Mandie Collection, The: 4 (39 page)

“Whew! That sounds like a lot of work,” Mandie said as she held tightly to Snowball’s leash. “You don’t know that much yourself, Jonathan.”

“No, but I am learning at school,” he said. “After you get to know one foreign language, it’s not all that hard to learn another.”

“I am definitely going to take some languages this next school year,” Celia said.

“I think we ought to go back now and watch the juniper tree before it’s time for another meal or something,” Mandie said.

They turned around and started back. A short way down the pathway, Mandie suddenly stopped and held her hands up to the others.

“I hear something,” she said softly, listening.

Jonathan and Celia waited silently.

“It’s a horse,” Mandie decided.

The others also heard it. It was a clip-clopping sound, and it was coming toward them.

“Let’s wait behind those trees over there and see who it is,” Mandie told the others as they all ran for cover.

“The horse does not have a rider, Mandie,” Celia spoke up.

“How do you know?” Jonathan asked in a whisper.

“Because the gait is not right. Listen,” Celia explained.

“I think you’re right,” Mandie said softly as they all watched the pathway. “It sure is moving slowly.”

They waited impatiently, and then as the horse began to appear through the trees, Mandie suddenly put her hands to her mouth and gave a shrill bird-like call. “It’s Uncle Ned!” she cried. “I see him!” She pointed excitedly through the thick trees and ran out onto the pathway. Celia and Jonathan followed.

In seconds an answering call was returned. Mandie stood in the middle of the trail, practically jumping up and down as she waited for her old Indian friend to appear on the pathway.

In a few moments Uncle Ned came walking slowly toward them, leading his horse. A big grin covered his face as he saw the young people.

Mandie ran to grab his hand and squeeze it. “Uncle Ned, I’m so glad you’ve finally gotten here. We had a wreck, got lost, and had quite a time getting to the castle. And, there is a huge juniper tree on the property that jumps up and down!”

“Papoose!” the old man said, trying to calm her. “A wreck? Anyone hurt?” He looked worried.

“No, we didn’t get hurt, but we got lost,” Mandie explained. “And if we’d had you with us we wouldn’t have gotten lost.”

Uncle Ned smiled down at her as he put an arm around her slim shoulders.

“You find tree that jumps up and down?” he asked.

“The maid, Olga is her name, says the tree is known to do it, and we’ve been watching, but it hasn’t moved yet,” Mandie spoke rapidly. “We were on the way back to look at it now.”

“We all go see,” Uncle Ned said as they resumed walking along the pathway.

“Why are you walking, Uncle Ned?” Celia asked.

“Horse throw a shoe,” he explained.

“I’m sure they have stables here somewhere,” Jonathan offered. “And someone who can put a new shoe on.”

“Yes, they must have, because they have horses, too,” Celia reminded them. “And they’re so wealthy, they probably have their own shop.”

Mandie looked up at the tall Indian and said, “I hope you haven’t had to walk a long way. But we’re almost to the castle now.”

When they came within view of the huge structure, they all stopped for Uncle Ned to get a good look. Then Mandie ran forward to point out the tall juniper tree.

“This is it, Uncle Ned, right here,” she said as she stood beneath it. “And I can’t see that it has moved any.”

“No way tree can jump up and down,” Uncle Ned said, looking up at it.

“But the maid said it has been known to several times,” Mandie repeated.

Uncle Ned smiled at Mandie, his black eyes twinkling. “Maid tell Papoose tale. Make exciting story.”

Mandie looked crestfallen as she realized that Olga might have indeed been making up the story. After all, Rupert had denied knowing anything about the tree jumping up and down.

She tilted her head back as she looked up at Uncle Ned and said solemnly, “Maybe,” and then with a little smile, she added, “And maybe not. Anyway we are going to find out.”

Mandie decided then and there that she would put an end to Olga’s story, one way or the other.

CHAPTER SIX

WATCHING THE JUNIPER TREE

As Mandie led the way to the back of the castle in search of a blacksmith or stable boy to take Uncle Ned’s horse, they met a small, dark young man who stopped to speak to them.

“If you wish, sir, I will take the horse for you,” he offered. “My name is Ludwig. I am on the way to the stables to inspect the baroness’s racehorses. I am the jockey.”

Uncle Ned looked down at the smiling young man and handed over the reins to him. “Many thanks. Horse need shoe,” he said.

“Ja, I noticed the horse is not walking right,” Ludwig replied as he took the reins and bent to look at the animal’s foot. “I will attend to it.”

“You have racehorses here?” Celia asked excitedly. “We raise racehorses back home in Virginia.”

Ludwig smiled at Celia and said, “Yes, we have had many winners. Please allow me to show you our horses.”

“Oh, I’d love to see them,” Celia replied, and turning to her friends, she asked, “Shall we?”

“Of course, Celia, but maybe later,” Mandie replied. “I think we ought to go on inside with Uncle Ned. My grandmother may be wondering where we are.” And then with a big smile, she added, “I want to see them, too.”

“All right,” Celia agreed. “We have been out an awfully long time. Ludwig, we’ll let you know when we can come look.”

A uniformed servant came out into the yard, and walked directly to the horse.

“I will take your luggage, sir,” he told Uncle Ned as he began unhooking the bags from the animal’s back.

Uncle Ned helped him and said, “Thank you. I not know where to take them.”

“I know exactly where, sir. We have your rooms all ready for you. The baroness informed us of your tentative arrival,” the servant said. “Please follow me,” he said, picking up the bags.

Uncle Ned was wearing his deerskin jacket, and he took his bow and arrows from the horse and slung them over his shoulder. The servant and Ludwig both watched curiously.

“Uncle Ned is a Cherokee Indian,” Mandie explained as she saw the two men’s puzzled expressions. “I am also one-fourth Cherokee. My grandmother was full-blooded.”

“Ja, Ja,” Ludwig said. “I will wait to hear more when you come to see the racehorses.” He led the horse away down the path.

The servant hurried toward the back door of the castle, and everyone scrambled to catch up with him, all except Uncle Ned, that is. He never seemed to hurry, because his long legs could make such long strides.

Entering the house through the back way, they found themselves in an old kitchen. The walls were made of stone. At one side was a huge open fireplace. And on the other side there stood what seemed to be a well. Mandie rushed over to look.

“You have a well inside the kitchen?” she asked. The other young people crowded around to see.

“We do not use this kitchen anymore, since about one hundred years ago, in fact, but that is a well. Back then, the family had to have all such necessities inside the castle in case of a siege by the enemy, when it would be impossible to go outside,” he explained. Then turning to lead the way, he added, “Now, please come this way.”

They followed the man through a maze of corridors, up one flight of stairs, and down another. Finally they arrived in the hallway where they were shown Uncle Ned’s suite. It was located near their own.

“This is your suite, sir,” the servant told Uncle Ned as he pushed open a heavy, ornate door.

Uncle Ned followed him inside, while the young people peered in behind him at the heavy antique furnishings, and elaborate decor of the sitting room. Then the servant threw open a second door, revealing an enormous bedroom.

Snowball, who had been content in Mandie’s arms until now, wriggled to get down. Mandie put him up on her shoulder.

“Why don’t we leave Uncle Ned to freshen up after his long journey?” Jonathan suggested.

“Of course,” Mandie agreed.

“Yes, he must be awfully tired,” Celia added.

Uncle Ned smiled and said, “Not much tired, but dirty. I wash up and then find Papoose and friends.”

Mandie led the way out into the hall and said, “I see Olga down there. She can tell us how to get to the parlor.”

“I will unpack your things, and show you where to find the others when you are ready,” Mandie heard the servant say to Uncle Ned.

Jonathan whistled for Olga, and the maid turned and came toward them, laughing.

“You are American all right,” she said with a smile.

Mandie asked, “Could you please show us where the adults are? They are probably in the parlor.”

“Yes, miss,” Olga said, turning to walk back down the hallway. “This way.”

After following Olga through the corridors and down stairs, they arrived at the entrance to an enormous drawing room. It was decorated in satin, silk, and velvet, in various shades of lavender and purple. It was filled to the point of being crowded with lavish-looking antiques.

Mrs. Taft, Senator Morton, and Baroness Geissler were all seated. Frau Jahn stood to the side, still acting as interpreter for the baroness.

“Oh, dear, where have y’all been?” Mrs. Taft asked as they entered the room. “You’ve missed tea because we couldn’t find y’all.”

The baroness motioned for them to sit down.

“We’ve been for a walk, Grandmother, and Uncle Ned just arrived,” Mandie said, explaining how they had met up with him in the woods. “He’s in his room now.”

“Well, I’m glad he finally got here. I was worried that he was lost or something, too,” Mrs. Taft said.

“Is he coming down?” Senator Morton asked.

“As soon as he gets cleaned up,” Mandie replied, holding on to Snowball as he struggled to get down.

“That’s good, because we are discussing the dinner party for tomorrow night, and the baroness was hoping he’d get here in time for that,” Mrs. Taft said.

Baroness Geissler spoke rapidly in German and Frau Jahn told them, “We have received a reply from Mr. Guyer and he will not be able to come. He said he is leaving Germany today to go to France where he will visit relatives with whom his son wished to stay.”

Jonathan asked, “Did he say I could go visit with my aunt and uncle in Paris?”

Frau Jahn and the baroness exchanged a few words in German and then the housekeeper said, “He did not state any decision about your visiting, only that he will visit the people you refer to.”

Mandie looked at Jonathan as he sighed deeply. She knew that he would like to get his future settled, whether it meant going to live with his aunt and uncle in Paris, or going home to New York with his father.

Uncle Ned joined them then, as the servant showed him into the room. Mandie noticed that the baroness looked agitated as she was introduced to him through the housekeeper. There followed a barrage of questions and answers as the woman inquired about the Cherokees. The housekeeper had trouble interpreting Uncle Ned’s broken English, and several times Mandie had to explain to her what the old Indian was saying.

By the time all this was accomplished, the young people were told to go upstairs and get ready for the evening meal.

Mandie, Celia, and Jonathan discussed various things as they tried to find their way back to their rooms. They had declined help from the maid, but did accept her instructions on how to get through the enormous castle.

“I wonder where Rupert is,” Mandie remarked as she let Snowball run along on his leash.

“Probably avoiding us,” Jonathan said.

“I sure don’t think he likes us,” Celia agreed.

As they talked, a door along the corridor opened and closed, and Rupert stood there looking at them. They slowed their steps, but didn’t
stop, and no one spoke. They were relieved when they saw him go off in the opposite direction.

When they had gotten to the corner of the hallway, they glanced back and saw someone coming out of another door.

Mandie quickly whispered to her friends, “That’s the woman who was inside that cottage in the woods.”

“She must be a maid here. She’s wearing a uniform,” Jonathan said under his breath as the young woman rapidly approached them.

“Right,” Celia whispered.

The woman passed them in the hallway, but didn’t even look at them. They all stared at her. She had long black hair, and was quite pretty. The uniform she was wearing was similar to the one Olga wore.

“Well!” Mandie exclaimed.

“She and Rupert must be sweet on each other,” Jonathan remarked as they reached the doors to their rooms.

“Either that or they’re in cahoots about something or other,” Mandie said.

“We meet up with a lot of interesting people, don’t we?” Celia added.

“See you girls back downstairs,” Jonathan said, entering his suite and closing the door.

Inside their rooms, the girls flipped through their clothes hanging in the wardrobe.

“I suppose I’ll have to save this blue silk for tomorrow night. It’s too fancy for an ordinary dinner, anyway,” Mandie decided as she pushed it aside and selected a pink dress. “I’ll wear this tonight.”

“I think I’ll wear my white dress with the pink and blue embroidered flowers tomorrow night,” Celia said. “For tonight, this tan dress will do.”

The girls didn’t take long to change clothes and redo their hair.

“You know, Celia, I think we ought to go back and watch that juniper tree after dark tonight. Olga said it jumped up and down last night. Maybe it only does it at night,” Mandie said as they hurried down the hallway.

She had left Snowball in their suite, where she knew Olga would feed him.

“After dark, Mandie? Do you think that’s safe?” Celia asked.

“Sure. There are plenty of people working around here, all day and all night. Senator Morton said so,” Mandie assured her.

“But this is a strange place to us,” her friend objected.

“Oh, Celia, we’ll ask Jonathan to go with us. He’ll want to go anyway,” Mandie said.

“What about Uncle Ned? Couldn’t we ask him to go too? He’s big and strong, and I’d feel safer with him,” Celia suggested.