearoom.

“How short the time has been,” said Bernice, as they flew along.

“Yes,” assented Alicia, “it doesn’t seem possible we’ve been here as long as we have. Oh, I don’t want to go home. I wish I could live in New York, I just love it!”

“I like it,” said Dolly, “but I don’t want to live here. I’d LIKE to come here oftener than I do, though.”

At the tearoom they found Janet Knapp and Corinne Bell, two girls whom they had come to know very pleasantly.

“Sit here with us,” called out Janet, as they entered. “We haven’t ordered yet,—what do you girls want?”

“Cafe frappe for me,” said Dotty, “and waffles.”

“Thick chocolate and whipped cream for mine,” said Alicia. “Oh, when shall I ever get these lovely things again? Think of going back to boarding-school diet!”

“Don’t you have good things to eat at that nice school?” asked Dolly.

“Oh, good enough, but not lovely, fancy things like these.”

“I’d like to go to boarding-school,” said Janet, “but mother doesn’t want me away from home. She thinks girls get no home training at those fashionable schools.”

“We don’t, and that’s a fact,” admitted Alicia. “We’re taught manners and, oh, well, I s’pose it’s up to the girl herself, as to what she learns. Maybe I won’t go back to school, after all.”

“Oh, Alicia,” cried Bernice, “what do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing,” and Alicia smiled as she tossed her head. “I’ve got a secret. I can’t tell you now. Maybe you’ll know soon.”

Dolly looked at Alicia, in bewilderment. Could she be referring to her intended elopement with Marly Turner?

“Good gracious! What do you mean?” and Janet laughed.

“Never mind,” returned Alicia, airily, “don’t ask me any questions. You know they call me ‘that awful Alicia!’ So be prepared for anything.”

Dolly grew thoughtful. Only she and Geordie Knapp held the secret of Alicia’s strange remarks, and she couldn’t decide whether it was her duty to tell anyone of her knowledge or not. She made up her mind to tell Mrs. Berry, as soon as she went home, and then she had compunctions about that, for Dolly was very conscientious and