wished to
appear fifteen years younger and at least two stones lighter. She was dressed in a youthful morning gown of
pink and white, her unnaturally bright yellow hair arranged in ringlets around
her face.
“Selina Dalton, as I live and breathe! I have not seen you since my dear Arnie was
alive,” Mrs. Covington exclaimed.
“How do you do, Mrs. Covington,” Selina said.
“Mrs. Covington? Why
do you call me Mrs. Covington? You do
not have to stand on ceremony with me, young lady. Call me Gertie, as your cousin used to.”
“Gertie, please allow me to present to you—”
“Yes, I was just about to ask you who this handsome young
lady is. It has taken you long enough to
introduce us. Please forgive my cousin,
Miss—”
“Thistlewaite,” Julia offered.
“Lord, that’s a mouthful. Miss Thistlewaite. Miss
Thistlewaite . Say that one twenty
times,” Gertie said, laughing loudly.
Julia managed a weak smile in response.
“Where are my manners? Please come, sit down. I was so
excited to have callers I practically met you at the door.”
Selina and Julia proceeded three feet into the room, Julia
stumbling over a small foot stool.
“Just kick that out of the way, Miss Thistlewaite. I was forced to economize upon the death of
my dear husband three years ago.”
“I was so sorry to hear the news of Cousin Arnold’s death,”
Selina said, sitting gingerly on the edge of a small settee, which was backed
up against the front of a sofa. Selina
wondered what the point was of keeping a sofa that no one was able to sit
on.
“Yes, well, it was quite unexpected. He was in the prime of life. The doctor said it was apoplexy. But I say that’s what they call everything
that they can’t figure out.
“But enough of such depressing talk. I’m surprised to still be calling you “Miss,”
young lady. You must be, what,
three-and-twenty?”
“I am twenty-two years old.”
“Lord, time flies. I
think the last time I saw you you were fifteen. I was sure such a handsome girl would be married by seventeen. Good gracious, by the time I was the age you
are now I’d already buried my first husband. Although, between you and me, it was not such a great loss.” Gertie
laughed heartily at her own wit, and Selina could have sworn she saw a button
pop off the bodice of her cousin’s gown.
“Now Arnie was a different story altogether,” Gertie
continued. “People told him he’d married
below him, but he’d tell them he had me so high on a pedestal that he was
leagues below me. That was a very
gentlemanly thing to say, and so I always told him. He said it was no more than the truth.” Gertie wiped a tear away, and Selina and
Julia exchanged an uncomfortable look. Selina tried to repeat her condolences but Gertie went off on another tangent.
Although Selina did very little talking for the next half
hour she did manage to convey her parents’ greetings, and then she and Julia
prepared to take their leave.
“You cannot mean to leave already?” Gertie asked.
“But, Gertie, we have already stayed long past what is
considered polite.”
“Oh, you know that I do not care for such things. I haven’t even heard about your beaux.”
“I am sorry, cousin, I cannot trespass on Miss
Thistlewaite’s time any longer. But
perhaps I can come again another day,” Selina was surprised to hear herself
say. But she had begun to feel sorry for
Gertie, who was obviously very lonely and enjoyed having visitors.
“That would be splendid. And I could call on you, as well. Where did you say you were staying?”
Selina had purposely avoided saying anything at all about
where she was staying, but cornered as she was she was forced to give the
address of the Thistlewaites’ town house.
Once they had said their farewells and were safely in the
carriage, Julia turned to her friend and said, “You do not actually mean to
call
appear fifteen years younger and at least two stones lighter. She was dressed in a youthful morning gown of
pink and white, her unnaturally bright yellow hair arranged in ringlets around
her face.
“Selina Dalton, as I live and breathe! I have not seen you since my dear Arnie was
alive,” Mrs. Covington exclaimed.
“How do you do, Mrs. Covington,” Selina said.
“Mrs. Covington? Why
do you call me Mrs. Covington? You do
not have to stand on ceremony with me, young lady. Call me Gertie, as your cousin used to.”
“Gertie, please allow me to present to you—”
“Yes, I was just about to ask you who this handsome young
lady is. It has taken you long enough to
introduce us. Please forgive my cousin,
Miss—”
“Thistlewaite,” Julia offered.
“Lord, that’s a mouthful. Miss Thistlewaite. Miss
Thistlewaite . Say that one twenty
times,” Gertie said, laughing loudly.
Julia managed a weak smile in response.
“Where are my manners? Please come, sit down. I was so
excited to have callers I practically met you at the door.”
Selina and Julia proceeded three feet into the room, Julia
stumbling over a small foot stool.
“Just kick that out of the way, Miss Thistlewaite. I was forced to economize upon the death of
my dear husband three years ago.”
“I was so sorry to hear the news of Cousin Arnold’s death,”
Selina said, sitting gingerly on the edge of a small settee, which was backed
up against the front of a sofa. Selina
wondered what the point was of keeping a sofa that no one was able to sit
on.
“Yes, well, it was quite unexpected. He was in the prime of life. The doctor said it was apoplexy. But I say that’s what they call everything
that they can’t figure out.
“But enough of such depressing talk. I’m surprised to still be calling you “Miss,”
young lady. You must be, what,
three-and-twenty?”
“I am twenty-two years old.”
“Lord, time flies. I
think the last time I saw you you were fifteen. I was sure such a handsome girl would be married by seventeen. Good gracious, by the time I was the age you
are now I’d already buried my first husband. Although, between you and me, it was not such a great loss.” Gertie
laughed heartily at her own wit, and Selina could have sworn she saw a button
pop off the bodice of her cousin’s gown.
“Now Arnie was a different story altogether,” Gertie
continued. “People told him he’d married
below him, but he’d tell them he had me so high on a pedestal that he was
leagues below me. That was a very
gentlemanly thing to say, and so I always told him. He said it was no more than the truth.” Gertie wiped a tear away, and Selina and
Julia exchanged an uncomfortable look. Selina tried to repeat her condolences but Gertie went off on another tangent.
Although Selina did very little talking for the next half
hour she did manage to convey her parents’ greetings, and then she and Julia
prepared to take their leave.
“You cannot mean to leave already?” Gertie asked.
“But, Gertie, we have already stayed long past what is
considered polite.”
“Oh, you know that I do not care for such things. I haven’t even heard about your beaux.”
“I am sorry, cousin, I cannot trespass on Miss
Thistlewaite’s time any longer. But
perhaps I can come again another day,” Selina was surprised to hear herself
say. But she had begun to feel sorry for
Gertie, who was obviously very lonely and enjoyed having visitors.
“That would be splendid. And I could call on you, as well. Where did you say you were staying?”
Selina had purposely avoided saying anything at all about
where she was staying, but cornered as she was she was forced to give the
address of the Thistlewaites’ town house.
Once they had said their farewells and were safely in the
carriage, Julia turned to her friend and said, “You do not actually mean to
call
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