What suited her one day displeased her highly the next.
So long as Patty praised, complimented, and flattered her all went fairly well.
But if Patty inadvertently disagreed with her, or expressed a contrary opinion, there was a scene.
And again, if Patty seemed especially meek and mild Mrs. Van Reypen would say:
“Don’t sit there and assent to everything I say! Do have some mind of your own! Express an honest opinion, even though it may differ from mine.”
Then, if Patty did this, it would bring down vials of wrath on her inoffensive head. Often she was at her wits’ end to know what to say. But her sense of humour never deserted her, and if she said something, feeling sure she was going to get sorely berated for saying it, she was able to smile inwardly when the scathing retort was uttered.
Sunday was an especially hard day. It was stormy, so they could not go out.
So Mrs. Van Reypen bade Patty read sermons to her.
When Patty did so she either fell asleep and then, waking suddenly, declared that Patty had been skipping, or else she argued contrary to the doctrines expressed in the sermons and expected Patty to combat her arguments.
“I’m tired of hearing you read,” she said, at last. “You do read abominably. First you go along in staccato jerks, then you drone in a monotone. Philip is a fine reader. I love to hear Philip read. I wish he’d come in to-day. I wonder why he doesn’t? Probably because you’re here. He must have taken a violent dislike to you, Miss Fairfield.”