“He, as well as the rest of the men who’ve been tasked with guarding her, keep showing up one by one while she’s doing all those chores for Aunt Elma.” Luella smiled. “Apparently, they decided that after Camilla made you apologize to Nems, they might also need to be trained up in the etiquette department since none of them ever considered things like proper manners before. They’ve been seeking out Camilla’s counsel, and she’s been giving it to them, although I think they were feeling guilty about interrupting her chores because all of them started trying to help her.” Luella shook her head. “Camilla flatly refused their assistance, saying something about that would cause her to lose some kind of challengeshe’s evidently in with Meemaw and Aunt Elma. That’s why you can normally find one of the boys lounging beside Camilla and asking her etiquette questions as she goes about whitewashing fences, hanging Aunt Elma’s laundry out to dry, or washing down Beulah’s front porch.”
“I’m going to have to ask the boys what kind of questions they’re asking her.”
Luella grinned. “I know none of them will be asking her anything about how frequently a man should bathe after Andy told her he was right proud of himself for taking a plunge in the stream every two weeks, especially when most of his friends only fully submerged themselves once a month.”
“Should I assume everyone’s bathing more frequently now?”
“There’s been a run on tubs at the local hardware store.”
Owen laughed. “I’m sure there are a lot of people smelling better these days, not that I’ll ever remark on that to anyone except you since Camilla has more than hammered it into me that I shouldn’t ever comment on people and smells.”
“You’re not the only one she likes to reiterate points with, Owen,” Luella said, leaning forward to avoid getting smacked in the face by another low-hanging limb. “She’s been adamant regarding what I can and can’t say to Stanley after what I told him at our first quadrille lesson, when he had the audacity to seek me out and, instead of apologizing, told me how fine I was looking before he asked Charles to switch partners with him, that he was a sorry excuse for a gentleman. I then added that if he didn’t want his nose broken again, he’d stay out of my way.”
“Since Stanley continues watching you throughout every quadrille lesson, and I did see him say something to you a few days ago when everyone was taking a dancing break, I’m thinking he’s determined to change your mind about you wanting him to stay away.”
“Stanley can watch me all he wants, but even though he finally mustered up a halfhearted apology a few days ago, saying something about he was sorry we’d suffered a misunderstanding andthat he really wanted us to become good friends again, he then demanded I apologize for breaking his nose, which really isn’t how I think apologizing is supposed to work.”
“Did you apologize?”
“Since I knew I’d suffer a lecture from Camilla if I didn’t, yes, but in all honesty, I don’t feel sorry for breaking his nose at all, something I’ve been feeling guilty about. That’s why I sought out an audience with Reverend William Braun after church services this past Sunday.”
Owen reined to a stop, waited for Luella to do the same, then caught his sister’s eye. “What did Reverend Braun say about all that?”
“He told me that because I’m only human, my response toward Stanley was understandable since Stanley had treated me cruelly, and that I probably didn’t feel guilty for breaking Stanley’s nose because Stanley hadn’t lent me the impression he’s all that sorry for hurting me. However, Reverend Braun did suggest I truly consider forgiving Stanley whether he was sincere or not because holding on to animosity isn’t how one should go about living their life.”
Owen frowned. “Does Reverend Braun think you should resume your friendship with Stanley?”
“Not at all. He said that even if I were to forgive Stanley, that it’s really my decision whether I want to spend time with him, no matter if Stanley wants to resume our friendship or not.” Luella gave her horse a pat. “Reverend Braun believes that there are times we need to accept the consequences of our bad behavior, and in this case, Stanley needs to understand that because he hurt me, that it’s solely my decision whether to salvage an old friendship or just deem him a past acquaintance and leave it at that.”
“So you don’t want to renew your friendship?”
“Perhaps in time I may consider it, but Stanley didn’t hesitate to abandon me. And while I understand that Ada Mae encouraged him to do that, done so to get back at Mother because of her refusal to entertain a match between you and Sally—and allow meto say I thought it was very well done of you to apologize to Sally for that nasty business after Camilla told you what Mother had done—it was still Stanley’s decision in the end to turn his back on our friendship. After speaking with Reverend Braun, I’ve come to realize that forgiveness is expected, but it’s perfectly acceptable to decide who I want to include in my life and who I don’t.”
“I’ve noticed you’re spending time with Martha Wellington and Clarice Colleens even though they conspired together to embarrass you at McGovern Pond.”
“I decided Iwantthose ladies to remain in my life, as they gave me sincere apologies. Martha even cried and told me what an idiot she’d been for setting her sights on Stanley after she learned I was no longer in the picture. Since we were all very good friends at one time, until everyone got swept up into the we-should-be-mean-to-Luella nonsense, I decided to let bygones be bygones.” Luella smiled. “Camilla claims she’s often seen similar circumstances happen within the Four Hundred and believes it’s due to what she calls a group mentality—that people convince themselves their unkind behavior is acceptable because everyone else is doing it. And while that doesn’t excuse Martha and Clarice’s poor behavior toward me, they’ve been going out of their way to make amends, and, well, it would be churlish of me to not rekindle those past friendships. Besides, not that I would have admitted this after I found myself ostracized from everyone, but I missed mingling with friends.”
A sigh escaped Owen as he kneed George into motion because . . . Camilla had been right all along in that he’d not really known his sister much at all, or at least not the young lady she’d become.
He’d been so focused on the unpleasant disposition she’d displayed from almost the moment their parents left for Paris that he’d never taken the time to contemplate what was behind all that unpleasantness. Camilla hadn’t hesitated to point that out to him as they’d traveled from New York to Wheeling, and then had been pointing out all sorts of things about Luella ever since she’dbecome acquainted with his sister, such as Luella’s interest in interior decorating, horticulture, and most surprising of all—fashion.
Luella had evidently never been opposed to fashion, merely opposed to bows and lace, and after having Camilla encourage her to embrace her own sense of style, she’d taken everyone in the family aback when she’d begun looking as if she’d stepped out of a fashion magazine on any given day, something that even Aunt Elma had noticed and, oddly enough, seemed to approve of.
“Why in the world is Meemaw dashing across her front lawn with her rifle in hand?” Luella asked, snapping Owen out of his musings as he glanced around, his gaze settling on Meemaw, who was indeed rushing across the lawn with her rifle.
“Something’s wrong,” he said before he kneed George into a gallop and took off toward Meemaw.
“Camilla’s chasing a bear that’s after Gladys. She’s heading up the hill into the woods,” Meemaw shouted when she caught sight of him.
A second later, Owen had George racing up the hill, urging him faster once they crested it and he saw Camilla standing in a clearing, aiming one of Meemaw’s rifles at a bear that was in the process of advancing on Gladys, who was backed up against a tree.
Cleo and Calamity were circling the bear but keeping their distance, as El Cid slunk around the tree, coming to stand in front of Gladys, where the cat immediately took to arching its back and hissing.
“I don’t want to shoot you, Teddy, but you’re not leaving me many options here,” Camilla yelled right as the bear reared up on its hind legs and let out a roar.
A blast resounded a second later, sending a flock of birds zooming out of the tree Gladys was under as Camilla stumbled backward, apparently from the recoil, right before she lost her balance and fell to the ground.
His heart missed a beat when the bear abandoned its interest in Gladys, dropped to all fours, and charged Camilla’s way.
