Читать книгу Good Charlotte - Carol Beach York - Страница 5

The next thing Tatty knew, the hall was quiet and empty. No one was there except herself. From the parlor she could hear Mrs. Singlittle’s voice:

“Now we have time to get acquainted before supper.”

As though a thunderbolt had struck her, Tatty remembered where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. She scurried as fast as she could go toward the parlor door. Miss Lavender and Miss Plum had not been gone two minutes, Tatty thought, and already she was in trouble. She hesitated at the parlor door and was just stepping in timidly when Mrs. Singlittle said, “Will someone close that door, please?”

Mrs. Singlittle had her back to the parlor door as she spoke. Tatty closed the door as she stepped in, and just at that moment Mrs. Singlittle turned. Her face lighted with pleasure to see her request obeyed so promptly.

“Ah, there’s a good girl,” Mrs. Singlittle said. She beckoned Tatty to come to her. Tatty went obediently, wishing she had remembered to pull up her stockings and find her hair ribbon.

“What is your name?” asked Mrs. Singlittle.

“Tatty,” the little girl answered.

“Tatty?” Mrs. Singlittle cocked her head to one side to decide what she thought of that. Then she bent down.

“Tatty,” she said again. “What kind of a name is that?”

“It’s short for Charlotte,” Tatty said. She was fascinated by the smell of perfume and the sight of Mrs. Singlittle’s plump pink face coming closer and closer to her.

“Charlotte!” Mrs. Singlittle exclaimed, and everyone jumped.

“Charlotte,” she said a second time, only a little less loudly. “That’s one of the most beautiful names in the world.”

Tatty stared at Mrs. Singlittle. No one had ever told her that.

“Much too pretty not to use,” Mrs. Singlittle declared. “Tatty, indeed. While I am here, I would like to call you Charlotte. Would that be all right?”

Tatty nodded. Then she noticed the tiny gold earrings that hung on thin gold wires from Mrs. Singlittle’s pierced ears. She had never seen earrings like that before.

“Of course it will be all right,” Mrs. Singlittle echoed heartily. “Such a good girl—my good Charlotte.” Then she gave Tatty a hug and a kiss. She did not notice that some of the other girls were beginning to giggle and nudge each other.

But Tatty noticed. She saw the girls giggling and whispering and looking over at her. “Good Charlotte!” Elsie May said in a loud mocking whisper. The girls laughed more than ever.

Tatty hung her head miserably. The girls were right. How long could Mrs. Singlittle go on calling her good Charlotte? Tatty, who was last to the table at mealtimes, who chewed her pencils and got holes in the knees of her stockings. . . . How long before Mrs. Singlittle would realize her mistake?