miss billie married-第18章

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‘‘Why；　yes；　Eliza？''



‘‘Yes'm；　it's　me；　ma'am。　　It's　about　Uncle

Pete。　　He's　give　us　a　turn　that's　'most　scared　us

out　of　our　wits。''



‘‘Pete！　　You　mean　he's　sick？''



‘‘Yes；　ma'am；　he　was。　　That　is；　he　is；　too

only　he's　better；　now；　thank　goodness；''　panted

Eliza。　　‘‘But　he　ain't　hisself　yet。　　He's　that　white

and　shaky！　　Would　youcould　youthat　is；

would　you　mind　if　we　didn't　come　back　till　into

the　evenin'；　maybe？''



‘‘Why；　of　course　not；''　cried　Pete's　mistress；

quickly。　　‘‘Don't　come　a　minute　before　he's　able；

Eliza。　　Don't　come　until　to…morrow。''



Eliza　gave　a　trembling　little　laugh。



‘‘Thank　you；　ma'am；　but　there　wouldn't　be

no　keepin'　of　Uncle　Pete　here　till　then。　　If　he

could　take　five　steps　alone　he'd　start　now。　　But

he　can't。　　He　says　he'll　be　all　right　pretty　quick；

though。　　He's　had　'em　beforethese　spells

but　never　quite　so　bad　as　this；　I　guess；　an'　he's

worryin'　somethin'　turrible　'cause　he　can't　start

for　home　right　away。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　cut　in　Mrs。　Bertram　Henshaw。



‘‘Yes'm。　　I　knew　you'd　feel　that　way；''

stammered　Eliza；　gratefully。　　‘‘You　see；　I　couldn't

leave　him　to　come　alone；　and　besides；　anyhow；

I'd　have　to　stay；　for　mother　ain't　no　more　use

than　a　wet　dish…rag　at　such　times；　she's　that

scared　herself。　　And　she　ain't　very　well；　too。　　So

ifif　you　_could_　get　along''



‘‘Of　course　we　can！　　And　tell　Pete　not　to

worry　one　bit。　　I'm　so　sorry　he's　sick！''



‘‘Thank　you；　ma'am。　　Then　we'll　be　there

some　time　this　evenin'；''　sighed　Eliza。



From　the　telephone　Billy　turned　away　with　a

troubled　face。



‘‘Pete　_is_　ill；''　she　was　saying　to　herself。　　‘‘I

don't　like　the　looks　of　it；　and　he's　so　faithful　he'd

come　if''　　With　a　little　cry　Billy　stopped

short。　　Then；　tremblingly；　she　sank　into　the

nearest　chair。　　‘‘Calderwelland　he's　coming　to

_dinner！_''　she　moaned。



For　two　benumbed　minutes　Billy　sat　staring

at　nothing。　　Then　she　ran　to　the　telephone　and

called　the　Annex。



Aunt　Hannah　answered。



‘‘Aunt　Hannah；　for　heaven's　sake；　if　you　love

me；''　pleaded　Billy；　‘‘send　Rosa　down　instanter！　

Pete　is　sick　over　to　South　Boston；　and　Eliza　is

with　him；　and　Bertram　is　bringing　Hugh　Calderwell

home　to　dinner。　　_Can_　you　spare　Rosa？''



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy！　　Of　course

I　canI　mean　I　couldbut　Rosa　isn't　here；

dear　child！　　It's　her　day　out；　you　know。''



‘‘O　dear；　of　course　it　is！　　I　might　have　known；

if　I'd　thought；　but　Pete　and　Eliza　have　spoiled

me。　　They　never　take　days　out　at　meal　time

both　together；　I　meanuntil　to…night。''



‘‘But；　my　dear　child；　what　will　you　do？''



‘‘I　don't　know。　　I've　got　to　think。　　I　_must_　do

something！''



‘‘Of　course　you　must！　　I'd　come　over　myself

if　it　wasn't　for　my　cold。''



‘‘As　if　I'd　let　you！''



‘‘There　isn't　anybody　here；　only　Tommy。　

Even　Alice　is　gone。　　Oh；　Billy；　Billy；　this　only

goes　to　prove　what　I've　always　said；　that　_no_

woman　_ought_　to　be　a　wife　until　she's　an　efficient

housekeeper；　and''



‘‘Yes；　yes；　Aunt　Hannah；　I　know；''　moaned

Billy；　frenziedly。　　‘‘But　I　am　a　wife；　and　I'm　not

an　efficient　housekeeper；　and　Hugh　Calderwell

won't　wait　for　me　to　learn。　　He's　coming　to…night。

_To…night！_　　And　I've　got　to　do　something。　　Never

mind。　　I'll　fix　it　some　way。　　Good…by！''



‘‘But；　Billy；　Billy！　　Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；''

fluttered　Aunt　Hannah's　voice　across

the　wires　as　Billy　snapped　the　receiver　into

place。



For　the　second　time　that　day　Billy　backed

palpitatingly　against　the　wall。　　Her　eyes　sought

the　clock　fearfully。



Fifteen　minutes　past　four。　　She　had　an　hour　and

three　quarters。　　She　could；　of　course；　telephone

Bertram　to　dine　Calderwell　at　a　club　or　some

hotel。　　But　to　do　this　now；　the　very　first　time；

when　it　had　been　her　own　suggestion　that　he

‘‘bring　them　home''no；　no；　she　could　not　do

that！　　Anything　but　that！　　Besides；　very　likely

she　could　not　reach　Bertram；　anyway。　　Doubtless

he　had　left　the　Winthrops'　by　this　time。



There　was　Marie。　　She　could　telephone　Marie。　

But　Marie　could　not　very　well　come　just　now；　she

knew；　and　then；　too；　there　was　Cyril　to　be　taken

into　consideration。　　How　Cyril　would　gibe　at　the

wife　who　had　to　call　in　all　the　neighbors　just

because　her　husband　was　bringing　home　a　friend

to　dinner！　　How　he　would　　Well；　he　shouldn't！　

He　should　not　have　the　chance。　　So；　there！



With　a　jerk　Mrs。　Bertram　Henshaw　pulled

herself　away　from　the　wall　and　stood　erect。　　Her

eyes　snapped；　and　the　very　poise　of　her　chin

spelled　determination。



Very　well；　she　would　show　them。　　Was　not

Bertram　bringing　this　man　home　because　he　was

proud　of　her？　　Mighty　proud　he　would　be　if　she

had　to　call　in　half　of　Boston　to　get　his　dinner　for

him！　　Nonsense！　　She　would　get　it　herself。　　Was

not　this　the　time；　if　ever；　to　be　an　oak？　　A　vine；

doubtless；　would　lean　and　cling　and　telephone；

and　whine　‘‘I　can't！''　　But　not　an　oak。　　An　oak

would　hold　up　its　head　and　say　‘‘I　can！''　　An

oak　would　go　ahead　and　get　that　dinner。　　She

would　be　an　oak。　　She　would　get　that　dinner。



What　if　she　didn't　know　how　to　cook　bread　and

cake　and　pies　and　things？　　One　did　not　have　to

cook　bread　and　cake　and　pies　just　to　get　a　dinner

meat　and　potatoes　and　vegetables！　　Besides；

she　_could_　make　peach　fritters。　　She　knew　she

could。　　She　would　show　them！



And　with　actually　a　bit　of　song　on　her　lips；　Billy

skipped　up…stairs　for　her　ruffled　apron　and　dust…

captwo　necessary　accompaniments　to　this

dinner…getting；　in　her　opinion。



Billy　found　the　apron　and　dust…cap　with　no

difficulty；　but　it　took　fully　ten　of　her　precious

minutes　to　unearth　from　its　obscure　hiding…place

the　blue…and…gold　‘‘Bride's　Helper''　cookbook；

one　of　Aunt　Hannah's　wedding　gifts。



On　the　way　to　the　kitchen；　Billy　planned　her

dinner。　　As　was　natural；　perhaps；　she　chose　the

things　she　herself　would　like　to　eat。



‘‘I　won't　attempt　anything　very　elaborate；''

she　said　to　herself。　　‘‘It　would　be　wiser　to　have

something　simple；　like　chicken　pie；　perhaps。　　I

love　chicken　pie！　　And　I'll　have　oyster　stew　first

that　is；　after　the　grapefruit。　　Just　oysters

boiled　in　milk　must　be　easier　than　soup　to　make。　

I'll　begin　with　grapefruit　with　a　cherry　in　it；　like

Pete　fixes　it。　　Those　don't　have　to　be　cooked；

anyhow。　　I'll　have　fishBertram　loves　the　fish

course。　　Let　me　see；　halibut；　I　guess；　with　egg

sauce。　　I　won't　have　any　roast；　nothing　but　the

chicken　pie。　　And　I'll　have　squash　and　onions。　

I　can　have　a　salad；　easyjust　lettuce　and　stuff。　

That　doesn't　have　to　be　cooked。　　Oh；　and　the

peach　fritters；　if　I　get　time　to　make　them。　　For

dessertwell；　maybe　I　can　find　a　new　pie　or

pudding　in　the　cookbook。　　I　want　to　use　that

cookbook　for　something；　after　hunting　all　this

time　for　it！''



In　the　kitchen　Billy　found　exquisite　neatness；

and　silence。　　The　first　brought　an　approving　light

to　her　eyes；　but　the　second；　for　some　unapparent

reason；　filled　her　heart　with　vague　misgiving。

This　feeling；　however；　Billy　resolutely　cast　from

her　as　she　crossed　the　room；　dropped　her　book

on　to　the　table；　and　turned　toward　the　shining

black　stove。



There　was　an　excellent　fire。　　Glowing　points

of　light　showed　that　only　a　good　draft　was　needed

to　make　the　whole　mass　of　coal　red…hot。　　Billy；

however；　did　not　know　this。　　Her　experience　of

fires　was　confined　to　burning　wood　in　open　grates

and　wood　in　open　grates　had　to　be　poked　to

make　it　red　and　glowing。　　With　confident　alacrity

now；　therefore；　Billy　caught　up　the　poker；　thrust

it　into　the　mass　of　coals　and　gave　them　a　fine

stirring　up。　　Then　she　set　back　the　lid　of　the

stove　and　went　to　hunt　up　the　ingredients　for

her　dinner。



By　the　time　Billy　had　searched　five　minutes

and　found　no　chicken；　no　oysters；　and　no　halibut；

it　occurred　to　her　that　her　larder　was　not；

after　all；　an　open　market；　and　that　one's　provisions

m