“Don’t think I missed that you nearly took out thatunsuspecting milk cart,” Aunt Mary snapped.
Loren twisted and I looked down to see her standing by ourcarriage under her black parasol, something she had open, even if her hatshaded her entire body, and another half a foot in circumference besides.Herever-present handbag was dangling from her wrist (seriously, she was like theQueen of England, she even brought that thing to the dinner table).
Last, her dour expression was aimed at me.
She adjusted her aim to Loren.
“I told you it was folly, teaching a woman to drive acarriage.Did you listen?”She lifted her handbag in order to snap her fingersirritably, if ineffectually, since her hands were in gloves.“No, you did not.”
“I was startled by the horse, Aunt Mary,” I told her.
“A pile of stones is hardly startling.”
A pile of stones?
I returned my attention to the horse.
The rubies in his eyes had to be bigger than my fist.
I looked back to Aunt Mary, losing a fight with a smile.“Dowe need to take you to have your vision examined?”
Her face screwed up and she turned back to Loren.“You spoilmy niece.”
At the same time he was alighting, Loren was nodding to ablue uniform guy who apparently was there to see to our carriage.
Once to the sidewalk, he lifted his hand to me, I took it,and he helped me down.
Only when he had me tucked to his side, did he turn to AuntMary, and completely unperturbed, reply, “Indeed.”
I fought melting into a puddle of goo.
Maxie, standing close to Mom who was now beside Aunt Mary,giggled.
I looked to her and winked.
“Just like your father,” Mary huffed.“He doted on yourmother.She was, fortunately for him, and, I daresay,us all, asupremely sensible female, not a woman to have her head turned by suchimprudence, may she be held to the bosom of Brigid.Your sister, however, wasindulged beyond imagining.You were all very lucky she was so charming and ofsuch a sweet disposition, or it would have been the ruin of her.”
After delivering that, she snapped down her parasol, took itby it folds, and shook the handle at me.
She then carried on.
“Mark that, girl,” she warned.
“Mary,” Mom said softly, before I could say something totease Aunt Mary.
And the way Mom spoke made me look to her.
When I did, and I saw how she was gazing at Loren, I turnedmy head up to him.
His jaw was hard, his lips were tight, and my heart lurched.
“My boy,” Aunt Mary whispered, sounding contrite.
“It’s fine, Mary,” Loren said.
“I meant no—”
Loren didn’t let her finish.“As I said, it’s fine.”
