Page 30 of Master of Paradise
"Ohh," she breathed, fingering the heavilyembossed material. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Nicholas. I'll giveit to Mammy Lou to put away for me. Please forgive me, but I mustdash."
He heard Amanda's voice behind him. "It willtake four maids and two hours to prepare her for the party." Sheput her head to one side. "You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.Actually you put our Jenny in a moral quandary just now."
"How so?" he puzzled.
"Young ladies are not supposed to take giftsfrom gentlemen unless it's candy or flowers. How often I've heardthat little drill. All other gifts must be politely refused. Fastgirls accept gifts. Men try to take liberties with fast girls.Jenny should have refused the damask. Either she's too acquisitiveto refuse beautiful presents... or she wants you to takeliberties." Mandy's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, I forgot, Motherwill be on pins. I'm supposed to be finding Porter to carry herdownstairs."
"I saw him up the driveway as I rode in. Ithink he's stringing fancy lanterns in the trees. I'll go upstairsand get her."
"Good. Mother has a particularly soft spotfor you."
Miss Caroline's sitting room was upstairsover her husband's office. The door was ajar and Nicholas could seeher in her chair out on the wide verandah. He went toward her andsuddenly stopped as he heard angry voices floating up from below.She was so engrossed in the conversation,that she was totallyunaware of him.
Nick heard Brandon's voice as he shoutedincredulously, "Abstain? I should abstain? You're nothing but ahypocrite! I suppose you've abstained since mother's been in thatdamned chair of hers? I suppose that woman you keep in Virginia isa figment of my imagination?"
"That's different," roared his father.
My God, she shouldn't be hearing this.Nicholas coughed loudly. "Good afternoon Miss Caroline, I've cometo lift you downstairs." The easy grin was in place, his warm eyeslooked frankly into hers as if he was unaware of anythinguntoward.
White-faced, she said tightly, "Give me a fewmoments, Nicholas."
When her composure returned quickly, hethought,she knew before this; she just wasn't aware thatBrandon knew.
She smiled and asked lightly, "Tell meNicholas, whatever shall I tell our guests about Brandon's untimelyreturn from the Academy?"
"Virginia isn't the only state with goodschools. Simply tell them he's transferring to the University inCharleston so that he can be closer to home." He added softly, "Itdoesn't really matter what you tell them, Miss Caroline, they'llthink whatever they want to think anyway."
"You are probably right, my dear boy. Youthink so differently than we here in the South. Here, appearancesare everything. We even deceive ourselves, I'm afraid." She sighed."Take me down now. The moment they hear me coming, the menfolk willhush up their disgusting shouting match so that I won't hear abreath of scandal, and of course I shall pretend ignorance."
As Nicholas carried her chair down thestairs, the library door opened and Brandon moved up the stepsquickly to help him.
"Brandon, darlin', how lovely of you to comehome for Jenny's party," she said sweetly.
He bent to kiss her cheek. "Mother, I hopeyou've been well."
"Why, I'm just bloomin', now that y'all arehere."
Only Nicholas seemed aware of the terriblestrain on her.
"Set me down in the dining room so I caninspect the buffet. Be a darlin' Nicholas, and send Mammy Lou andCleo to me."
The house had been transformed. Baskets offlowers banked the walls of the large front sitting room. Thespacious entrance hall had had the carpet and furniture removed fordancing. The musicians arrived and set up their music andinstruments beside the piano.
With amusement, Nicholas began to count thenumber of servants that paraded from kitchen to dining room. He hadjust reached a count of fourteen when Bernard invited him into hisoffice for a drink.
Jackson splashed a generous pony of bourbonfor Nicholas and one for himself and drink it down. "God Almighty,I needed that. Did you know the reason that young devil's been sentdown from school?" he demanded hotly.
Nicholas nodded. "Did you know when you raiseyour voice it can be heard upstairs in Miss Caroline's room?"
"My God, no! You don't mean she heard all thethings I accused him of?"
"Worse. She heard all the things he accusedyou of," he said quietly.
The older man looked so ashen, Nick pouredhim another drink. "I went up to get her, and I know she heard whatI heard. If it's any consolation, she only seemed worried what totell the guests about Brandon. I suggested she tell them he wastransferring to the University of Charleston so that he could becloser to home."
Bernard gave him a tight smile. "Now if onlyyou could think of some plausible excuse for me."
"Say nothing, Bernard. He who excuseshimself, accuses himself. Perhaps she didn't believe Brandon'swords."
