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"Miss Thorpe came here fifteen minutes ago, and said you ordered me to a make a bowl of prepared food, that Fleurette was not getting enough nourishment." "Why, I did nothing of the sort! Where is Miss Thorpe? And where is the baby?" "I don't know," and Winnie looked as if she thought Patty was crazy. "Don't you know, ma'am?"
"Well, Elise," she said, forlornly, "you might as well go to your room, and get your hat off. Come on, I'll go with you, and I may think of something else to do about Baby. For the present I seem to be at my wits' end." Of course, in the meantime the nurse and the other servants had searched the house and grounds, but there was really no chance of finding Fleurette that way.
"Oh, well, come along, then," said Patty; "if you're really so anxious to meet the young lady, why wait?" The two went up to the nursery, and though a little surprised at the unexpected call, Nurse Winnie made no objection. "Here's your new friend," and Patty lifted Fleurette out of her pillows and presented her to Chick.
His big, cheery voice comforted Patty, and her trouble suddenly seemed easier to bear, with his help near. "Oh, Little Billee," she cried, "Azalea has run off with Fleurette." "Good gracious, you don't say! But how much better to have Zaly do the kidnapping than some professional abductors! Hello, Elise, glad to see you! When did you arrive? This morning?" "No; this afternoon.
She took no stock in the kidnapping theory, for Winnie had left the child with Azalea, who would have fought off a horde of marauders before she let them carry off the little one. No, whatever had happened was doubtless Azalea's doing. But Elise's notion of an accident to Fleurette might come somewhere near the truth. "Of course that's it," Elise went on, excitedly.
"The idea of a girl throwing a baby about! What did she do, Winnie? I mean did she let go of her?" "Oh, yes, ma'am! She often would throw Fleurette clear up in the air and catch her as she came down." "She is athletic," conceded Patty. "Over at the Gales' gymnasium she does all sorts of stunts. But I don't want her doing them with my baby!" she broke down, and cried piteously.
I'll make a fresh toilette and play the serene hostess, once again." Fleurette was given over to Winnie, and Patty, calm and happy now, ran off to dress. "You're such a darling, Big Billee," she whispered turning back to her husband, and she went into his embracing arms; "you always know just what is right to do."
Their laughter reached him as he advanced, and told him they could know nothing yet of Richard's danger. On his abrupt and unexpected apparition, Diana paled and Ruth flushed slightly, whereupon Sir Rowland might have bethought him, had he been book-learned, of the axiom, "Amour qui rougit, fleurette; amour qui plit, drame du coeur."
Then, picking up Fleurette, she set the needle going and hurried from the room. Merritt, hearing the cries, screams and sobs, scowled with anger at the baby's fit of ill temper, but never dreamed that it was not really the child crying at all. So Azalea had ample chance to escape by a back door from the library, and crossing the dining-room went out on a side porch that faced the Gale place.
"No, indeed," cried Elise, "let me see her right now. If she's as pretty as the wistaria vine oh, Patty, why don't you name her Wistaria?" "Gracious, what a name! No, she's Fleurette, or so Little Billee says. Anyway, here she is." Patty led them to the nursery, and from the lacy draperies of the bassinette a smiling baby face looked up at them. "What a heavenly kiddy!"
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