“I just wanted to apologize for the way my mother acted yesterday.”
“If she wanted to apologize for how she had acted, she could do it for herself. Is she here?” Mags made a show of looking around. “I didn’t think so.” She pushed on the door to close it up.
Asa put a hand on the door to stop her. “I thought you would be at church today where she could speak to you and you could meet my family and come over for luncheon.”
“We must have a care for Ruby’s health. These days, the family doesn’t go out much and I cannot go out unescorted.”
“Of course not.”
“I do have some manners,” Mags insisted. “Please let her know that.”
“I’ll have to let her know more than that. Like that I love you.”
“Will that be acceptable to her?”
Asa hesitated and she could see it in his eyes. “I’ll make it so.”
“I have never heard of a marriage beginning in such a way. Forget what I said in Georgia, Asa. It was in the heat of the moment when I was carried away. I’m sorry that I even said it.”
“I’m not.” He pushed back on the door.
“I am. Please leave.”
“I will not, until I know that you aren’t mad at me.”
“I appreciate that you have brought me up here to a new life, but I’m trying to have my new life now and I appreciate it if you’ll let me do that.”
“Fine.” Asa pushed the door open wider against her strength, and she stepped back. “But just know that you cannot shut me out. Ruby and Adam are my friends and I’ll be calling regularly to see them.”
“Which will probably not work out very well since Adam is busy with is work and Ruby is indisposed. Oh well.”
“Then I’ll be here to see you.”
“And you’ll have to ask Adam’s permission to do that.”
Adam and Solomon were running down the street. She let out a long breath. All would be revealed soon and she felt chagrined at knowing that her sister and brother-in-law would know just how foolish she had been. She was not looking forward to the revelation.
After all, she was the sensible one. Now, she was about to be shown up for who she really was, a lovesick crazed woman who had dared to propose to a man who didn’t want her and who wasn’t even strong enough to stand up to his mother to tell her that Mags was his own heart.
Why did these things always have to happen to her?
Chapter Nineteen
That proud tilt of her head made him want to kick himself. With the Bakelite leg.
He knew that he had messed up. Watching her go upstairs to her sister, he turned to Adam in front of the opened front door. “I’ve done it now.”
Adam clapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “When it comes to women, there is no predicting anything. What did you do?”
When he told him, Adam whistled and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Yes, he had really made it worse with Mags. He didn’t like the thought of watching Mags become acclimated to Pittsburgh and then finding someone new to be her husband. Or worse yet, going back down to that terrible Southern town and being Winslow’s moneymaker plaything he could show off to his powerful friends. Mags deserved better than that. “You’ll have to show her you can be constant. Let her know that you are not going anywhere.”
“How am I to do that? She says she’s resolved to taking care of Ruby.”
Adam frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that. She’s not in prison up here.”
“You know how important it is to her to take care—it’s what she likes to do.”
“Yes, yes.” Adam frowned in thought. Solomon was making a lot of noise, Asa could see and the noise disturbed his father. “Go on upstairs to your aunt and mother,” Adam directed his son.
Solomon dragged his heels at his fun time being over, but he gave Asa a little wave and an idea occurred struck him. “If she’s taking care of Ruby, and you still have your patients and want to stay close to home to take care, what about Solomon?”
“We have the maid when she comes in, but I must confess, she’s a little empty headed.”
“That’s the answer! I’ll be Solomon’s governess!”
Adam laughed. “We can’t pay much, but you can have off on Sundays and every other Wednesday.” He sobered. “Seriously, I know that you have more writing to do about the investigation. I can set you up at a desk here in the parlor. When the maid has Solomon, you can work, if you don’t mind keeping him occupied.”
“I don’t.”
“She needs to see you care.”
“I do.”
“I don’t have a mother living, but I would know better than doing what you did.”
“You know how Elodie can be.”
“I know. And it’ll all resolve itself if it is meant to,” Adam said. Asa felt a sinking feeling again. He didn’t like the vague nature of his friend’s response. It had to work out. He couldn’t afford to lose more in his life. He wouldn’t.
A little later, Adam came up the stairs to the bedroom where Mags was seated on a chair next to her sister, reading a story. Solomon sat at her feet, entranced. “I’ll wash up, my love and then I’ll check on you,” Adam said.
“Take your time, darling. Mags is reading to Solomon all about Greek mythology,” Ruby informed him.
“I know that Mags has her hands full seeing to you, love, and so I’ve asked Asa to stay.”
Mags turned around to look out Ruby’s back window and surely, Asa lead his horse out to Adam’s barn to stable it. “What do you mean, stay?”
“He’s going to help with Solomon and work on his investigation notes.”
Ruby clapped her hands. “An excellent idea.”
“No it isn’t,” Mags said indignantly. “I can take care of everything. I don’t need his help.”
Ruby put her hand out on her sister’s arm. “Everyone needs help from time to time.”
“Finish the myth, Auntie.”
“Let’s go downstairs, and let your father see to your mother.” She folded down the corner of the book page, closed the book and stood. “Call me when you are done.”
“We surely will.”
She walked out of the room with Solomon at her heels. Walking down the stairs, she could hear the sotto voice of her sister. “He loves her.” Ruby never could whisper.
Then she couldn’t hear Adam’s response. She was too far down the stairs. Leave it to Ruby to try to engineer something with Asa. Betrayal. She took her nephew back into the parlor and heard the back door close. She and Solomon sat themselves on the davenport and waited for Asa to come in.
“What are you all doing back down here?”
“Auntie was reading me about the Titans, Mr. Caldwell,” Solomon said.
“I would like to hear Auntie read too.” Asa put his feet up on an ottoman, sitting in a big, winged chair.
“I’ll read some more, but I cannot stay long. Once Adam has checked over Ruby, I’ll have to go back upstairs.” And tell her off.
“That’s fine.”
Mags actually finished the story, seething the whole time about the way these events were shaping her life. Relieved to hear Adam’s footfall on the stairs, she stood, handing the book to Asa. “Here. I’m sure that Solomon would like to hear about how Zeus formed the earth and heavens.”
“I would appreciate telling him. I have all the time in the world to make sure that he receives the proper attention.” He took the book from her letting his hand cover hers and linger for much too long. She snatched her hand away, not caring at all for the intense look he gave her.
“That’s interesting. It seems to me that when he needed attention earlier, you couldn’t be bothered.”
Asa went to stand, but she stopped him with a gesture. “That’s not true, Mags I—”
�
�I have things to do.”
“I want to explain.”
“I want to hear another story, Mr. Caldwell,” Solomon whined.
Adam stood in the doorway and seemed amused. “I had forgotten about how funny lovebirds can be.”
“There aren’t any birds in here, Daddy.” Solomon seemed to be confused.
Adam smiled at his son. “After you are done reading your story, Mr. Caldwell and I will show you about playing checkers.”
“I must get to my sister.”
Asa grabbed her wrist. “I’ll be here.”
“Please let me go, Mr. Caldwell. Or whatever you call yourself. Enjoy reading your story.”
“We will,” Solomon piped in. “I like Mr. Caldwell, because he lets me knock on his leg to hear the echo inside.”
“Solomon,” Adam scolded. “Apologize.”
There was a downturned frown on Solomon’s adorable little face and Mags couldn’t help but smile. So did Asa. “I’m sorry, Mr. Caldwell.”
“That’s okay, Solly. If I minded so very much, I wouldn’t let you do it, would I? Now, where were we?”
He winked at her as she turned to leave. Appalling. Was there no end to this man’s nerve? She walked briskly up the stairs to get back to Ruby and she saw her sister lying there in bed, protecting her distended belly with her hands. Mags’s heart turned over. She didn’t want to hurt her sister’s feelings given her terrible restrictions and the worry she felt over the impending birth.
She knew that Ruby didn’t understand and she was determined to make her sister see.
“Did you see Asa Caldwell?” her sister asked.
“He’s down there.”
“What did he say?”
Mags shrugged her shoulders as she returned to the chair next to Ruby, but Ruby patted the big space next to her and Mags settled in on the huge bed. The baby seemed to settle in for the news by moving the thin sheets on Ruby’s stomach.
Please let her baby be okay. “What should he have said?”
Ruby clasped her sister’s hands and put them next to her face and deepened her voice. “Please, please, darling Margaret. Come with me and be my love. We can be married in your sister’s parlor right away and live in love.”
“Right. That kind of thing doesn’t happen for girls like me. That kind of thing happens for girls like you.”
“What do you mean?”
Mags gestured all around her. “Mama and Daddy would be so proud to see how you live. Trust me, Ruby, it would only be you who would get swept up like a fairy princess to live in the great big castle. And you didn’t even like fairy tales when we were growing up.”
Ruby gave a wistful smile. “No, I never did. I never wanted to hear them. I knew that they weren’t true for girls like us. So when you say, girls like me, what do you mean?”
“Of your beauty. The way that you look.”
Ruby’s eyebrows came together. “You’re beautiful. You have the most magnificent skin and eyes.”
“Skin?”
“Yes, your skin. Your skin is the most beautiful maple color and it glows so. I have these freckles that I’ve always disliked. I always wanted your skin.”
Mags gave the wistful smile this time. “There are lots of others who don’t like this skin.”
“Who?”
“Elodie Caldwell,” Mags choked out, feeling hurt at the mention of Asa’s mother.
Ruby searched around in the room for a minute before a look of understanding dawned on her face. “I’ve thought something was wrong with you ever since you arrived. What’s going on?”
“She was less than kind when she picked us up at the station.”
“And?”
“And Asa did not defend me or say any of the things he said in Georgia.”
“Like what?”
“Like that he loved me.”
Ruby frowned. “He told you he loved you in Georgia? Did he kiss you?”
Lowering her head, she crossed her fingers together, too ashamed to answer. She knew Ruby understood.
When she looked up, Ruby had folded her arms as best as she could and pursed her lips together. “How was it?”
“Wonderful. I had always wondered if it would tickle if a man with face hair kissed me.”
“And?”
“It doesn’t. It feels,” she struggled to find the word. “Exciting.”
“Yes, it does.” Ruby sat up a little bit more.
Mags reached over and helped her adjust her pillows. “Travis kissed like a little boy. Asa is a man, I had thought, until he backed down to his mother.”
Ruby shook her head. “You aren’t being fair. He hasn’t backed down. He just hasn’t stood up yet. That’s what. He’s standing up now. Trust me. Elodie is having a fit wondering why her son would want to be over here when he could be in that tomb of a house of hers, working on his writing. She knows. And she probably felt threatened by you. I don’t think it was about your color.”
She didn’t want to repeat Elodie’s nasty words. Besides, someone as light as Ruby could not know how she felt. Her sister’s words made her feel a little bit better, though.
“And Asa was in a very dark place when he came back from the war. He had to adjust to his leg, and the loss of his…friend.” Ruby swallowed.
“He loved her,” Mags whispered.
“He loved her just as you loved Travis. It wasn’t real love it was just new love. Everything that happened in Winslow tested you. This is another test, that’s all. Elodie is harmless. When she sees what you can do…” Ruby rubbed her hands together. “You can take my place in organizing the fall bazaar. She’ll lose her mind. You’re just the kind of church worker she’s been looking for.”
“I couldn’t believe it when Asa told me that you were doing that kind of church work.”
Ruby waved a hand. “I have ideas. I don’t make things come alive like you do. Trust me, you’ll be embraced by the Caldwells. And by Asa.”
“How do you know?”
“I can hear it in his voice when he talks to you.”
“You can hear all the way up here?”
“Of course. When you have to stay in the bed all day long, your senses get perked up when they have nothing to do. I can hear him. Believe me, I intend to ask him what he is doing kissing my baby sister without offering to marry her—but he will.”
“I don’t want anyone’s pity.”
Ruby’s face came together in a pucker. “I went to see him at his mother’s before he left, about two months ago.” Her sister had to gather herself, she could tell. “Do you remember how I was just after the attack?”
Mags remembered the dreadful spring and summer of 1914. Fruit budded out in their orchards, and things came alive, but not Ruby. Her sister Ruby stayed around the house all the time, a dead thing among them—the living. She nodded her head, almost as if the nodding could shake those bad memories from her brain.
“That’s how he was. When I came to see him to ask him about the investigation, he was in bed. He had a pistol in his lap.”
Mags put a hand to her mouth to stop the gasp. Her eyes shone with tears thinking of the amount of pain that would have caused Asa to take away one of God’s greatest gifts—life. “What happened?”
Ruby shrugged her shoulders. “I went over to him and told him to give it to me.”
“You have more nerve, Ruby. What did he do?”
“He seemed stunned by my request—this large bellied woman asking him for the pistol. I told him that I was a country girl and I knew guns. I took it and put it as far away from him as possible and told him that if he wanted to do away with himself, he would have to cross the room to do it. I said I had more important work for him to do.”
“You saved his life. You and that nerve of yours,” Mags whispered through her fingers.
&n
bsp; Ruby touched her hand. “No love. You did that, my Margaret. I can hear it in his voice. And as soon as I’m able, whether it is proper or not, I’m going to have him up here. I want to see it on his face too.”
Mags slid down and put her head on her shorter sister’s shoulder. “I love him.”
“I know you do. Part of why I sent him down there.”
Mags sat up. “What?”
“He’s up here, pining after some deceased foreign woman. I have four sisters, a couple of them ready for marriage. What do you think?” Ruby put her head on her shoulder again. “I always wanted a brother. I was tired of being the boy in the family.”
“There’s no denying it. You’re insane.”
“These things tend to be inherited. I know. I’m a nurse and I have studied these things.” Ruby linked her fingers through hers. “If you marry him in say, two months, one month after I have the baby, so that I can come down and sit in the parlor and watch your wedding, do you realize that you could be me in a year’s time?” She pointed to her stomach.
She drew back horrified and Ruby laughed at her.
“You always wanted to be a mother. You would be the best one of any of us.”
“The rest of you sillies didn’t even like playing with dolls. I usually forced Em and Delie to, because they were too young, but you and Nettie thought it was foolishness.”
“I never liked the way that the dolls looked. They’re creepy.”
“And soon, you’ll have your own doll.” Mags put an affectionate hand on her sister’s big belly.
“If you play your cards right, you can have yours too. They could be playmates for each other.” Ruby jabbed her in the ribs with an elbow, making her laugh. Then she grew serious.
“We’ll see.”
“Do you doubt your big sister’s ability to get involved in a lover’s quarrel and make it all right?” Ruby put a thin arm around Mags’s shoulders.
“No. I doubt that Asa is as resolved in his love as you say.”
“We’ll see, dear sister. We’ll see.”
Adam offered Asa the use of a guest room, and he stayed down the other end of the hall, for propriety’s sake. Still, he dogged her steps from morning to night. So wearying.
A Most Precious Pearl Page 20