The Roswell Legacy by Frances Statham (parable of the sower read online .TXT) 📗

and brushed her cheek against Ginna’s in an expression of acceptance. Ginna was overwhelmed by her graciousness.

“Have you heard from Jonathan?” Ginna suddenly asked. “When is he coming back to Washington?”

“His letter stated that he would be arriving some time late this evening. But didn’t you get his letter to you? He said he was writing to you at the same time.”

“No, I haven’t heard from him.”

Allison frowned. “That’s strange. Something must have happened to delay it.” Her frown suddenly vanished. “You’ll probably get it after he returns. He was so enthusiastic in his letter to us about a proposed project. He wants to go into some new venture with Andrew, Morrow’s husband. They live in Chicago, but they’ll be coming to Washington for the wedding.”

“I just want you to know, Mrs. Meadors, how much I love Jonathan. And I’m going to try to be the best wife that anyone could ever be.”

Allison’s amethyst eyes became moist. “I can see how much you love him, Ginna. That’s all that really matters.” She reached for her lace handkerchief. “Heavens, how emotional we are.” She dabbed at her eyes. “We’ll never hear the end of it from the men in the family if we’re caught shedding tears this early. We’ll have to save them for the wedding.”

“I wasn’t sure that you would approve of me, Mrs. Meadors. As a suitable wife for Jonathan … because of the way we met.”

“The way you met was perfectly respectable for a modern young woman. And with my best friend, Peggy Drake, chaperoning you both, no one could fault the courtship. My only regret is that I wasn’t in Washington at the time so that I could have met you before Peggy did. She’ll never let me forget that it was she who brought you two together. But we can make up for that. Are you free to come for a visit tomorrow afternoon?”

Ginna hesitated. “I’ll be at the art institute until two o’clock.”

“Then Jonathan can call for you there.”

“Yes, that would be lovely.”

“Then it’s settled.”

By the time the men returned and the lights were lowered, Ginna’s heart was singing. At last she felt as if a bright future with Jonathan was now in store for her, and not even the tragic ending of The Lady of the Camellias could touch her that night.

CHAPTER

14

Later, Ginna lay in bed, listening to the night sounds—the creaks and groans that all old houses seem to have when its occupants are quiet enough to hear them.

And then the wind began to whistle and moan, as if engaging in midnight conversation with the old brownstone. Somewhere a loose shutter banged back and forth, but Ginna was much too tired to find it and secure the latch. And so, with its steady rhythm, it merely served as a hypnotic pendulum lulling her to sleep.

When, toward morning, the summer rain finally arrived, with flashes of lightning punctuating the sky, she was oblivious to all except the sweet dreams that were hers.

Far too early, Clara was bending over to wake her. “Miss Ginna, if you don’t get up now, you’re gonna be late for class.”

“What time is it, Clara?”

“Almost nine o’clock. Your papa’s been gone for two hours. He said if you weren’t up by now, to come in and wake you since you have an important day today.”

Ginna sat up and quickly brushed her hair from her eyes. Clara was right. She had so much to do. She leaped out of bed and started to run for the bath.

“You want your coffee first, Miss Ginna?”

“No, Clara. I don’t have time. Jonathan’s back, and I’m going to have such a marvelous day. Absolutely nothing can spoil it. Please, could you help me? Find my light blue dress and petticoat and lay them on the bed for me?”

“You’re not afraid of ruining that pretty new dress? Wearing it to class?”

“I’ll just have to be extra careful, that’s all. I’m going straight from the institute to Mrs. Meadors’s house, and I don’t have time to come home and change. Is Mummy up yet?”

“No, ma’am. She’s still asleep. But Nathan’s up. Had his breakfast a long time ago and he’s already gone, too. Pinky was waitin’ on the steps for him.”

Ginna shut the door and turned on the shower. Clara found the dress and laid out Ginna’s underwear. All the time Ginna was in the shower, Clara continued talking. It didn’t seem to matter that no one was close enough to hear her. And when Ginna returned to the bedroom, Clara was still talking.

“… Minnie’s my friend, you know. Works at the same hotel where that Mrs. Pelligrew is stayin’.”

Ginna smiled and responded as if she had been in the room the entire time. “I saw her last night onstage, Clara. Has Minnie seen her up close?”

“That she has. Made up her bed yesterday. She didn’t even get up until late afternoon. And then she lounged around until early evenin’. Had a light supper in her room with that Mr. Garling,” Clara confided. “Minnie went back to take some extra towels later, and she still had on her negligee. Sittin’ across the table from that man as merry as you please, and her with nothin’ on underneath that negligee. They’s strange folks, those actors, Miss Ginna.”

“Well, it might be nice to live as you please for once,” Ginna said wistfully, “not having to care what other people say about you.”

“Menfolks have always lived that way. I got me a cousin, Obadiah. Been married four times and only buried one wife, his last one. Now all the widows in the church are chasin’ him like he’s a saint. One’ll get him, too. Mark my words. And then someday one of his other wives will finally catch up with him. And then what’s he gonna do?”

Ginna laughed. “He’ll have to become a sea captain.”

“How’s that, Miss Ginna?”

“One of our neighbors in England was a sea captain’s wife with six children.