The Mystery of the Velvet Gown

Trask ever knew that you knew, she’d know that I was the only other one who knew who could have told you, and you know—Oh, my goodness! I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore!”
    Trixie laughed and nodded understandingly. Both she and Honey had the same tendency sometimes to let their words trip over each other in a mad scramble to get from ideas to sentence forms.
    “We’re just lucky we can understand each other’s gibberish,” Trixie giggled. “And I do know what you’re talking about, even though I still don’t know what you want me to pretend I don’t know.”
    “Please, don’t you start, Trixie,” Honey laughed. “I’ll tell you right away and spare us both any more fumbling. Do you know that man who often picks up Miss Darcy after school?”
    “Sure,” Trixie answered. “The one who looks like-a cross between Robert Redford and Paul Newman—who could miss him?”
    “His name is Peter Ashbury, and Miss Darcy is engaged to him,” Honey said excitedly. “Miss Trask was planning to give an engagement dinner for them next week, and as a surprise, she was going to ask Miss Darcy’s father to come over from London. Of course, that’s all changed now. I just hope they find her father soon!”
    “So do I,” Trixie sighed, “and I sure wish we could be there to help. Oh,” she said suddenly. “With all the talk about the kidnapping, I almost forgot to tell you about Jane Morgan!“
    “Jane?” Honey asked. “That’s the second time you’ve brought her up today. Why are you suddenly so interested in her?”
    “I’m not,” Trixie explained, “but for some reason, she’s interested in us, or at least in Di.” Trixie related the conversation she had overheard between Jane Morgan and Patty Morris.
    “That’s terrible!” Honey exclaimed with wide-eyed disbelief. “I can’t imagine anyone being that jealous of us. I mean, I feel so lucky to have friends like you and your brothers and Di and Dan and a brother like Jim—I never even thought about anyone being jealous!”
    “I think it’s mainly Di getting the part of Juliet that’s brought out the green-eyed monster in Jane,” Trixie said. “But I do think we should keep an eye on her. Di has enough on her mind with that part right now. She doesn’t need any trouble from Jane Morgan.”
    Honey nodded to show that she understood. Then she glanced down at her watch. “Heavens!” she cried. “Miss Trask will kill me for staying so long. Once I start talking to you and your family, Trixie, you practically have to put a plug in my mouth to get me to stop.”
    “That isn’t how you used to be. Once you were all ribbons and lace and so quiet,” Trixie teased, recalling the painfully shy Honey Wheeler she had met not all that long ago. Honey had lived at boarding schools and summer camps most of her life, until her father bought the huge old estate near Sleepyside. It was the first time Honey had ever had a real home and a friend like Trixie.
    “Oh, golly! I was even terrified of my own shadow!” Honey laughed good-naturedly. “I certainly like myself much better now, without all that ribbon and lace,” she added, looking down at her faded dungarees and loose sweater. “And I don’t think anyone I know would use the word ‘quiet’ to describe me anymore!”
    “That’s for sure,” Mrs. Belden agreed as she walked into the room, carrying a tray laden with cups of steaming-hot chocolate.
    “Moms,” Trixie asked, “could Brian and Mart and I walk Honey home?”
    Mrs. Belden agreed but insisted that they all have a cup of hot chocolate before they left.
    Soon they were all bundled up for the crisp night air. Bobby pleaded to go, too, but was told it was too late for him. He pouted as he waved good-bye to Honey.
    Outside, they had a quick snowball fight, which Mart instigated by hitting Trixie squarely on the back with a well-packed ball. That sent all of them scrambling, packing, and throwing, until finally they called a truce. But Mart had run on ahead, and Trixie suspected he was stockpiling snowballs for an ambush.
    “Shhhh. We’ll sneak up on him instead,” she whispered to Brian and Honey.
    Stealthily, they crept forward in the quiet night. The silence was suddenly, sickeningly broken by the screech of tires and the thud of an impact—followed by á child’s high, piercing scream.
    “That’s Bobby!” Trixie cried.

To the Rescue ● 3

    TRIXIE, HONEY, AND BRIAN raced through the snow, following the