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.She gave Hilda a dirty look, though.Hilda sounded just like a horse trader, talking up all the selling points of a nag he wanted to unload.The next thing I know, she’s going to talk about my teeth.“The arrangement … it is beautiful.” He tilted his head and closed one eye.“And the picture … I feel like I am right there, in that landscape.The details on the little flowers at the very bottom are very realistic.”“Thank you.”Hilda made an impatient gesture at her and mouthed, “Be nice.”Laney stiffened.Unwilling to let the unfortunate visit come to a quick end, Hilda motioned Eddie back to his chair and served him the tea and an enormous slice of pie.“I believe Laney will plant a flower garden here at the Broken P come spring if she hasn’t gotten married.”Pain slashed through her so mercilessly, Laney dropped her fork.“Don’t fret over that,” Hilda said as she swooped and picked it up.“I’ll fetch another.”“No need, Hilda.” Laney clenched her hands in her lap.“I don’t seem to have much of an appetite.”“She eats like a bird,” Hilda told Eddie.Eddie smiled after swallowing the biggest bite Laney ever saw someone take.“Between the two of us, we make up for each other.You’re small and I’m large.You eat little and I eat lots.”Laney managed a sickly smile.It seemed as if the visit dragged on interminably.When Eddie ate her slice of pie as well as his own, Laney grasped at straws.“Why don’t I ask Hilda to send a slice of pie home with you?”“No, no.But I will be happy to come again soon.And when the vines hold ripe grapes, I will be sure you have as many as you want.”“How kind of you.” Laney walked him to the door and leaned against it after he left.The clock showed he’d only been there for forty-five minutes, but it had seemed like an eternity.Laney marched into the kitchen.“Hilda, don’t you do that again.”“Do what?”“Try to play matchmaker! It was … horrid.” A tingling behind her eyes warned Laney she was about to burst into tears.“There’s nothing wrong with a neighbor happening by.”“Fine.Then from now on, when a neighbor who happens to be a bachelor comes to pay a visit, you can entertain him.”Hilda made a sour face.“That would be rude, and you know it, Elaine Louise.”“It’s no worse than you trying to foist me off on Eddie!”Hilda came toward her and patted her gently, just as she had when Laney was a little girl.“I know this is difficult, but you have to move on.The next time, it won’t be so hard.”Laney’s jaw jutted forward.“There had better not be a next time.”“You don’t have a mother, so I’m going to step in and have my say.You can’t pine for Galen.He’s a married man.There’s no use wishing it wasn’t so.Eddie Lufe is a good Christian man.So is Robert Price.Either of them would be happy to marry you in a heartbeat.Eddie’s got more money, but Rob’s better looking.”“I don’t care about their money or their looks.” Laney shook from head to toe.“I won’t marry someone I don’t love.I can’t.”CHAPTER THIRTYThe next day Laney sat in the parlor again.Only this time Mrs.O’Sullivan and Ivy were there for an afternoon of tea and sewing, and of course, Ruth and Amanda and Hilda were there, as well.Yesterday with Eddie had been embarrassingly awkward, but this—it was a hundred times worse.The girl who had ruined Laney’s future with her vile lie sat there on the footstool near Mrs.O’Sullivan, just as Laney used to sit by her own mama.Unbearable as it all felt, Laney knew she had to endure it.“I do so admire your dress,” she told Amanda.“The plaid is exquisite.” “Thank you.A very dear woman and her daughter back home insisted upon giving it to me as a going-away present.”“The wool must be nice and warm.It’s quite cool today,” Mrs.O’Sullivan said before taking a sip of tea.“Laney, won’t you reconsider about that pink wool dress?”Ruth turned to Amanda.“It’s the exact same shade as your silk.It never fit me correctly, and Laney is convinced she looks atrocious in anything pink.”“I bet Laney’d look good in a burlap bag.” Ivy took a loud slurp from her teacup.“I’m doomed to wear dreary browns.It’s this hair of mine.”Laney caught the sly look Ruth cast to the side and said in utter surprise, “Ivy?”“Huh?” A wary look crossed Ivy’s features.Ruth leaned back and looked at Ivy.“Yes, Laney, I think you’re right.Ivy would look beautiful in it.What are we waiting for?”She popped to her feet.“Come on, Ivy! Amanda and Laney, you, too.”“These young girls.” Hilda gave Mrs.O’Sullivan a knowing look.“They’re always up to something.You girls go on and have your fun.Kelly and I are going to sit by the fire and sew.”As they walked up the stairs, Laney wondered what her sister-in-law was up to.Ruth came up with more schemes than anyone Laney knew.I don’t want to be a part of this one.“Mama was sick for a long time,” Ruth explained to Ivy.“I had nothing to do other than read to her or sit and sew while we talked [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]