Chapter 8, Mrs. Poppy
Betsy is thoroughly enjoying her adventure at the Melborn Hotel, as is her rescuer, Mrs. Poppy, who telephones Mr. Ray for permission so Betsy can stay. “There’s time for a real party,” she tells Betsy and asks if she would like to take the elevator or the stairs. Betsy hesitates although not for my usual reason of a reproachful faux-Fitbit. She has never ridden in an elevator but the grand staircase of the Melborn Hotel is very impressive! “The stairs,” she said. “And the elevator coming down.” They pass a statue of the Winged Victory as they ascend. Headless. Mrs. Poppy explains that it is Greek. Betsy takes it in stride, feeling well prepared by her Greek mythology reading earlier in the day.
At the top of the stairs is the hotel’s two-story dining room, overlooking the river. This is where Deep Valley’s elegant dances with orchestras take place (foreshadowing!). Mrs. Poppy asks a maid for hot chocolate but they continue to her private apartment which has parlor, den, bedroom and bathroom but no kitchen or dining room as the Poppys dine in the hotel dining room or have food delivered. Betsy notices a small rocking chair with a doll in it. When she asks if the doll belonged to Mrs. Poppy as a child, Mrs. Poppy tells Betsy it belonged to her daughter who died. Betsy feels sad but doesn’t know how to respond. Mrs. Poppy explains that is why she enjoys other people’s children and asks Betsy about Tacy and Tib. Betsy guesses from what Mrs. Poppy says that she is lonesome. Mrs. Poppy admits it is hard to make friends, living in a hotel. She gave up her career in musical comedy to marry Mr. Poppy.
