Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family Read online

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  YEARLING BOOKS/YOUNG YEARLINGS/YEARLING CLASSICS are designed especially to entertain and enlighten young people. Patricia Reilly Giff, consultant to this series, received her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College. She holds a master’s degree in history from St. John’s University, and a Professional Diploma in Reading from Hofstra University. She was a teacher and reading consultant for many years, and is the author of numerous books for young readers.

  For a complete listing of all Yearling titles, write to

  Dell Readers Service, P.O. Box 1045,

  South Holland, IL 60473.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 1978 by Sydney Taylor

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Previously published in paperback in the United States in 1989 by Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Originally published in hardcover by Dutton, New York, in 1978.

  Delacorte Press is a registered trademark and the colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

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  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this work as follows:

  Taylor, Sydney.

  Ella of all of a kind family / by Sydney Taylor; illustrated by Gail Owens

  p. cm

  Summary: When Jules comes to see her after his return from the war, Ella finds it difficult to have some time alone with him.

  [1. Family life—Fiction.] I. Title

  PZ7.T2184 El

  [Fic]

  77026991

  eISBN: 978-0-307-82930-6

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v3.1

  to Ella—so gifted, yet ever aware

  of the potential in others, inspiring

  them to achieve their goals

  Contents

  Cover

  Other Yearling Books You Will Enjoy

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  1 No Place Like Home

  2 A Bang-up Time

  3 Election in the Balance

  4 The Letter

  5 Albany Dream

  6 Charlie Meets Elijah

  7 A Lucky Break

  8 Decision

  9 Prancing Pony

  10 Follow the Leader

  11 Onstage

  12 Seesaw

  13 Good-bye to All That

  1

  No Place Like Home

  “Jules!” Ella whispered the endearing name.

  Those happy days before he went off to war … strolling along, hand in hand, talking and laughing together, disposing of the future as if it were ours alone. It was as if Jules was a part of my childhood—as if we had always known each other.…

  Ella sighed. Will it still be the same between us? After all, we’ve been apart from each other for more than a year. People change—even in normal times. With all that a soldier goes through, far away from home and loved ones, will he—can he—be the same dear Jules I have always known?

  And what will he think of me, after all those chic French girls? She studied herself in the mirror, patting the neat coil of hair at the nape of her neck.

  Not quite as attractive as my sister Henny’s golden curls. But still it has a lovely sheen, and the color, blue-black almost, does set off my white skin nicely. Jules always liked my hair.…

  Now for the final touch. Quickly, before anyone caught her in the act, she sprinkled some talcum powder into the palm of her hand and dabbed it carefully over her nose and chin. “There! That’s much better,” she reassured the face in the mirror.

  What would Mama say if I started using real face powder? Most of the girls in the office do. They say it really stays on. Not like this baby stuff. And it’s perfumed. Next payday I’ll get myself a box.

  After all, I’m eighteen. What’s wrong with a girl my age trying to improve her looks? It’s 1919. Times have changed. Some girls even use rouge. Of course I wouldn’t go that far.

  One last pat at her hair—a tug at her dress, and Ella felt she was ready. She’d wait for Jules in the parlor.

  Alas, the parlor was already taken over by her four sisters and her brother.

  “Do you all have to sit in here?” she inquired icily. “What’s the matter with the rest of the house all of a sudden?”

  “We want to see Jules, too,” littlest sister Gertie piped up.

  Precisely at that moment the downstairs buzzer sounded.

  “Oh dear!” Ella exclaimed. “Mama, please tick back!” she yelled into the kitchen and began frantically shooing the others from the room.

  “All right, we’re going. Don’t get so upset,” Henny said. “Anyone would think we were going to take a bite out of her precious boyfriend.”

  Thank goodness, she was alone! Quickly she released the catch on the parlor door which opened onto the hall. She wavered a moment, torn between the urge to rush to greet Jules on the landing or to have him discover her in a charming setting. The setting won.

  She sat down at the piano, spreading her skirt so that it fell in a graceful swirl over the piano stool. Her fingers touched the keys. The next moment they were playing in soft accompaniment as she sang:

  Just a little love, a little kiss

  I would give you all my life for this.…

  Excitement made her voice tremble, for even as the song flowed through the room, she could feel his presence coming toward her.

  She turned. There he was, framed motionless in the doorway.

  The song faded into silence. Jules moved forward.

  “Ella, that was so beautiful.”

  She’d forgotten how deep his voice was. She gazed up at him. Because his face was tanned, his eyes seemed bluer than she’d remembered. She smiled. Oh how wonderful—how utterly wonderful it was to see him! Their eyes met, his arms reached out to her—

  The portieres rustled.

  “Oh—excuse me!” Papa’s voice shattered the rapturous moment.

  Quickly Ella averted her gaze as Jules’s arms dropped stiffly to his sides.

  Papa paused in the middle of the room, a crumpled newspaper in his hand, his glasses perched at the end of his nose. Ella realized he had wandered in seeking some peace and quiet, forgetting entirely about Jules’s coming.

  “Oh,” Papa scratched his head uncertainly. “Who’s that? It’s Jules—Jules! My, you look so different. For a moment, I couldn’t believe it.” He caught hold of Jules’s hand and began pumping it vigorously. “Welcome! Welcome home. Thank God you’re home safe. We were all so worried about you.”

  He settled himself on the couch. “I myself never
had to fight in a war. But I can well imagine how terrible it was for our boys over there. And now,” he poked his finger at the newspaper headline, “I don’t know. The way things are in such a muddle. It was supposed to be the war to end all wars. Instead, every country is trying to take advantage for itself. Look, even in our own country, the way those senators are fighting President Wilson. Let me ask you, do you really think a League of Nations can amount to something?”

  Oh no! Ella despaired. It looks like Papa’s getting ready for a long discussion. Doesn’t he realize we want to be alone?

  Just then Mama emerged through the portieres with little Charlie tagging after.

  Ella perked up. Mama will understand.

  “Papa,” Mama said at once, “you know that shelf in the kitchen where the clock stands? It’s coming loose. You’d better fix it right away.”

  “Right this minute?”

  “Yes. Right away. This minute!” Mama replied, fixing him with a meaningful stare.

  Papa remained seated with a puzzled expression on his face. He glanced first at Jules and then at Ella. “Oh,” he said suddenly, “that’s right. I’ll attend to it right away.”

  He stood up, folded his newspaper hurriedly and shuffled out of the room.

  “Well now.” Mama turned to Jules with a tone of having solved a problem. “Nice to see you, Jules. You look wonderful. Come, take off your coat and sit down. Make yourself comfortable. Ella, what kind of a hostess are you, letting Jules stand around with his coat on?”

  Oh dear, Ella thought, now it’s Mama hovering over Jules like a mother hen.

  “It’s getting pretty cold out, isn’t it?” Mama rattled on.

  Jules removed his coat and remained standing, holding it awkwardly in his arms.

  “Jules, you’re in civvies!” Ella exclaimed.

  “Civvies?” Mama repeated.

  “No more uniform,” Jules explained. He straightened up self-consciously as Mama looked him up and down.

  “You look very nice in your blue suit,” Mama said with a little laugh. “You know what Aunt Lena always says, ‘If a man doesn’t look good in a blue suit, he’ll never look good in anything.’ ”

  Jules grinned sheepishly, shifting his coat from one arm to the other.

  “Ella, why don’t you take his coat?” Mama ordered. “Do sit down, Jules.”

  Jules obliged. Leaning back, he crossed his legs in an effort to be casual. Ella could sense his discomfort, but Mama kept chatting away cheerily.

  From somewhere Mama’s inevitable knitting appeared. On the instant, the needles began clicking away beneath her nimble fingers.

  Ye gods! Ella fretted. How much longer does Mama intend to stay? Her eyes met Jules’s and telegraphed, “I know. But what can I do?”

  “And your mother? How is she?” Mama went on. “I can just imagine how happy she must be to have you back home, safe and sound.”

  During all this time, a strangely quiet Charlie stood by. Now suddenly, he ran up to Jules and pulled at his arm. “Where’s your uniform?” he asked.

  Jules tousled the boy’s blond hair. “All packed away, Charlie.”

  Charlie continued to stare up at him. “Aren’t you a soldier anymore?”

  “Nope. The war’s over, Charlie.”

  “Thank God!” Mama added.

  Conversation seemed to have run out. Jules swung a leg back and forth, back and forth. The knitting needles clicked loudly in the void.

  All at once Jules sat up. “I almost forgot. I’ve got something for you, Charlie.”

  “For me?”

  Jules dangled a small paper bag in the air.

  Charlie snatched it and ripped it open. “Ooh! An Indian Bar!” he squealed. Greedily he bit into the peanuts and chocolate.

  “Charlie!” scolded Mama. “Where are your manners?”

  Mouth full, Charlie mumbled, “Thanks,” then added reluctantly, “anybody wanna bite?”

  It seemed no one did, so Charlie munched away blissfully.

  It was nice of Jules to remember my little brother, Ella thought. You can tell he likes children. I’m glad. I couldn’t possibly care for a man who didn’t.

  Jules was smiling at her. He inclined his head slightly, indicating Mama, his eyebrows raised questioningly.

  Ella went over to Mama and whispered, “Mama, please!”

  Mama rose quickly. “Charlie,” she announced, “it’s time for you to go to bed.”

  “Aw, everybody’s always telling me it’s time to go to bed,” grumbled Charlie. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes you have to,” Mama insisted, and marshaled him out.

  Alone at last! Jules relaxed against the couch. Ella nestled beside him. He reached for her hand and their fingers intertwined.

  Jules’s voice broke into the stillness. “I’m lucky. I got a job today.”

  “A job? You’re not going back to school?”

  “I can’t now. It’s the middle of the term. Besides, I’m not going back—not in the daytime that is. I’m twenty years old! It’s time I began working. Since my father died, my mother has had to work doubly hard to raise the family. Of course my oldest sister is married, but remember there are two younger sisters still at home. I can’t go on expecting my mother to support me. So …”

  Brr-rrr-ring! The peal of the telephone tore through his words. Brr-rrr-ring! The parlor door flew open and Henny burst in.

  “I think it’s for me.”

  “So did you have to come through here to answer it?” demanded Ella.

  Henny grinned. “Hi, Jules!” She tossed her head saucily and disappeared through the portieres.

  Ella threw up her hands. “That Henny! The phone’s in the dining room. There was absolutely no need for her to come barging in here. Well, never mind. You were telling me about a job.”

  “It’s with an import and export firm.”

  “Oh.”

  There was no time for further explanations, for the sound of approaching steps could plainly be heard. Again the portieres parted and in sidled Charlotte and Gertie.

  “Hello, Jules,” Charlotte and Gertie chorused.

  Their gaze slid sidewise to each other, lips twitching with the effort to suppress the giggles. They tried covering their mouths but it was no use. They exploded in a cascade of titters.

  After a few more sputterings, Charlotte raised her hand and waved a small fluttering good-bye. Gertie followed suit and both backed up through the portieres.

  Jules chuckled. “They’re cute.”

  “Couple of sillies,” Ella said. “They’re at that age, I guess. Tell me, what sort of work will you be doing?”

  “Bookkeeping.”

  “Will you like that?”

  “It’s a job, and they seem like nice people. Anyway, it’s not going to be forever. I’ve thought a lot about the future. The future’s terribly important to me—to us.”

  He put a hand under her chin, lifted her face and kissed her. And Ella knew then that no matter how long their separation, Jules had not changed. He loved her!

  “Er—hello,” a voice spoke up timidly.

  They sprang apart. Middle sister Sarah had slipped in so quietly, they had not heard her. There she stood with a book clutched tightly to her chest.

  “Oh! Excuse me, please!” she implored. “You look so different without your uniform, Jules.” She flushed with confusion. “Oh, I didn’t mean that you don’t look good. It’s just that, it’s different, that’s all,” she finished lamely.

  “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” Jules assured her. “What’s that book you’re hugging?”

  “My algebra. I’m in the middle of my homework. There’s one problem I’m really stuck with. I asked Henny but she says she’s forgotten everything she ever learned about algebra. Do you think maybe—you could help me with it?”

  Jules’s shoulders lifted resignedly. “All right. Let’s have a look.”

  What a time to pick for an algebra lesson, Ella fumed. She and Sarah had
always been very close despite the difference of four years in their ages. But right now she was really annoyed with her. Her patience was at an end.

  She stalked out of the parlor, past Mama’s and Papa’s bedroom, through the small alcove where Charlie, already in bed, popped up curiously as she sped by, into Charlotte’s and Gertie’s room, then Henny’s quarters, and finally into the dining room where the family was assembled.

  Arms akimbo, her small frame bristling with anger, she lashed out, “How in heaven’s name can a person get any privacy in this house? Honestly, sometimes I wish I were an only child. At least then I’d have a chance. Jules came to see me—me! Not you! We haven’t been able to exchange two words without some member of the family butting in!”

  “All right, Ella, don’t get so excited,” Mama soothed. “Charlie!” she yelled suddenly. “What are you doing in here? Back to your bed! And be quick about it! Do you hear?”

  Mama turned back to Ella. “Compose yourself. Now that everyone has got a look at your boyfriend, they won’t bother you anymore.”

  But Ella was still riled up. “It’s rotten being the oldest!” She thrust a finger sharply at Charlotte and Gertie. “By the time these two start going out with boys, they’ll have it easy. Nobody’ll even be interested.”

  “Who’s interested?” Henny interrupted. “We were just being polite.”

  “Thanks! So you were all polite. Now please—everybody—stay out! For the next half hour at least!”

  She spun around and flounced out.

  Back in the parlor, she heard Sarah say, “Thanks so much, Jules. You’d make an awfully good teacher.” Flitting past Ella, she flashed her a bright smile. “He explains things so well.”

  “I see she’s got your future mapped out for you,” Ella remarked.

  Jules grinned. He drew Ella to the couch and put his arm around her.

  “No, Ella. No teaching for me. I used to dream about being a doctor, but that would take too long and too much money. Still, I want to be some kind of professional rather than just a businessman. My uncle, the optometrist, says it’s an interesting career with a future, and he would help me. I could go to school at night. What do you think, Ella?”

  “It sounds like a …”