“Yes,” he responded, with an answering smile, “she is reason number one, but there are others.”
To readers who are unfamiliar with Patty’s earlier history we may say right here that her mother had died when Patty was but three years old. At present she lived with her father in their little home in Vernondale, an establishment of which Patty greatly prided herself on her management.
Recently Mr. Fairfield had become engaged to Miss Nan Allen, a young lady who lived in Philadelphia, and who was a dear friend of Patty’s.
“You know,” Mr. Fairfield went on, “this Vernondale house was only an experiment, and although it has proved successful in its own way, I want to try another experiment of a winter in the city. As you so wisely discern, it is partly for the sake of being nearer to Nan. The Allens will spend part of the winter in New York, and, too, Philadelphia is more easily accessible from there than from here. We shall not be married until spring, and so your absolute monarchy will extend through the winter, and you can then abdicate in favor of the new queen.”
“And I’ll be glad enough to do it,” cried Patty; “it isn’t abdication at all; or if it is, I’m glad of it. I’m perfectly delighted that you’re going to marry Nan, and though it does seem ridiculous to have one of my own friends for a stepmother, yet she’s six years older than I am, and if she wants to rule me with a rod of iron, she may.”
“I fancy there won’t be much stepmothering about it; I’m afraid you’ll be two refractory children, and I’ll have to take care of you both.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Patty, laughing. “You’ve become so absurdly young yourself of late that I think I shall have to take care of you two. But tell me some more about your New York plans. Shall we have a house of our own?”
“No; I think not—this winter. Although you are all that is admirable by way of a housekeeper, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s too much responsibility for you; and of course, would be much more so in the city. So I think we’ll take a suite of rooms in some nice apartment hotel. This, you see, will make it more convenient for me in regard to my business; for I’m quite ready to confess that I’m tired of enjoying a commuter’s privileges. From our city home I could probably reach my office in less than half an hour, while from here it takes me fully an hour and a half, besides the discomforts of the railroad and ferry trip.”
“That would be nice,” said Patty thoughtfully; “then we wouldn’t have to have breakfast so early, and I wouldn’t have to wait for you so long at night.”
“Another thing,” went on her father, “is your own education. I want you to have a year or two at some good school in the city, and I do not want you to go back and forth every day from here. And you ought to take singing lessons, and there are lots of things you ought to learn. During your rather migratory life of the past two years your education has really been neglected, and it won’t do. You’re growing up, to be sure, but you’re still a schoolgirl, and must remain one for a couple of years more at least. When we take Nan into the family she can look after the housekeeping, and so you will be free to attend to your studies; but this winter, as I say, you must not have household cares to interfere. And so a few rooms in some nice hotel will make a home for us that shall be cosey and pleasant, and yet not fill your life with the cares and duties of housekeeping.”