Page 52 of Beyond Montana's Sky
“Hiya, Deak.” Ben patted the butler’s arm. “Good to see you.”
With a startled look, quickly erased, the butler bowed again. “Mr. and Mrs. Grayson are waiting in the drawing room.
Ah. We are to be welcomed in formal splendor.
Deak tottered over to help Edith out of her coat. “Mr. and Mrs. Grayson asked that you greet them before going to your rooms to refresh yourselves.” He handed the coat to Spade.
Edith stripped off her gloves and gave them to Deak, who passed them to Spade. She pulled out her hatpins, threaded them through the brim and extended the hat, which also made its way to the man-of-all-work. She moved to a gilt-framed mirror on the wall and peered in, smoothing back stray hairs. Thank goodness, she’d washed her face and hands before leaving the train. But her dark-gray traveling dress was wrinkled in places.
Ben had less to divest. He slipped off his wool coat.
He looked more rumpled than Edith would like for this reunion. She reached to straighten his collar and smooth his hair.
Ben tipped his head in the direction of the grand staircase, carpeted with a red runner, in a silent request to hasten ahead.
“Go on.” Lifting her skirts so she wouldn’t trip, Edith followed him up the stairs to the second floor.
On the left, double doors of black walnut stood open to the drawing room. With a quick glance around, she could see nothing much had changed. This room was the lightest in the house, both from the large nook of bay windows in the front, to the woodwork painted white instead of left dark like elsewhere in the home.
Gilt-framed landscapes and portraits hung over rose-and-gold striped wallpaper running up to the high, coffered ceilings. Fringe was everywhere—on the edges of the mantelpiece cloth, the piano covering, bottoms of the lamp shades, and the armchairs.Famillerose floor vases flanked the fireplace, with matching Chinese garden seats and flowerpots scattered throughout the room. She inhaled the familiar smell of rose sachet.
With wide smiles, Mildred and Henry, both in mourning black, rose from the tufted chairs near the fireplace. “Welcome, welcome,” they chorused.
With a cry, Mildred practically threw herself at Ben, who braced himself to catch her. “You’re home. Oh, my dear boy, you’re finally home.” She grabbed him tight against her pigeon breast and started to weep. “We’ve missed you so!”
Over her shoulder, Ben gave Edith a wide-eyed look of entreaty. He awkwardly patted Mildred’s back.
Edith decided not to rescue her son. If she hadn’t seen Ben for four, almost five years, at their reunion, she would have wept all over him, too.
“Now, now, Mildred.” With a helpless expression, Henry joined Ben in patting his wife’s back. “Mustn’t take on so.”
“Oh, you’re so tall.” Mildred pulled Ben’s head down and went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Welcome home, my dear boy.” She finally allowed Ben to partially escape, holding on to his arm with one hand and extending the other to Edith. “I’m so glad you brought our grandson back to Boston where he belongs.”
“So lovely to see you, too, Mildred.” She forced a smile, took her mother-in-law’s hand, pressed, and released.
With a smile, Mildred wagged a finger at Edith. “Now, now, Edith dear. Remember, you call meMama.”
Edith remembered. She’d never liked addressing her mother-in-law as Mama, and therefore, usually didn’t call her anything.
Henry thumped Ben on the shoulder. “Good to see you, my boy. You’ve grown like a weed.” Indeed, her son topped his grandfather by an inch.
Now that Edith had a chance to study them both, she could see the toll the years and sorrow etched on their faces and bodies. Both sported grayer hair and more wrinkles, but Henry, who used to be on the corpulent side, had considerably thinned, although his fleshy face still retained jowls. Only his eyes—Nathaniel’s eyes, large and gray—looked the same.
Mildred, on the other hand, had put on the weight her husband had lost.
“Grandmother, Grandfather—” Ben touched both their arms “—I’m glad to see you.”
“Oh, goodness. Even your voice has changed! Oh—” Mildred wailed, placing a plump hand on her ample chest “—we’ve missed so much of your growing up.”
Mildred didn’t glance at Edith in recrimination like she would have done in the past.
Some progress, at least.
* * *
After freshening up and changing clothes—although with no time for the longed-for bath, Edith and Ben went downstairs to supper in the first-floor dining room, where the mahogany table was set with gold-rimmed Haviland Limoges china, crystal glasses and goblets, and gleaming silverware. Since they hosted no company, the Graysons asked Ben to join them and graciously mentioned he could participate in the conversation.
Two of the maids served the meal, and Edith liked having their welcoming smiles directed her way instead of the dour attitude Mrs. Graves always showed. She certainly wouldn’t miss Caleb’s cook and housekeeper.
