CHAPTER XXX
A CONFIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Having finished her visit of ceremony, Miss Panney asked permission ofMiriam to see Molly Tooney. That woman was, in a measure, her protege,and she had some little business with her. Declining to have the cooksent for, Miss Panney descended to the kitchen.
She had not talked with Molly more than five minutes, and had notapproached the real subject of the interview, which concerned the socialrelations between the Haverleys and the Dranes, when the Irishwomanlifted up her hands, and opened wide her eyes.
"The Saints an' the Sinners!" she exclaimed, "if here isn't that aulddrab of a sausage, that cook of the docther's, a comin' here again totell me how to cook for them Dranes. Bad luck to them, they don't pay menothin', an' only give me trouble."
Miss Panney turned quickly, and through the window she saw La Fleurapproaching the kitchen door.
"She comes here to tell you how to cook for those people?" said MissPanney, quickly.
"Indade she does, an' it's none of her business, nather, the meddlin'auld porpoise."
"Molly," said Miss Panney, "go away and leave me here. I want to talk tothis woman."
"Which is more than I do," said the cook, and straightway departed to thefloor above.
La Fleur had come to see Mrs. Drane, but perceiving Miss Panney's phaetonat the door, she had concluded that there was company in the house, andhad consequently betaken herself to the kitchen to make inquiries. Whenshe found there Miss Panney, instead of Molly Tooney, La Fleur wassurprised, but pleased, for she remembered the old lady as one whoappreciated good cookery and a good cook.
"How do you do, La Fleur," said Miss Panney. "I am glad to see you. Isuppose you still keep up your old interest in Mrs. Drane and herdaughter. Do you often find time to come out here to see them?"
"Not often, madam, but sometimes. I can always find time for what Ireally want to do. If I like to be away for an hour or two, I'll sit uplate the night before, long after midnight sometimes, planning the mealsand the courses for the next day, and when I go away, I leave everythingso that I can take it right up, the minute I get back, and lose nothingin time or in any other way."
"It is only a born chef who could do that," said Miss Panney, "and it isvery pleasant to see your affection for your former employers. Do yousuppose that they will remain here much longer?"
"Remain!" exclaimed La Fleur; "they've never said a word to me, madam,about going away, and I don't believe they have thought of it. I am sureI haven't."
Miss Panney shook her head.
"It's none of my business," she said, "but I've lived a long time in thisworld, and that gives me a right to speak my mind to people who haven'tlived so long. It may have been all very well for the Dranes to have comehere for a little vacation of a week or ten days, but to stay on and onis not the proper thing at all, and if you really have a regard for them,La Fleur, I think it is your duty to make them understand this. You mightnot care to speak plainly, of course, but you can easily make themperceive the situation, without offending them, or saying anything whichan old servant might not say, in a case like this."
"But, madam," said La Fleur, "what's to hinder their stopping here?There's no spot on earth that could suit them better, to my way ofthinking."
"La Fleur," said Miss Panney, regarding the other with moderate severity,"you ought to know that when people see a young woman like Miss Dranebrought to live in a house with a handsome young gentleman, who, to allintents and purposes, is keeping a bachelor's hall,--for that girlupstairs is entirely too young to be considered a mistress of ahouse,--and when they know that the young lady's mother is a lady inimpoverished circumstances, the people are bound to say, when they talk,that that young woman was brought here on purpose to catch the master ofthe house, and I don't think, La Fleur, that you would like to hear thatsaid of Mrs. Drane."
As she listened, the bodily eyes of La Fleur were contracted until theywere almost shut, but her mental eyes opened wider and wider. Shesuspected that there was something back of Miss Panney's words.
"If I heard anybody say that, madam, meaning it, I don't think they wouldcare to say it to me again. But leaving out all that and looking at thematter with my lights, it does seem to me that if Mr. Haverley wanted amistress for his house, and felt inclined to marry Miss Cicely Drane, hecouldn't make a better choice."
"Choice!" repeated Miss Panney, sarcastically. "He has no choice to make.That is settled, and that is the very reason why people will talk themore and sharper, and nothing you can say, Madam Jane La Fleur, will stopthem. Not only does this look like a scheme to marry Mr. Haverley to agirl who can bring him nothing, but to break off a most advantageousmatch with a lady who, in social position, wealth, and in every way,stands second to no one in this county."
"And who may that be, please?" asked La Fleur.
Miss Panney hesitated. It would be a bold thing to give the answer thatwas on her tongue, but she was no coward, and this was a crisis ofimportance. A proper impression made upon this woman might be productiveof more good results than if made upon any one else.
"It is Miss Dora Bannister," she said, "and of course you know all aboutthe Bannister family. I tell you this, because I consider that, under thecircumstances, you ought to know it, but I expect you to mention it to noone, for the matter has not been formally announced. Now, I am sure thata woman of your sense can easily see what the friends of Mr. Haverley,who know all about the state of affairs, will think and say when they seeMrs. Drane's attempt to get for her daughter what rightfully belongs toanother person."
If it had appeared to the mind of La Fleur that it was a dreadful thingto get for one's daughter a lifelong advantage which happened to belongto another, she might have greatly resented this imputation against Mrs.Drane. But as she should not have hesitated to try and obtain saidadvantage, if there was any chance of doing it, the imputation lostforce. She did not, therefore, get angry, but merely asked, wishing toget as deep into the matter as possible, "And then it is all settled thathe's to marry Miss Bannister?"
"Everything is not yet arranged, of course," said Miss Panney, speakingrapidly, for she heard approaching footsteps, "and you are not to sayanything about all this or mention me in connection with it. I onlyspoke to you for the sake of the Dranes. It is your duty to get themaway from here."
She had scarcely finished speaking when Miriam entered the kitchen. LaFleur had never seen her before, for on her previous visit it had beenRalph who had given her permission to interview Molly Tooney, and sheregarded her with great interest. La Fleur's long years of service hadgiven her many opportunities of studying the characters of mistresses, inhigh life as well as middle life, but never had she seen a mistress likethis school-girl, with her hair hanging down her back.
Miriam advanced toward La Fleur.
"My cook told me that you were here, and I came down, thinking that youmight want to see me."
"This is Madam La Fleur," interpolated Miss Panney, "the celebrated chefwho cooks for Dr. Tolbridge. She came, I think, to see Mrs. Drane."
"Not altogether. Oh, no, indeed," said La Fleur, humbly smiling andbowing, with her eyes downcast and her head on one side. "I wished, verymuch, also, to pay my respects to Miss Haverley. I am only a cook, and Iam much obliged to this good lady--Miss Panic, I think is the name--"
"Panney," sharply interpolated the old lady.
"Beg pardon, I am sure, Miss Panney--for what she has said about me; butwhen I come to pay my respects to Mrs. Drane, I wish to do the same tothe lady of the house."
There was a gravity and sedateness in Miriam's countenance, which was notat all school-girlish, and which pleased La Fleur; in her eyes it gavethe girl an air of distinction.
"I am glad to see you," said Miriam, and turned to Miss Panney, as ifwondering at that lady's continued stay in the kitchen. Miss Panneyunderstood the look.
"I am getting points from La Fleur, my dear," she said, "cookingpoints,--you ought to do that. She can give you t
he most wonderfulinformation about things you ought to know. Now, La Fleur, as you want tosee Mrs. Drane, and it is time I had started for home, it will be wellfor us to go upstairs and leave the kitchen to Molly Tooney."
Miss Panney was half way up the stairs when La Fleur detained Miriam by atouch on the arm.
"I will give you all the points you want, my dear young lady," she said."You have brains, and that is the great thing needful in overseeingcooking. And I will come some day on purpose to tell you how the dishesthat your brother likes, and you like, ought to be cooked to make themdelicious, and you shall be able to tell any one how they should be done,and understand what is the matter with them if they are not doneproperly. All this the lady of the house ought to know, and I can tellyou anything you ask me, for there is nothing about cooking that I do notthoroughly understand; but I will not go upstairs now, and I will notdetain you from your visitor. I will take a turn in the grounds, and whenthe lady has gone, I will ask leave to speak with Mrs. Drane."
With her head on one side, and her smile and her bow, La Fleur left thekitchen by the outer door. She stepped quickly toward the barn, lookingright and left as she walked. She wished very much to see Mike, andpresently she had that pleasure. He had just come out of the barnyard,and was closing the gate. She hurried toward him, for, although somewhatporpoise-built, she was vigorous and could walk fast.
"I am so pleased to see you, Michael," she said. "I have brought yousomething which I think you will like," and, opening a black bag whichshe carried on her arm, she produced a package wrapped in brown paper.
"This," she said, opening the wrapping, "is a pie--a veal and 'ampie--such as you would not be likely to find in this country, unless yougot me to make it for you. I baked it early this morning, intending tocome here, and being sure you would like it; and you needn't have anyscruples about taking it. I bought everything in it with my own money. Ialways do that when I cook little dishes for people I like."
The pie had been brought as a present for Mrs. Drane, but, feeling thatit was highly necessary to propitiate the only person on the place whomight be of use to her, La Fleur decided to give the pie to Mike.
The face of the colored man beamed with pleasure.
"Veal and ham. Them two things ought to go together fust rate, thoughI've never eat 'em in that way. An' in a pie, too; that looks mightygood. An' how do ye eat it, Mrs.--'scuse me, ma'am, but I never canrightly git hold of yer name."
"No wonder, no wonder," said the other; "it is a French name. My secondhusband was a Frenchman. A great cook, Michael,--a Frenchman. But theEnglish of the name is flower, and you can call me Mrs. Flower. You cansurely remember that, Michael."
Mike grinned widely.
"Oh, yes indeed, ma'am," said he; "no trouble 'bout that, 'specially whenI think what pie crust is made of, an' that you's a cook."
"Oh, it isn't that kind of flower," said La Fleur, laughing; "but itdoesn't matter a bit,--it sounds the same. And now, Michael, you mustwarm this and eat it for your dinner. Have you a fire in your house?"
"I can make one in no time," said Mike. "Then you think I'd better notlet the cook warm it for me?"
"You are quite right," said La Fleur. "I don't believe she's half as gooda cook as you are, Michael, for I've heard that all colored people have aknack that way; and like as not she'd burn it to a crisp."
Wrapping up the pie and handing it to the delighted negro, La Fleurproceeded to business, for she felt she had no time to lose.
"And how are you getting on, Michael?" said she. "I suppose everybody isvery busy preparing for the master's wedding."
"The what!" exclaimed Mike, his eyebrows elevating themselves to such adegree that his hat rose.
"Mr. Haverley's marriage with Miss Dora Bannister. Isn't that to takeplace very soon, Michael?"
Mike put his pie on the post of the barn gate, took off his hat, andwiped his brow with his shirt-sleeve.
"Bless my evarlastin' soul, Mrs. Flower! who on this earth toldyou that?"
"Is it then such a great secret? Miss Panney told it to me not twentyminutes ago."
Mike put on his hat; he took his pie from the post, and held it,first in one hand and then in the other. He seemed unable to expresswhat he thought.
"Look a here, Mrs. Flower," he said presently, "she told you that, didshe?"
"She really did," was the answer.
"Well, then," said Mike, "the long an' the short of it is, she lies.'Tain't the fust time that old Miss Panney has done that sort of thing.She comes to me one day, more than six year ago, an' says, 'Mike,' saysshe, 'why don't you marry Phoebe Moxley?' ''Cause I don't want to marryher, nor nobody else,' says I. 'But you ought to,' said she, 'for she'sa good woman an' a nice washer an' ironer, an' you'd do well together.''Don't want no washin' nor ironin', nor no Phoebe, neither,' says I.But she didn't mind nothin' what I said, an' goes an' tells everybodythat me an' Phoebe was goin' to be married; an' then it was we did gitmarried, jest to stop people talkin' so much about it, an' now look atus. Me never so much as gittin' a bite of corn-bread, an' she aboardin' the minister! Jes' you take my word for it, Mrs. Flower, oldMiss Panney wants Miss Dora to marry him, an' she's goin' about tellin'people, thinkin' that after a while they'll do it jes' 'cause everybody'spects them to."
"But don't you think they intend to marry, Mike?" forgetting to addresshim by his full name.
Mike was about to strike the pie in his right hand with his left, inorder to give emphasis to his words, but he refrained in time.
"Don't believe one cussed word of it," said he. "Mr. Haverley ain't theman to do that sort of thing without makin' some of his 'rangements p'intthat way, an' none of his 'rangements do p'int that way. If he'd beengoin' to git married, he'd told me, you bet, an' we'd laid out the farmwork more suitable for a weddin' than it is laid out. I ain't goin' tobelieve no word about no weddin' till I git it from somebody better norMiss Panney. If he was goin' to marry anybody, he'd be more like to marrythat purty little Miss Drane. She's right here on the spot, an' she ain'tpizen proud like them Bannisters. She's as nice as cake, an' not stuck upa bit. Bless my soul! She don't know one thing about nothin'."
"You're very much mistaken, Michael," exclaimed La Fleur. "She is verywell educated, and has been sent to the best schools."
"Oh, I don't mean school larnin'," said Mike; "I mean 'bout cows an'chickens. She'll come here when I'm milkin', an' ask me things about thecritters an' craps that I knowed when I was a baby. I reckon she's thekind of a lady that knows all about what's in her line, an' don't knownothin' 'bout what's not in her line. That's the kind of young lady Ilike. No spyin' around to see what's been did, an' what's hain't beendid. I've lived with them Bannisters."
La Fleur gazed reflectively upon the ground.
"I never thought of it before," she said, "but Miss Cicely would make avery good wife for a gentleman like Mr. Haverley. But that's neitherhere nor there, and none of our business, Michael. But if you hearanything more about this marriage between Mr. Haverley and MissBannister, I wish you'd come and tell me. I've had a deal of curiosity toknow if that old lady's been trying to make a fool of me. It isn't of anyconsequence, but it is natural to have a curiosity about such things, andI shall be very thankful to you if you will bring me any news that youmay get. And when you come, Michael, you may be sure that you will not goaway hungry, be it daytime or night."
"Oh, I'll come along, you bet," said Mike, "an' I am much obleeged toyou, Mrs. Flower, for this here pie."
When the good cook had gone to speak with Mrs. Drane, Mike repairedto the woodshed, where, picking up an axe, he stood for some momentsregarding a short, knotty log on end in front of him. His bloodflowed angrily.
"Marry that there Bannister girl," he said to himself. "A pretty piece ofbusiness if that family was to come here with their money an' theircome-up-ence. They'd turn everythin' upside down on this place. No usefor ramshackle farmin' they'd have, an' no use for me, nuther, with theirtop boots an' stovepipe hats."
Mike had been discharged from the Bannisters' service because of hisunwillingness to pay any attention to his personal appearance.
"If that durned Miss Panney," he continued, "keeps on tellin' that to thepeople, things will be a cussed sight worse than me a livin' here withoutdecent vittles, an' Phoebe a boardin' that minister that ain't paid noboard yit. Blast them all, I say." And with that he lifted up his axe andbrought it down on the end of the upturned log with such force that itsplit into two jagged portions.
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