All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred twenty)

All Bedlam Courses Past

Chapter Five

Collecting Debts

(part one hundred twenty)

“Present,” she offered, a second phrasing, “on occasions when the matter was discussed?”

Some in the Rowan camp reserved for fine company a silent, slow-merge into haughtiness. Her father to them was always The Squire. Her mother never spoke to them. And Élucide, if she understood men, was turning Rowan’s reporter down in some way, by answering him like an editor.

She ought to have wagged a finger and said, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Vanguard hasn’t run the story.”

“And the Beacon hasn’t. Transfers of property are not always news. Even when they’ve factually occurred.”

A picture rose, of the simpering way she behaved with her father’s friends. They were harmless old men. They were powerful, and harmless, old men. While not taking the observation as wrong in herself, Élucide allowed Yeager might.

“Oh, by the way, do you know me? I’m Senator Gremot’s daughter.”

He turned red, but grew friendlier. “Daniel Yeager.”

“Who do we have in common? Are you a friend of Mr. Ebrach?”

“That would never do. I talked once or twice with Ebrach…”

“Did he tell you his plans for Well-Being?”

He ducked his head and smiled, for some reason sheepish. “I can’t make out any of that fooferall.”

Well, some modest charm here.

She was caught poised, and so was Yeager…facing each other, mouths about to open. Blats cohered to a fanfare; the marching band formed up. A thud and a light tattoo, and the voice of the drum major, commanding. Children flying from the street, Mr. Pelle moving to the fore with his tripod.

The first team was at the corner. The color guard, then the band, filed ahead. Shouts from those in charge, and those not. The crowd, soon expected to sing, coughed and cleared throats. The uniformed men stomped a left foot and a right. A whistle blew. The G.A.R. veterans took the rear.

The program put the first number as The Battle Hymn of the Republic; next, The Red, White, and Blue. Then Marching Through Georgia, three church hymns, and to coincide…though it looked like this might not be the case…with the unveiling, the anthem of Cookesville, titled: “The Fair Little City on the River”.

A carriage parade was set to follow the steam engine that operated the crane, that followed Mr. Lincoln. Yeager had his hat over his heart, sing-mumbling, he has sounded forth…

“The trumpet that shall never call defeat,” she pitched up, for his benefit.

And all Cookesvillians, struggling through the less-familiar verse, boomed the last line: Our God is marching on!

129

Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred twenty-one)

(2024, Stephanie Foster)