Chapter 8 The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene
A Mysterious Lady
Nancy telephoned Bess Marvin without delay, and was delighted to find her chum willing to make the trip to Jolly Folly.
“I’ll be ready in a little while if you’ll stop for me,” she agreed. “I have some work to finish, but it won’t take me long.”
Promptly at ten-thirty Nancy drove up to the Marvin residence, where Bess awaited her on the veranda. True to her agreement to keep her friend informed regarding any developments concerning the adoption, Nancy at once reported Doctor Stafford’s visit of the previous night.
“Clues just seem to fall into your hands,” Bess marveled.
“I hope a few fall my way today, but I don’t expect such good luck.”
As they were driving by a department store Nancy impulsively suggested that they purchase some toys for the twins.
“Fine!” Bess approved, “only I didn’t bring much money with me.”
“I have enough for both of us.”
Parking room was at a premium on the busy main street. Nancy finally found a small space, and to the admiration of her chum maneuvered her car into it.
“You could turn on a dime, Nancy,” laughed Bess.
The store was not crowded. The girls were waited upon in no time, but it was not easy for them to make their selections. Finally, after much deliberation, Nancy chose a cleverly stuffed dog which was nearly as large as little Jay himself, while Bess purchased a bright red ball for Janet.
The parcels were wrapped up, and a few minutes later the girls were once more on their way. They had covered little more than half the distance when Nancy’s keen eyes sighted a familiar car far down the road.
“Isn’t that the Blairs’ automobile, Bess?”
“Why, I believe it is!”
“Colleen told me they would be away for the day.”
By this time the machine was drawing closer and closer. Nancy slowed down, ready to stop if the Blairs should hail her.
The approaching car was moving at a moderate rate of speed. As it passed the girls, neither Mr. and Mrs. Blair nor Rodney, who was at the wheel, chanced to look in their direction.
“The car was loaded down with golf clubs,” Bess observed. “Out for a day at the country club, I suppose.”
“Kitty probably is celebrating her motherhood!” Nancy returned with a short laugh. “She adopted the twins only yesterday, yet she can’t stay home and look after them for even a day!”
“Imagine what it will be like when she’s had the babies for a month or so and the novelty has worn off! I think they should be taken from her!”
“The little things deserve a real mother,” Nancy agreed feelingly. “If we can’t find their parents, I wish someone could have them who would really love them.”
“I’d like to have them myself,” Bess said wistfully. “I suggested the idea to Mother last night and she nearly fainted.”
“Hannah is like that, too. She doesn’t want any babies, dogs, cats, or anything lively about the place.”
“Wouldn’t it be a strange situation if the chauffeur Rodney should turn out to be the twins’ father?” Bess speculated. “It would be hard for him in that case to live in the same household, yet be unable to claim them as his own children.”
“And see them neglected,” Nancy added.
“We must watch him closely. I’m sorry he’ll be away for the day.”
“So am I. I was looking forward to a long talk with him. I wonder at the Blairs expecting him to drive their car today when he should be in bed.”
“I imagine they work all their servants too hard. All save Colleen—” she added, with a laugh. “I doubt if anyone will ever get the best of the nursemaid that way.”
Nancy had reached Jolly Folly and turned the car into the winding driveway. A maid conducted the girls without delay to the nursery. Somewhat to their surprise, they found Colleen at work.
She was attempting to bathe the babies. In the struggle, the twins appeared to have gained the mastery. Jay was splashing gleefully about in the tub, covering the floor and the distraught maid with water. Janet would emit frightened squeals of terror whenever a drop of water would touch her.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’ve come!” Colleen murmured, sinking down into the nearest chair and abandoning the babies to their fate. “My arm is paining me so, and this eternal yelling and crying is driving me wild!”
“I don’t believe you have bathed many babies,” Bess declared, springing forward to prevent Jay from eating the soap. “Why didn’t you try washing them one at a time?”
“I never thought of that,” Colleen admitted. “I thought it would be easier to get it all over with at once.”
“It’s the water that is all over,” Nancy laughed. “You sit still and rest that arm. We’ll take charge of the children.”
Since the infants were shivering, the girls hastily gave them their baths. Bess was expert at dressing the twins.
Jay and Janet were delighted with their new toys, and invented a game of their own. Janet threw her ball across the room while Nancy ran to bring it back again. Jay, not to be excluded, tossed his dog into a far corner for Bess to retrieve. They repeated this procedure time and again.
“This threatens to become a marathon,” Nancy laughed.
“It’s like that all the time,” Colleen told her wearily. “It’s something every minute, and Mrs. Blair won’t even carry up a milk bottle!”
Soon the twins were placed in their cribs. Nancy took advantage of the resultant quiet to ask a few questions.
“We met the Blairs and their chauffeur on the road this morning. By the way, Colleen, what is Rodney’s last name?”
“Brown. He’s a funny sort, too.”
“In what way?” Nancy inquired quickly.
“Oh, I don’t know—just peculiar. He sits around mooning over something half the time. Never goes out with girls. Doesn’t say much to anybody.”
“He was in the war, I was told.”
“Yes, I guess he won some medals,” the maid returned indifferently. “I know he was gassed. That was what was wrong with him when he fainted the other night. I heard him tell the cook so.”
“The Blairs should have permitted him to rest today.”
“And me, too! But you don’t know them! They spend scads of money on themselves, yet check up on how much food the servants eat.”
“And Rodney,” Nancy murmured, for she did not wish the nursemaid to change the subject, “has he many friends?”
“Not him. I don’t think he likes people.”
“Where is his home?”
“I never asked. He was working for the Blairs before I came.”
Colleen began to show signs of growing irritated at so many questions. She preferred to talk of her own young man friend and could not understand why Nancy should show the slightest interest in such a homely person as Rodney Brown.
“Tonight’s supposed to be my night off,” she remarked resentfully. “I’m dating Francis—that is, if Mrs. Blair gets back in time. If she’s late I’ll be furious.”
“I don’t believe we know Francis,” Nancy said with a faint smile.
“He’s swell!” Colleen’s face grew radiant. “The most handsome man I ever met. Of course, he has red hair, but you get used to it.”
“What is his last name?” Bess inquired curiously.
“Didn’t I tell you? It’s Clancy. Francis Clancy. He has a swell job, too! He’s a detective.”
“Does Mrs. Blair object to your dates?” Nancy asked with friendly interest.
“She objects to everything! But that’s not the worst trouble. These twins complicate things so.”
Colleen glanced almost resentfully at the cribs.
“You’re paid to take care of the babies,” Bess reminded her.
“Sure, but I didn’t know it would be such a job when I said I’d do it. I was here as upstairs girl and personal maid to Mrs. Blair before she got the adoption idea.”
The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a delivery truck driving up to the house. Colleen ran to the window.
“Why, they’re unloading a baby carriage! Mrs. Blair must have ordered it.”
Everyone hurried downstairs to examine the fine double perambulator.
“Let’s take the twins for a ride!” Bess proposed. “It’s a warm, sunny day and they need the air.”
Accordingly the babies were given their noonday meal, and then dressed in fluffy, white suits. Colleen, however, took but slight interest in them, stating that while the girls were away she would lie down and rest.
“If the cook will give us a lunch to take with us, we won’t need to come back for several hours,” Nancy declared enthusiastically. “We can really explore the grounds.”
The cook was very glad to pack a few sandwiches for the girls since it saved her the trouble of preparing a warm luncheon. They accordingly set off in high spirits, pushing the carriage ahead of them.
Nancy and Bess explored the flower garden, pausing to pick a bouquet of calendulas near a tiny, artificial pond containing goldfish. The twins laughed in high glee when a fat frog plumped from a lily-pad into the water.
The well-kept lawn of the Blair estate sloped gradually down to a winding river. There, under a spreading shade tree, the girls opened the lunch box.
“Don’t look at me so greedily,” Nancy laughed at Janet. “You have had your dinner.”
After lunch the girls sat on the grass chatting while the babies fell asleep.
“Let’s go wading in the cove,” Bess proposed suddenly.
“Dare we leave the twins?”
“We’ll be within sight of them. It’s so hot today I’d like to cool off a little.”
“All right. Let’s set the carriage back from the bank where it cannot possibly be moved by the wind.”
They found a safe place for the perambulator, out of the direct rays of the sun, yet within plain view of the cove. Nancy carefully set the brake on the wheel.
Then, feeling entirely care free, they raced toward the water with shouts of laughter. Nancy pulled off her shoes and stockings and placed them over the branches of a low-hanging tree. She splashed out into the shallow water and Bess soon followed.
“I haven’t gone wading in years,” Nancy laughed. “If Dad could see me now, he’d abandon all hope of rearing me to be a sedate young lady.”
“Pooh! Who wants to grow up proper anyway?” Bess scoffed, splashing water. “I wish we could go swimming.”
“So do I, but the water isn’t deep enough and we have no suits. Oh, look, Bess!”
“A baby turtle!”
The girls became so absorbed in watching the awkward antics of the tiny reptile that for a time they quite forgot the carriage on the bank. When Nancy did look in that direction, she started.
A woman was standing beside the perambulator. As Nancy watched her, she quickly bent down and kissed the babies.
“Bess, who is that woman? It isn’t Mrs. Blair, surely.”
Bess was as startled as her chum.
“No, she’s a stranger to me!”
With one accord the girls splashed through the water toward the bank. They did not propose to leave the twins alone with an unknown person, even though the individual might have the kindliest intentions in the world.
Hearing the sound of their approach the intruder glanced up, panic in her face. It was then that Nancy noticed the stranger’s attire. She wore a gray suit and a close-fitting black felt hat. Her face was shaded, so the girls caught only a glimpse of it.
Again, to the amazement of Nancy and Bess, the woman stooped over and kissed the babies. Then she wheeled about and darted into the bushes.
“Wait!” Nancy called. “Please wait!”
There was no answer. The girls could hear the stranger running through the brush toward the main road.
“We must catch her if we can!” Nancy cried.
They did not stop long enough to slip on their shoes. Stones and pebbles gashed their feet as they ran, impeding their progress.
“We’ll never catch her this way!” Bess exclaimed in anguish. “I’m cutting my feet till they’re bleeding.”
Nancy also realized that pursuit was useless. Reluctantly she halted. Instantly she became alert again, holding up her hand for Bess to listen. Suddenly the girls heard an automobile start up the main road.
“She must have parked her car near here!” Nancy cried. “And it sounds to me as if she’s heading toward River Heights!”
“Maybe you could catch her if you use the roadster!”
“I’m going to try it, if you’ll take the twins to the house!”
“Of course.”
Back they raced to the river where Nancy put on her shoes and stockings in a twinkling. Leaving Bess to wheel the babies to the house, she darted off ahead. Then, dashing into her automobile, she turned it into the main road.
Nancy was convinced that the stranger who had kissed the babies was the same person who had called at the home of the Reverend Doctor Paul Stafford.
“I must catch her!” she thought, stepping hard on the accelerator. “If I can induce her to talk, I will feel certain she’ll be able to clear up the mystery of the twins’ parentage!”