“Just because Edward volunteered himself as Lottie’s personal guard doesn’t mean he’s smitten.”
“Oh, he’s smitten all right,” Elma said before Camilla had a chance to argue. “I done know the signs of a besotted man, and Edward’s a marked man for sure.” She brushed a wispy strand of gray hair out of her face. “I would’ve gone with them to make it all proper-like, but that maid, while bein’ an unlikely chaperone, will done make sure there’s nothin’ untoward happenin’ on account that she’s one of them women who likes men to be keepin’ their attention on her. She won’t cotton to any funny business, at least not when a man might be thinkin’ about kissin’ someone other than her.”
“I wouldn’t think Edward, having just met Lottie, would be contemplating any kissing just yet,” Camilla said.
“And you found success as a matchmaker?” Elma asked before she let out a bit of a snort and lifted her chin. “Anyhoo, back to what I was sayin’. You, Miss Pierpont, from what I kin gather, have agreed to gussie Luella up within a few short weeks, but I ain’tthinkin’, given how she started to scowlin’ when you mentioned that, she’s all that receptive to cooperatin’.”
Luella sat forward on the settee she was sharing with Leopold. “Too right I’m not, since I think it would be easier all around if we’d just use Camilla’s status within the Four Hundred to get everyone to accept me without going through the bother of making me all refined.”
“But that there would deprive me,” Elma began, “your favorite auntie, of the opportunity of watchin’ you deliver Ada Mae Murchendorfer the comeuppance she rightly deserves after what she done did to you, and likewise what she done to your mama a couple years back.”
Luella’s brows drew together as she rose to her feet. “What did Mrs. Murchendorfer do to Mother?”
“You ain’t heard?” Elma asked before she shot a glance at Beulah.
Beulah winced ever so slightly as she moved to stand beside Luella, taking hold of her hand. “I hope you won’t get angry with me for not telling you this before, but you supposedly had an understanding with Stanley. If I would have blurted out what Ada Mae did to your mother, you would have been left feeling less than charitable toward a woman you thought was going to be your mother-in-law someday.”
“’Specially when it’s Ada Mae’s fault your mama hied herself off to Paris,” Elma added.
“It’smyfault Mother went to Paris, even though Meemaw’s been trying to convince me otherwise,” Luella argued.
“That’s nonsense there, child,” Elma said, bustling up to Luella and giving her shoulder a slightly awkward pat. “You had nothin’ to do with Betty Lou’s decision. She up and left for Paris on account of that whist saloon Ada Mae purposefully didn’t invite your mama to join but done invited every other woman of standin’ in this here valley.”
Luella wrinkled her nose. “I can’t picture Mother getting bothered about not being able to go to a saloon.”
“I think your aunt meant salon,” Camilla clarified, blinking when Elma, instead of scowling at her, began to cackle.
“I think you’re right, girl, jist as I think you might not be so daft after all, which is why I suppose I have no choice but to help you with fixin’ Luella up.”
“Oh ... I don’t believe that’ll be necessary.”
“It sure ’nough is, and besides helpin’ you with Luella, I’ll help you save poor Owen’s reputation by doin’ my best to show everyone real personal-like that you really aren’t suited to country life.” Elma nodded to her sister. “That’ll make it more believable when you git around to tellin’ everyone you’re withholdin’ your blessin’ from their union.”
“Except that I have no intention of withholding my blessing,” Beulah argued.
“Why not?”
“Camilla’s worthy of the recipe.”
Elma blinked. “Don’t reckon I was expectin’ that, and just when I’d come up with a way to...” Elma stopped talking and began moseying around the room, muttering under her breath until she stopped and, concerningly enough, settled a smile on Camilla. “You keen on Beulah not cooperatin’?”
Camilla frowned. “I’ve already tried to disabuse her of the notion that Owen and I are well-suited for each other, but she doesn’t seem to want to listen to me.”
“Beulah’s stubborn as the day is long, but I can help show her, jist like I said I can show the people of Wheelin’, you’re not suited to country life, and hence, not suited for Owen.”
Wariness immediately settled over Camilla. “What do you have in mind?”
It was less than encouraging when Elma took to grinning, a look that on anyone else might have been pleasant, but on Elma was a look that probably terrified small children.
“Well, see, what with how gossip works around here, everyone’s already heard that Owen brought you here to get his meemaw’sblessing. Cuz of that, they’re gonna expect you to be tryin’ to impress, or maybe cater to is a better way to put it, to the family, specifically, his meemaw and ... me.”
“Definecater to the family,” Camilla said.
“Oh, you know, jist doin’ a few chores here and there.”
Camilla tilted her head. “That’s an interesting way to get yourself some unpaid labor, quite like Beulah apparently does when she sends out invitations to the family to plant her garden.”
“Me and Beulah believe in bein’ practical when it comes to gettin’ tasks done that we don’t care to do ourselves, but since you’re gonna need my help convincin’ my sister to withhold that blessin’ in the end, I think it’ll behoove you to accept the terms I jist laid out.”
