Page 57 of Beyond Montana's Sky
Ben returned from his friend Tom’s house just in time to change for the family dinner, and she didn’t wait for him to get ready before going downstairs.
Edith found the Graysons in the parlor sipping glasses of sherry and sitting in silence. She wasn’t particularly fond of the drink but accepted a tiny glass from Henry and sat in the tufted chair adjacent to the sofa. “I’d like to speak with you both before Ben comes in.”
Searching for the right words, she hesitated. “Although you have differing viewpoints, Ben is very attached to his family and friends in Sweetwater Springs. Criticizing them or his life there will only alienate him. I know you don’t want that.”
Henry frowned. “I don’t know why you think we might say such things.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Did you not say last night that my brother’s hotel is a ‘mere, small town hotel?’”
Henry bristled. “I was stating a fact.”
“No, you were not,” she said in a calm but firm tone. “You haven’t seen the hotel nor asked about it. Therefore, you’re making assumptions, which you presume are correct but aren’t. Instead of disparaging Ben’s experience, you had an opportunity to draw him out and learn more about him. He’s not the same boy you knew. He’s grown into a young man with his own opinions. By the way, he’s old enough to have dinner with us every night and participate in the conversations. He’s become accustomed to doing so.”
Mildred sniffed and dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. “If only you hadn’t taken him away from us.”
Edith drew in a breath. She wasn’t about to argue her decision. She’d done so enough at the time. “Furthermore, you’d do well to cease criticizing me in front of him. He will naturally feel he needs to come to my defense.”
Neither said anything, but from the tight expressions they both wore, she’d offended them.
“I know Ben loves you both,” she said in a softened tone. “I want him to have a close relationship with you. Moving back is an adjustment for him.”For both of us.“He can’t just step into this life as if he never left.”
Their expressions relaxed, and she hoped they were giving her advice some thought.
Quick steps sounding across the wooden floors and then muffled by the ivory Mahal rug heralded the approach of her son. He hurried over and bent to give his grandmother a kiss on the cheek.
Mildred touched Ben’s arm. “Hello, dear boy.”
Edith angled her head for him to kiss her cheek. “Did you have a nice time with Tom?”
He shrugged. “All right, I guess.”
Frowning, she was about to question him further, when Julia, holding hands with her youngest daughters, flowed into the parlor, followed by her oldest, Annis. They all wore solemn expressions.
The changes in her sister-in-law shocked Edith, and she had to hold in a gasp. She rose and moved to welcome them.
Julia—blond, pretty, and sweet—had always been on the delicate side. But now in stark black, with a widow’s veil down her back, she appeared positively fragile and ravaged with grief, as if she’d aged twenty years and not five.The double tragedy of the death of her husband and miscarriage of her son must be almost unbearable.
Genuine compassion made Edith hold out her arms to her sister-in-law.
Julia released her daughters’ hands and moved in for a hug.
“My dear Julia, I’m so glad to see you, although I’m so very sorry we’ve returned under these sad circumstances.” Edith gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, inhaling the scent of lily of the valley perfume.
For a moment, Julia clung and seemed about to crumple and burst into tears.
The girls went to greet their grandparents with cheek kisses before drifting back to be close to their mother.
Edith said the only thing she could think of that might stem the tide of tears. “Now let me greet your beautiful daughters.”
Judith sniffed back tears.
Fearing her sister-in-law might collapse, Edith kept one arm firmly around Julia’s waist and turned to view her nieces. The girls, ages fourteen, eleven, and eight, were clothed in simple white dresses girls commonly wore for mourning.
The younger two huddled around their oldest sister, appearing unsure if they should go to their mother or stay with Annis. All three were blond and blue-eyed like Julia, their hair in long ringlets held back by big white bows.
Edith lamented the lack of animation she’d previously seen them display. “Oh, my darling girls, look at you, so grown and pretty.” She held out a hand to Annis, and, once she sensed Julia could stand without falling, gave her eldest niece a hug. “What a beautiful young lady you’ve become.”
“Aunt Edith, I’m glad you came home.” Annis’s voice was soft, almost a whisper. “We’ve needed you and Ben.”
