All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred thirty-three)

All Bedlam Courses Past

Chapter Five

Collecting Debts

(part one hundred thirty-three)

The hospital’s first and second halves, journeying River Road, had gouged the Macadam; the Macadam was new, laid ’80 for the railroad work. Some raking was done, real fixes waited May, all disturbance and inconvenience gratifying to the Vanguard faction—

A chart of “True Costs to the County” ran daily on the front page, and appeared in the Vanguard’s window.

To relieve Mother of town errands, Élucide was to drive Wednesdays—entrusted, not trusted, to be the face of Gremot among merchants. Her companion was Isa.

“If he’s thinking of wearing that suit, tell him not.”

She had caught Robert, going to fetch his son. The livery, and the other thing she’d thought of, made her say: “Isa, you may as well sit up with me.”

They reached the bridge, going east.

A rig came on at a clip, new and springy as her own, driver hooting, passenger chiding. But a smooth reining-up. “If the road were broader and we were passing the same way,” Ranilde’s uncle-in-law said.

He did not say, we’d have a race.

“One of us would take a spill. Sperling’s always got his wagons out. Ma’am, how do you do?” Élucide was surprised, much, to see Mrs. McClurkin.

“Miss Luce. Go on, Michael.”

He crossed and drew flank-to-flank. Isa, not at ease with the experiment, less with her asking, “What sort of life are you thinking of making for yourself, when you’re old enough to leave home?”, flung to the ground, taking Dancer by the harness.

“Young lady. Your sister is getting up and about. Owen says so.”

“Yes, ma’am.” More needed. “We just had a nice visit with…”

“I’ll say this to you. You’re not like the others.”

Michael McClurkin winked.

“I’m on my way to tell your mother…your father if he’s there, but I don’t expect it. Ranilde needs to live with us, at my house. I understand she’s a delicate thing. It strikes me odd, that’s all. Odd you Gremots don’t see any scandal, two married people not living together. I don’t even ask…”

Ask why it was, the finish compelled itself, that Owen was not welcomed to the Summit, to live with his wife. The truth would match Mrs. McClurkin’s expectations.

“Nildie’s got a little maid, you know. Mary Paton’s Lidah.”

“I can put that girl to work just fine.”

Downstairs the McClurkins had two parlors, pocket doors [proudly stated], built into the house that way, so the rooms could be one, or two. A little outdoor porch. Owen to keep his bedroom upstairs. He and her could take their meals in the apartment, or whatever Ranilde preferred best. Ranilde do what chores she felt up to, Mrs. McClurkin had no mind to boss her…

Her sister had the right, Élucide did not doubt, to a family champion. She loves Owen, came out, “She’d love to be with Owen.”

“And God knows she ought to.”

143

Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred thirty-four)

(2024, Stephanie Foster)