Kitabı oku: «The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure», sayfa 10

CHAPTER XVIII
"UNDER TWO FLAGS"

ON an afternoon in summer nearly a year later, two flags might be seen flying from the towers of Kent House.

Over the English meadows the wind blew softly, but strongly enough to whip the flags out straight so that from some distance one could see the British Lion and the Stars and Stripes.

Since Olive's engagement to Captain MacDonnell, the United States had entered the war and was now one of the great Allies.

Inside Kent House there was a peculiar atmosphere of excitement and expectancy.

The house was filled with flowers from the big garden, a profusion of roses and the simpler flowers for which England is famous, wall flowers, daisies, sweet-peas and canterbury bells, named in honor of the great Cathedral at Canterbury.

In the dining room, which opened just back of the library, the table was already laid for dinner.

Evidently there was to be a gala occasion, and yet this was unusual, for since the war began there had been few entertainments at Kent House or in any great English home.

Nevertheless Lady Kent herself presently came into the dining room and looked with the deepest interest at the beautiful table, touching things here and there and making slight alterations in the arrangement of the flowers.

The table was in white except for a stripe of rose-colored satin through the center and a bowl of pink roses.

Jack had on a house dress of some soft white material, as she was not wearing mourning and had not worn it after Vive's death. There was too much black being used in the world.

She was standing still for a moment, frowning slightly, but with interest, not dissatisfaction, when another person entered and came up beside her.

"I have been taking a long walk, Jack, trying to get rid of my restlessness and to make the time pass more swiftly. I wish you had been with me. But how beautiful your place is! I don't see how you have managed to keep things in such splendid condition with so many of your men at the front. I have been talking to some real English dairymaids down in the left paddock. They made me think of the stories and nursery rhymes we used to read when we were children. Then England seemed as far away from the old Wyoming ranch as the planet Mars. However, I am the last one of the Ranch Girls to visit you in England. Ralph's work has made our coming to you impossible before and now the war has brought us to this side of the world, for how long none of us can say. Have you heard anything from Frieda?"

Lady Kent shook her head slowly.

She was watching Jean and at the same time thinking how pretty and untroubled she looked. Jean's marriage to Ralph Merritt seemed to have turned out an unqualified success. Ralph had come to be known as a leading American engineer, but now had given up all the other work he had been engaged in to offer his services as an engineer to France. And Jean had left her little girl at home with Jim and Ruth at the Rainbow Ranch so that she could be nearer her husband.

"I wish Frieda had not gone to London today. Suppose something happens and she is not back in time for our dinner! Then everything will be disarranged. We cannot have our dinner party tomorrow, for by that time we will have separated again. Tomorrows are uncertain quantities these days, aren't they?" And Jean's expression changed for an instant.

But Jack answered her quickly. This was to be Ralph Merritt's last night in England for an indefinite time, as he was leaving for France the next day, while Jean was to remain with Lord and Lady Kent.

"Oh, Frieda will be here on time; I don't think we need worry. You see, she is to go to his office and get hold of the Professor, else, Frieda says, if he chances to be especially interested in his work, he will forget all about our plan, and of course to have one of the eight of us missing tonight would ruin everything." Again Jack glanced about her dinner table, which was laid for eight covers. "Still, I think Frieda does Henry an injustice, for, in spite of the absorbing scientific work he is doing, he is far less absent-minded than he used to be. And I never saw a more attentive husband. Since Frieda's baby came I believe he regards her as more wonderful than ever."

As she finished speaking Jack laughed and Jean slipped her arm about her as they walked out of the dining room. Jean was thinking of another baby, who had gone away before the new one came and of Jack's inexhaustible courage. They had not realized in the old Rainbow Ranch days that she had so much spiritual as well as physical courage.

"Well, I am glad Frieda has your old nurse for her baby, Jack, and is living here with you, for I cannot take her seriously as a mother, never having been able to realize thoroughly that she is properly and sedately married. However, we at least have our guests of honor safe."

Lady Kent nodded in response.

"Yes, I have just seen Olive. She and Bryan are both resting, so as to get the most out of their wedding dinner tonight. It was wise of them to come up so early from London this morning. I declare, Jean, it is one of the most beautiful things that ever happened for Olive and Bryan to have married.

"Just from a selfish standpoint you can't imagine what it will mean to have Olive living so near me. I have so missed my family!"

Smiling Jean shook her brown head thoughtfully.

"At present there is not much danger of your missing your family for some time to come, dear. You and Frank will probably grow exceedingly tired of them. Now I must go upstairs to rest for a while myself. I don't wish to have Ralph decide tonight that he is the least fortunate of the four husbands."

Jean Merritt went on ahead, Jack seeing her disappear, and then stopping for a moment to speak to her butler.

Although it was to be only a family party tonight, she was taking far more interest in the arrangements for her dinner than she had ever been known to do before for the most formal occasions.

But then this dinner was to be unusual, since it was the first time the four old-time Ranch Girls had ever been her own and her husband's guests at Kent House. Moreover, their husbands were also with them, even Olive and Captain MacDonnell, who had been married only a few weeks.

Nearly a year had passed since Olive's and Captain MacDonnell's engagement, although the wedding had not taken place until the present summer. The scene of the marriage was the Rainbow Ranch, with only Jim and Ruth, their children, and a few friends present, since the rest of the family were in Europe. But immediately after the ceremony Olive and Bryan had decided to risk the dangers of sailing for home and had landed safely in England only the day before.

Having spent the night in London, they had come directly to Kent House, knowing that Jack planned a family party in their honor.

A good many months before, Frieda and her Professor had arrived at Kent House, so that Frieda's baby might be born with Frieda in her sister's care. Moreover, the Professor was working harder than ever, since his own country had entered the war, to accomplish certain scientific discoveries which should counteract the German terrorism.

A little more than an hour later Lady Kent was slowly getting ready for dinner. She wished to be dressed first and downstairs ready to receive her family.

Nevertheless she was frowning and looking slightly disturbed.

She had left word that she was to be informed as soon as her sister, Mrs. Russell, returned from London. In the meantime she knew a train had arrived from town, yet no word came to her.

Jack was about to ring the bell and find out if her order had been forgotten, when a light knock came at the door and her husband entered.

"I came out early, Jack, dear, in order to do honor to your party and I managed to corral the two other husbands, Ralph and the Professor, so there need be no delay. It is good to be at home now and then."

Frank had looked a little tired, but his face cleared at the sight of his wife. Jack was very beautiful in a white evening gown. The frock was not new, since she was buying nothing of the kind during the war, but it was the handsomest one she owned and the most becoming. She had planned with Jean and Frieda that they were to look as well as possible, since the dinner was to be one they would never forget. Moreover, Olive was a bride and they must also do her honor.

Since the change in government Frank Kent had been made a member of the War Cabinet and devoted most of his time to the great intellectual labors it demanded of him. Frequently it was impossible for him to return more than two or three times a week to Kent House.

As Jack kissed her husband her expression lightened.

"I would like to give a dinner party every night, Frank, if I thought it would bring you home. Are things going well?"

Then, as Frank nodded his head gravely (he and Jack did not often discuss details of his work, since government secrets were not to be mentioned even with her), she added, with a little sigh partly of relief and partly vexation:

"Well, thank goodness you got hold of Frieda! Jean has been worrying for fear Frieda would get lost in London and not come back in time. Years ago, when we first came to Europe, Frieda had a tiresome fashion of disappearing and getting us all into a dreadful state of mind for fear she might be permanently lost. Then she usually turned up quite blandly with some agreeable person who had discovered her."

"But, Jack dear," Frank interrupted, as soon as his wife gave him the opportunity, "Frieda did not come home with us. Indeed, neither the Professor nor I had any idea except that she was with you."

Jack changed color.

"Oh, dear, I do wish Frieda would come in! What do you suppose could have happened to her, Frank? She only went into London to attend to some mysterious errand which she insisted was very important. I know she would not have stayed so late unless something unavoidable had kept her. Besides our party, she has never been away from her baby so long."

Man-like, Frank did not appear particularly agitated.

"Oh, Frieda will turn up all right. The good fates have her in charge." Then he disappeared to begin his own toilet.

Finishing her toilet as quickly as possible, Jack hurried downstairs.

There was no train now from London until after eight o'clock and dinner had been ordered for half-past seven.

In the hall Jack discovered her Professor brother-in-law wandering disconsolately about. He wore a mystified and slightly harassed air.

"Do you know, Jack, I am unable for some reason to find Frieda. She is not in her bedroom and not in the nursery. Nurse is unable to give me any information concerning her, save that she left early in the day for London. Curious that she did not telephone me. Will you please find her for me? She gave me certain instructions about dressing for dinner tonight, which, as a matter of fact, I have forgotten. Am I to wear an evening or a dinner coat?"

The distinguished Professor looked so uncertain and so uncomfortable that Jack laughed in spite of her own anxiety and annoyance. However, she hated to confide Frieda's disappearance to her husband, knowing he would be frightened about her.

She was hesitating as to what to reply when there was a sudden noise at the front door. Opening it, an excited and somewhat disheveled Frieda Russell rushed in and up to her husband.

"Oh, Henry dear, do let me have two pounds, won't you, at once. I know it is dreadful to be so extravagant, but so many things have happened to me! I had to wait and wait for the things I just had to have for tonight and then I missed the last train. I wasn't going to spoil our dinner party and so I took a taxi the entire way out from London. I know the cabby is robbing me, but he did come very fast and I haven't a great deal of my own money left."

The Professor shook his head, not fully understanding all that Frieda was saying so hurriedly. But he produced the two pounds and went out to settle with his wife's cabman, while Frieda rushed upstairs, calling down over the balustrade:

"How is my adored baby, Jack? I have nearly died being separated from her such hours! Don't worry, I'll be ready in time for dinner."

Not long after, Frank and Jack were in their library waiting for their guests to appear.

Olive and Captain MacDonnell slipped in quietly before the others.

Olive was wearing her wedding gown. But as the affair had been a quiet one, owing to the war and to Captain MacDonnell's injury, it was a simple dress of white silk and chiffon.

Except for her husband's wedding gift, a brooch of emeralds and diamonds in the form of a shamrock, she wore no jewels.

Captain MacDonnell was still lame, would probably always remain so. Nevertheless Jack and Frank thought they had never seen their old friend looking better or handsomer. Olive's shyness, her seriousness, seemed just the spur his Irish wit and gayety needed.

"I do hope, Bryan, you and Olive are going to stay on at home for a time now you are safely here," Lord Kent remarked, stretching himself lazily in a great arm chair and glancing with an admiration he made no effort to conceal from his wife to Olive. "Jack more or less needs some one to look after her, since I am giving so much time to my war work I am having to neglect my family."

Olive flushed slightly. She knew Frank had not intended it, could not dream how sensitive Captain MacDonnell was over the thought that he could no longer be of service to his country at a time when she so required the knowledge and effort he had once been so gallantly ready and able to give.

"Oh, I shall be at home the greater part of the time, and Bryan whenever it is possible for him," Olive answered quickly. "But Bryan has already promised to begin camouflage work for the government within the next few days. We were not in London very long, but were there long enough to see a few of Bryan's old friends. They asked him if he would not have his commission transferred to the camouflage corps, as they needed him at once. I suppose he will be able to do some of the painting here in England. But later Bryan will probably have to go over to France to find out what is required of him."

"Bully, Bryan! I had not thought of that," Lord Kent answered, appearing as tremendously gratified as if he himself had first conceived the idea of this work for his friend. He went on to explain to his mystified hearers that camouflage consisted of painted artificial scenery used to conceal artillery or other important positions from the enemy airplanes, and that Bryan was especially fitted to engage in this work on account of his military knowledge and artistic ability.

But at this moment Jean and Ralph Merritt joined the little group.

No one spoke of Frieda's being the last to appear, since this had always been her custom so long as the other Ranch Girls could recall.

Jean Merritt wore her favorite rose color, a dress of satin with an overdress of tulle. And in spite of all the flowers blooming in Kent garden, Ralph had not forgotten to bring her a box from London of the deep pink roses she had always loved.

However, before dinner was announced the Professor strolled placidly in, garbed in entirely proper evening clothes.

"Frieda says if you will be kind enough to wait dinner for her a few moments, she will be with you almost at once. There was some little errand, some little commission she still wished to attend to before we leave the library."

The Professor sat quietly down, asked Frank Kent an important question concerning the war and straightway fell into earnest conversation.

However Frieda did make her appearance within a short time. She was dainty and lovely as ever in a misty, pale blue gown, but, unlike her usual self, she seemed a little embarrassed and apologetic.

The four Ranch Girls and their husbands went into dinner together. Perhaps it was absurd that they should feel any especial emotion over so simple a matter as having their first dinner party with one another since their marriages.

Nevertheless it was true that each girl in her own fashion did feel this emotion.

Since Jack's and Jean's few moments in the dining room some hours before, a slight change had taken place in the decoration of the table.

Two little silk flags stood near the center; as a matter of course under the present circumstances, they were the American and the British emblems.

Lord Kent saluted before he sat down, nodding to Captain MacDonnell.

"To our international marriages!" he said. "Long may they wave!"

Then he turned to Frieda and Jean, the Professor and Ralph.

"And to our great American Ally!"

As the little party took their seats they observed a small white velvet box near each plate.

Jack opened hers first and discovered inside a tiny pair of crossed flags set with jewels.

Glancing toward her husband, Lady Kent discovered that he appeared as surprised as she was at the unexpected souvenir of their dinner.

Then she chanced to catch sight of Frieda and Frieda's self-conscious expression betrayed her. Moreover, her mission to London was explained.

"I move," announced the Professor gravely, "that we offer a toast first to our wives and then to that beautiful and enduring land which has ever made the appeal of a woman to her lovers the world over. I mean, of course, 'La belle France'."