Sadie rolled her eyes. “She’s always starting diaries, but I don’t think she’s gotten past three entries.”
Lily poked her twin. “Someday I will be a famous actress, and someone will want to read the account of my life.”
“Do you really believe you’d want to sit down and write an autobiography?” Sadie asked.
“Hmm.” Lily tapped her chin. “Perhaps I shall hire a ghostwriter.”
“Personally, I enjoy writing,” Aida said as she folded her hand over the edge of her notebook, “but not typing—at least when it comes to formatting and finalizing a manuscript. I’ll hire someone for those details.”
“Will you join us next summer?” Vera asked. “I will miss you dreadfully, darling, but we all must make sacrifices for the advancement of science. And the world definitely needs a glimpse into that wonderful mind of yours.”
“I might.” Aida reached over and slung her arm around Vera in an impromptu hug. “It has been a fun and grand adventure, just like you promised.”
“What about the rest of you?” Vera asked.
“Sadie and I will definitely join you.” Lily took a sip from her glass.
“It will be nice to be in a place where you can actually see the sun in the winter,” Sadie added. “Western Pennsylvania always seems to be in a permanent overcast gloom starting in the fall.”
“Knowing how much the children love the beach, John and I will come.” Alice rested her head against her husband’s shoulder and looked up at him. “Won’t we, darling?”
“As long as Vera doesn’t mind the not-so-quiet thunder of little feet,” John said.
“Oh, I adore your children,” Vera said, “and I absolutely love spoiling them.”
“And us.” Alice gave her cousin a nod. “Thank you again for arranging for a nanny to watch them tonight.”
“I’ll want to check what Bessie’s plans are for the winter months and if I can help her out. If not, I’m more than happy to spend time by the water,” Carrie said.
“What say the two of you?” Vera swung her gaze toward where Mattie and Leo sat together, their hands clasped under the table. Mattie felt Leo’s grip tighten around her fingers as she instinctually did the same. They hadn’t spoken of the future, hadn’t discussed what they would do once their current stint ended, hadn’t shared with each other what they desired out of life.
“We... we haven’t discussed it,” Mattie said, feeling an alien sense of hesitation. What did it say about her and Leo that they hadn’t talked about even the immediate future?
Leo watched her, his expression stoic and practically impenetrable. Yet she sensed in him the same unease and uncertainty that she felt.
“There’s no need to give me an answer straightaway.” Vera’s hand fluttered carelessly in the air, and Mattie knew the flapper had detected her and Leo’s discomfort.
A commotion on the small stage provided, at first, a welcome distraction. The band members were taking a break, and two men ascended to the stage. A cold chill raced through Mattie as she recognized Earl Crenshaw and Benji Pringle.
“Miss McAdams, don’t be shy now.” Crenshaw’s deep baritone boomed through the room, drawing the attention of all the patrons. “You come right up here and join Mr.Pringle and me for our big announcement.”
Leo’s grip on Mattie’s hand grew hard. She barely stopped herself from swiveling her head to look around the room, as if another Miss McAdams would suddenly manifest. What in heaven’s name was happening?
“Now, you can’t tell me that the Rockol Mattie who has challenged the Flying Lion is intimidated by a little audience like this.” Crenshaw’s voice sounded jovial, if a tad patronizing, but Mattie could detect the meanness in it like a clink in an otherwise perfectly operating motor.
Everyone in the room except for Mattie’s table laughed. She readily recognized the tone of the guffaws. It was snide amusement at the idea that a mere woman was foolish enough to believe not only that she could shed her innate frail femininity and boldly take to the skies but that she could fly better than a man.
Mattie started to stand, but Leo gave her a gentle tug. He leaned over and whispered so softly that only she could hear, “Don’t go up there. It’s a trap.”
“You all might be wondering what an aviator and a reporter are doing on the stage tonight at the Lost Tide Pool. Well, we are here in case you didn’t see this evening’s edition of theOceanbreeze Chronicle.”
Mattie stiffened at the name of the town where Fabin Flyer had just held its derby. Mattie had tried calling the company several times since her discussion with Guadalupe and Amando. She’d left the number of Vera’s attorneys since she was on the road, but the law office had not received any communications.
With a dramatic flourish, Crenshaw unfurled a broadsheet. The room had grown so quiet Mattie swore she could hear the rustle of each individual page even from her seat in the back. Leaning forward, she squinted. When she caught a flash of her own face in newsprint,her blood froze. But Crenshaw’s next words made it burst into unstoppable flames.
“You see,Rockol...” Crenshaw paused, obviously trying both to drum up more tension and to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Mattie’s endorsement deal. His lips curved into a decidedly oily grin when he continued, “Mattiehas agreed to fly the Fabin air course against me. I was able to persuade the company to allow us to use their planes so no one can say we were unevenly matched in the way of aircraft.”
Mattie bounced to her feet like a daredevil shot from P.T.Barnum’s legendary human cannon. “I—”
