Page 63 of Silver Lining
Max gave her a narrowed look of speculation, and she felt her skin tingle and her stomach spun into a slow roll. His gaze dropped to her waist before sliding away.
She released a breath she'd unconsciously been holding. Next to Max, Wally was but a pallid shadow.
Where Max stood immovable as a rock, her husband was like a malleable child.
"Dave's out back, waiting to show you two his new saddle," Gilly called with a smile, walking toward them from the kitchen. "Hello, Philadelphia , you're looking well today."
To her dismay, the men moved toward the door. "How long before we eat?" Wally asked Gilly. Wally had promised to stay by Philadelphia 's side, but the frantic signals she sent him sailed past his thick head.
He would hear about this later.
"About twenty minutes." When the door closed behind the men, Gilly wiped her hands in the folds of her apron while Philadelphia tried to recall when last she had seen Gilly or Livvy without the ubiquitous apron. "Would you like to join us women in the kitchen?"
She didn't know the first thing about kitchens, nor did she have the slightest notion how to prepare a meal. This was no oversight; she didn't wish to know. Most particularly, she was unwilling to provide an opportunity for Livvy to make her feel inadequate or useless. Livvy McCord might believe a woman's place was in the kitchen, but true ladies decidedly did not. And finally, the creature was in the kitchen.
"I prefer to wait in the parlor," she said pleasantly. "Perhaps you'd care to join me?" A bit of company would be welcome.
"I'd enjoy that I'm sure, but I'm in the midst of filling the salt cellars." Gilly gave her a smile and a shrug, then returned down the hallway toward the kitchen.
Shocked by Gilly's casual dismissal, Philadelphia did not move for a long moment. She stood excluded and abandoned in the chilly foyer with teeth and hands clenched. Finally she spun in a furious swirl of taffeta and marched into the parlor, where she occupied the time until dinner by counting the days until she could escape from here.
Dinner, of course, was precisely the ordeal she had expected. First, in an aggravating breech of convention, Sunshine was permitted to dine with the adults. Worse, the child chattered incessantly and no one ordered her to be silent; it was enough to give one a headache. The men talked politics and cattle and the weather. Livvy and Gilly discussed the clothing they were sewing for the creature. The creature spoke only once. She answered yes when Gilly inquired if she still intended to drive to Gilly's home after dinner for a dress fitting.
As for herself, Philadelphia finally abandoned any effort to introduce refined topics and concentrated on setting a silent example of grace, delicacy, and good manners. Occasionally she lifted her lashes to peek down the table at Max, hoping that he noted the vast contrast between good breeding and Low Down's boorish manners. Twice she caught Max staring at her, and she smiled inside her mouth.
Although she never glanced at Low Down or acknowledged her presence, she was very aware of the creature. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a deferential expression when the creature gazed at her betters. Which was as it should be. It gave great satisfaction to know Low Down understood she didn't belong among superior decent company. She was a misfit, an abomination.
After dinner the men stepped outside to smoke their vile cigars, and Low Down immediately jumped up and collected several dessert plates before she left for the kitchen. The creature's transparent desire to flee was gratifying and raised a flush of righteous triumph to Philadelphia 's brow.
"I declare," Gilly commented, watching Sunshine skip toward the kitchen. "That child dotes on Louise."
She cast Philadelphia a guilty look and hastily added, "and you, too, of course. Sunshine says she wants to be as beautiful as her aunt Philadelphia when she grows up."
"I've always had a way with children," she admitted with a modest smile. In the past, this response had contained little real meaning, but now it did as she abruptly recalled her pregnancy and her smile faded.
"When I was as far along as you, I was already wearing loose clothing," Gilly commented. "Mama thought I was surely going to have twins," she added with a smile.
Livvy raised her coffee cup, and her eyes sharpened. "Did I overhear Wally say he intends to speak to your father about driving off Max's hands?"
She was not going to allow herself to be drawn into a discussion of Max's punishment. Instead she lowered her voice and leaned forward, imparting a confidence. "Wally doesn't know this, but I believe Daddy intends to extend a job offer tomorrow."
"Do you think Wally will accept the offer?" Livvy inquired.
"Of course he will."
Pushing up from the table, Livvy carried her coffee cup to the dining room window. In the ensuing silence, Philadelphia overheard Low Down and Sunshine laughing in the kitchen.
"In some ways, Wally will make a more successful banker than Max would have," Livvy said eventually.
She frowned at the men smoking outside, their backs to the wind. "Wally isn't as quick at ciphering, but he'll be more comfortable working for someone else. Max needs to be his own boss."
"Wally isn't as tied to the land as Max is," Gilly offered after a minute. "Since he hasn't built on his parcel, he wouldn't have to divide his time between ranching and banking. We could split his herd between our hands and the hands at the main ranch … "
"Was this your idea or is it your father's belief that he can turn anyone named McCord into a banker?"
Livvy put the question without turning around.
As usual, Livvy didn't display the deference she should have toward a Houser. Philadelphia 's grandfather had founded Fort Houser , her father was its most prominent citizen, and until Livvy McCord's son had betrayed her, Philadelphia Houser had served as society's reigning belle. Truly, her mother-in-law was an infuriating woman.
