Stillwatch by Mary Higgins Clark Page B

bothered her that her mother was a cook?” She had a mental
     
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image of how Sam would react to that question. He would consider itunnecessary prying.Ethel leaned her heavy elbows on the table. “Did it ever! Mamaused to tell me how nervy Abby was. If anyone was coming downthe street, she used to walk up the path to the front steps just asthough she owned the place and then when no one was looking,she’d scoot around to the back. Her mother used to holler at her,but it didn’t do any good.”“Ethel. It’s nine o’clock.”Pat looked up. A squat man with pale hazel eyes set in a cheerfulround face was standing at the table, untying a long white apron. Hiseyes lingered on the recorder.Ethel explained what was happening and introduced Pat. “This ismy husband, Ernie.”Clearly Ernie was intrigued by the prospect of contributing to theinterview. “Tell how Mrs. Saunders caught Abby coming in the frontdoor and told her to know her place,” he suggested. “Remember, shemade her walk back to the sidewalk and come up the driveway andgo around to the back door.”“Oh, yeah,” Ethel said. “That was lousy, wasn’t it?Mama said she felt sorry for Abby until she saw the look on herface. Enough to freeze your blood, Mama said.”Pat tried to imagine a young Abigail forced to walk to the servants’entrance to show that she “knew her place.” Again she had the feelingof intruding on the Senator ’s privacy. She wouldn’t pursue that topic.Refusing Ernie’s offer of more wine, she suggested, “Abby—I meanthe Senator—must have been a very good student to get a scholarshipto Radcliffe. Was she at the head of her class?”“Oh, she was terrific in English and history and languages,” Ethel said,“but a real birdbrain in math and science. She hardly got by in them.”“Sounds like me,” Pat smiled. “Let’s talk about the beauty contest.”Ethel laughed heartily. “There were four finalists for Miss AppleJunction. Yours truly was one of them. Believe it or not, I weighedone hundred eighteen pounds then, and I was darn cute.”Pat waited for the inevitable. Ernie did not disappoint her. “You’restill darn cute, honey.”
     
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“Abby won hands down,” Ethel continued. “Then she got into thecontest for Miss New York State. You could have knocked everyoneover with a feather when she won that! You know how it is. Sure, weknew she was beautiful, but we were all so used to seeing her. Wasthis town ever excited!”Ethel chuckled. “I must say Abby kept this town supplied withgossip all that summer. The big social event around here was thecountry-club dance in August. All the rich kids from miles aroundwent to it. None of us, of course. But that year Abby Foster wasthere. From what I hear, she looked like an angel in a white marquisettegown edged with layers of black Chantilly lace. And guess who tookher? Jeremy Saunders! Just home after graduating from Yale. And hewas practically engaged to Evelyn Clinton! He and Abby held handsall night and he kept kissing her when they danced.“The next day the whole town was buzzing. Mama said Mrs.Saunders must have been spitting nails; her only son falling for thecook’s daughter. And then”—Ethel shrugged—”it just ended. Abbyresigned her Miss New York State crown and took off for college.Said she knew she’d never become Miss America, that she couldn’tsing or dance or act for the talent part and there was no way shewanted to parade around in Atlantic City and come back a loser. A lotof people had chipped in for a wardrobe for her to wear to the MissAmerica contest. They felt pretty bad.”“Remember Toby threw a punch at a couple of guys who saidAbby let the folks around here down?” Ernie prompted Ethel.“Toby Gorgone?” Pat asked quickly.“The same,” Ernie said. “He was always nuts about Abby. Youknow how kids talk in locker rooms. If any guy said anything freshabout Abby in front of Toby, he was sorry fast.”“He works for her